Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-12-18


4 bridge head, For this mission, Gen. Burn
side called for volunteers, aud Col. Hail. of
Fort Sumter fame, immediately responded that
he had brigade that would do the business,
Accordingly, the Seventh Michigan and
Nineteenth Massachusetts, two small regi-
ments, numbering in All 400 men, were select
ed for the purpose,
The plan was that they should take the pom
toon boats of the FIRST bridge, Of which there
were ten lying ON the bank of the river, wait
ing to be added 10 the half6nshed bridge,
cross over IN them, and, landing, drive out
the Rebels,
Nothing could b. more admirable or more
! gallant than the execution OF this daring feat
! Rushing down the steep banks of the river,
the party found temporary shelter behind the
! pontoon boats lying scattered on the bank,
and behind the piles Of planking destined for
the covering of the bridge, behind rocks, etc,
In this situation they acted some fifteen or
twenty minutes as sharpshootars, they and the
! Rebels observing each other. In the mean
time new and vigorous artillery firing was
commenced ON our part, and Just as soon as
this was fairly developed, the Seventh Mich-
gan rose from their crouchng places, rushed
for the pontoon boats, and pushing them into
the water, rapidly filled them with twenty-five
or thirty each.
The first boat pushed Off Now, if ever, is
the Rebels opportunity. Crack Crack
Crack from fifty lurking places go Rebel
rifles at the gallant fellows, who, stopping low
| in the boat, seek TO avoid the fire. The muir
jerous work was well done. Lustlly, howev-
er, pull the oarsmen, and presently, having
passed the middle of the stream, the boat and
its gallant freight come under cover of the OPP
poslte bluffs.
Another and another boat follows. Now is
their opportunity. Nothing could be more
amusing, in its way, than the result. Instant
" thew see a new turn of affairs. The Rebels
pop up by the hundred, like so many ra.s,
from every cellar, e-pit and stone wall, and
scamper off up the streets of the town. With
all their tieetness, however, many of them were
much too slow. With incredible rapldity the
Michigan and Massachusetts boys sweep up
the hill, making rush for the lurking places
occupied by the Rebels, and gain them, each
man capturing his two or three prisoners. The
pontoon GOATS on their return trip took over
more than hundred OF these fellows.
You can imagine with what intense inter-
est the crossing of the first boat-load of our
men was watched by the numerous spectators
on the Shore and with what enthusiastic
shouts their landing on the opposite side was
greeted IL was an authentic piece OF human
herosm, which proves men as nothing else
can. The problem was solved. This flash Of
bravery had done what scores of batteries
had failed to accomplish. The country will
not forget that little band.
md no nInl1 ri
ed out, 1t took the engineers but brief perioC
to complete the bridge. They laid hold witt
a will plunging waist-deep into the water anC
working as men work who are under insplra
ton In less than half an hour tho brdg
was completed, and the head of the column o
, the right grand division, consisting of Gen
Towards command, was moving upon II owe
, the Rappahannock A feeble attempt from
the rebel batteries was made to shell the troop
; in crossing, but it failed completely.
Of the appearance of the city, he says
Every one of the houses which here entered
dozen or more, is torn to pieces by shot an
she'll, and the FIRE still holly RACES in doEe
parts of the city. A few citizeus--a score c
two, perhaps-male and female, PRESENT.
made their appearance, emerging out OF To
cellars, whittier they had taken refuge durln
the bombardment Three women white
whom we found in a cellar, told us that the,
5 with majority of the inhabitants, had move
) out of Fredericksburg fortnight or so prev
Q ousy, but that growing treasured by our lon
), delay, they, with good many others, ha
u come back the evening before. The tormt
" inhabitants they repor as now living in varlo'
q parts of the environs, some III negro huts, al
aathers IN tents made with bedcothes, &c,
y The correspondent closes with the tollowlr
h account of the manner in which Gen. BurnsiC
z deceived the enemy
4 Although we are not yet fully informed
= the present positions of the enemy, there seen
;. to be God ground to claim that Gen. Burr
side has succeeded in outgeneralng then
:, His decoys to make them believe that we WEI
a about to cross our main force at Port Conwa,
/; seems to have succeeded admirably. | SUI
=, pose there Is no harm now in my mentlonlr
>, that among the ruses he employed was sendir
!" down, dav before Yesterday, to Port Conwa
!, three hundred wagons, and bringing them BAG
i BY different road, for the sole purpose
J, making the rebels believe that we were abo
to cross the river at that point. To the san
:, end, workmen were busily employed in layin
- causeways for supposed pontoOn bridges Their
! while the gunboats were held as bugabOos
- the same place. Completely deceived by the
- feints, the main rebel force, including Jacl
sons command seems to have been two
-, three DAYS ago transferred twenty or twent
- five miles down the river. 1t must be remer
;, bered, however, that without the utmost csle
30 itv on our part they can readily retrieve tn
8 bhnder by a forced march or two Sign
70 guns, at 5 o'clock this morning, gave the
the cue to what was going on, and doubtle
they have not been idle during the intervenir
N hours.