The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1862-12-20
lCo.iespon Icnce o the Nev York Herald J
The Battle of SATURDAY..

the whole war. 1t lngcdcrccly throughout
the entire day., and even aItcr darkness had
shroudcd the field it was KEPT .,T'wih deter.
minafion ON bath sides, which seemed ms
though it were likely to last until one army
or another had become SO exhausted HS 70
be unable to maintain the fight any loHgcr.
The fighting on our immediate front and
right and beyund Fredericksburg. WIS car
ricd on by Gen. Summers Grand Division.
comsrisIug the ID and 9th Amy Corps
Shortly after o clock the ID Corps. Gen.
Couch, which constituted the right of the
attacking forces, moved out from the upper
part of the city between the plank road and
westerly skirts, with strong attachments
of skirmiShrrS. The enemy yielded gradu-
ally, though Ehcy contested our progress
with great StltAbcTncss. and for some time
the rattle of muSketry WAS inccssant.
AZ the same time that this movement was
commenced the batteries OF the division
stationed on the bluffs across Size river open
ed with shelf to aid the exit of the Rebels
and cover own %.tva,ice. 7 he Rebel ulnutry
having fallen back to their first line of en-.
tr"nchmcnts and rifle pits, their batteries
opened with vigorous and rapid fire upon
oN columns which now had come to tenn
porary halt, awaiting the result Of the art.
lerv lighting. Soon after the whole corps
Divi-i1n on the right, and in this order
moved forward 10 attack and storm the
Rebel right hyttcrics. while from all the
enemy 5 works a terrible shower Of she'll
grape and shrapmcl tore through their bleed.
ing ranks, notwithstanding which they stead.
NY pushed on to the rifle pits, within a shu
distance Of the first line Of intrcnchmrnts.
From the former they drove the Rebels
making prisoners of some, while the re.
maindcr took refuge behind the cart hworks
This was accomplished after the most heroic
and long continued efforts. under ~ CALLING
and murdcrous fire. Hannah nature was
unable to hold out against the terrible FIRE
which they now encountered. and they final
Is retired, but in good ORDER casrying away
with them their wounded comrades. They
fell back to their original line of picketS,
thus holding the ground they first occupied
After further mancsvcring sid hard fight
ing by the Divisions under command Of
Hancock, Sumner. Couch, Sturgcs. Frank.
I'M and other Generals. about twelve o clock
there was an order for Il general advance
along the whole line. ! Ec cntmv occupied
y line of elevated land mostly wooded, but
but IN some places cleared, and extended in
ii semi circular form, near the river below.
around to Fredericksburg above giving him
an cntflading fire on the whole field, and
making line Of battle at least six miles to
extent. The Rebel batteries were on the
crest of the rising ground, we'll supported
by infantry. General Stoncman' Corps
were at this time crossing the river to sup.
port the movements on the left. The bat.
i"ricS ON both sides now blazad AWAY with
fearful fury. Doubleday on the left bank.
closete theriycr. advanced his line gradually.
| meeting with but little opposition. At one
. clock the divisions of Generals Meade and
Gibbons advanced, under cover of our arlil-
lcry. They went forward in splendid style,
with cnl"rs flying. They soon became a..
lively engaged in the works ut the foot OF
the range of hills, while from near where
their artillery was planted on the crest an
additional infantry fire was poured into our
men.
Both divisions however, advanced TO the
woods, and a number Of prisoners, hundred
or more, were captured by them. The lir- OF
artillery and muskrtry was inccssant at this
time. Presently, however, a fresh and more
vigorous fire burst forth from the woods on
the Pennsylvania Reserves, throwing nearly
the whole of that division into confusion and
disorder. This cmbudencd the rebels and
they cont nncd to advance, meeting with not
much opposition from these troops. Their
officers tried to rally them but without much
SUCCESS General Jackson. commanding one
OF the 3rigadcs, was killed by musket ball,
which struck him in the head, while endcav-
orlng to rally his men. His body was left
upon the field. together with that of his Adm
tant, Captain Swrrngen. This unfortunate
decentralization of General Mradc's Division
caused partial success of the cncmy's attempt
to flank our forces. AS they could not be
rallied. General Birncy's Division of veteran
braves was brought forward on a double
quick aud Immediately pushed to the front TO
81 the gap. They opened a sharp fire, driv-
ing the rebels back to the woods from which
they had come
On the light of Franklin's line Smiths
Corps was actively engaged. Gen. lIowc's
Division and the lett of General Brooks kept
back the enemy in their front. After this
the fire slackcncd little. Towards sunset
the enemy made a very vigorous attack Oh
several parts OF the line, so as to hold por-
OF our ground at dark, but he was Sp edily
driven back at every point. At dark the
relative position of the forces was about the
same as i'll the morning. except that We had
gained half Il mile or more on the left.
General Burnside was at the Phillips House
nearly all day. His position, most Of the
time. was on the upper balcony, where. with
powerful glass, he was watching the move
mtnts across the river. He had his stall and
c"urrrs running to and fro, conveying orders
and bringing reports OF the progress of the
fight He gave orders with promplindc and
snccinctly. 6 Lose no time,'' was the
almost universal injunction to every courant.
4 smoky mist obscured the view in the morn
ing. 1t was the hazy sky Of an Indian Sum-
mcr day, and the same grnia! warmth Of the
sun made more remarkable by its contrast to
the recent intense cold.
AS darkness shut out the light of day the
scene was one OF terrific beauty and sublimty.
The loss on our side was vrry heavy, and
cannot as Set be known with accuracy.
OUR ARMY RECROSS TIE RIVER.
The battle on Saturday convincing General
Burnside that the position the rebels occu-
pied on the heights beyond Frederick Sbnig
was too strong, to he carried undetermined
to rccross the Rappahannock, which was
accomplished on Monday night with perfect
success, not being scovercd by the Rebels
until it was too late for the INTO intcrposc
any obsticlc to pr, vent the passage of the
river. Whn the last soldier crossed, the
pontoon bridges were taken up and all COM
munication cut off. The Army now occupies
its former position on the north side CT the