The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1863-05-19
The Confederate Victories.
THE BATTLES AT FREDERICKSBURG
AND CHANCELLORSVILLE

AND CHANCELLORSVILL
A correspondent of the Richmond Enquirer
gives the following detailed and interesting ac-
count of the late battles:
I propose to give you history of the whole
fight, beginning with the crossing below Freder-
cksburg on Wednesday morning, April goth, and
day evening, May 4th, when the enemy were
driven in confusion across the river, their mid
night cry being "refreat to Banks ford"
The first movement of the enemy-the crossing
below town-can hardly be said to have been a
teint. 1t would be perhaps sore proper to speak
Of it as movement designed to cooperate with
the main attack at Charlottesville, it is posi-
BILE that this force was left in front OF Fredercks-
burg to prevent rear movement on our part
which, if successful and the river once crossed by
our troops, at point near town, their access to
the railway could have been cut off and their
base of supplies rendered useless to them. To
guard his rear and protect bis base, the force,
which afterwards operated extensively, was at first
intended to act defensively, io all probability.
How it afterwards acted the offensive, and
succeeded in carrying by storm "Marye's Heights"
can probably be explained by the fact that Hooker
had been hard pressed and whipped in the fight of
Saturday and Sunday morning at charlottesville
and made this attack in order to create DIVERSION
and enable him to cover his retreat
Charlottesville having been the real point Of
battle, it will be most fitting to speak of it first
On Thursday evening Gen. Anderson, who was
holding position in front of the United States
Mine Ford, twelve miles above Fredericksburg,
ascertained that the Yankees, numbering FIVE army
corps, with at least eighty thousand men, crossed
the Rapidan at Kelly's and Germana Fords, hay
ing previously crossed the North Fork Of the Rap
pahannock at Elys Ford, in Culpeper county, and,
advancing down the plank road. Gen.
Andersen at once fell back to Charlottesville, and
took up~a line Of battle in front of the plank road,
and extending to the river, and reaching over
towards the old Catherine Furnace. Gen. Ander-
son. however, having too small a force to hold the
enemy at this point fell back to position some
four miles below Charlottesville, and fronting
the old mine road On Friday morning Gen.
Anderson was reinforced on the right by Gen.
McLaws, and on the left by Gen A. 2. Hill. At
this period Gen. jackson took command, and
ordered an advance, himself leading it, and sue
ceeded during the day in driving the enemy back,
they making but slight resistance. On Friday
night forces rested fully two miles beyond the
ground occupied by the Yankee forces on the pre-
vious evening"
Saturday morning wore away without important
results. There some artillery firing and a
little skirmishing, but the engagement did not
become general until about o'clock in the after
noon from which hour the fight ragged furiously
until about eight o'clock. Jackson, at this time,
had thrown force on their upper flank, and
driving them fercely down upon our lower line,
which, in turn, was hurling them back, and rem
dering futile all their efforts to break through our
lower lines, and making it necessary for them to
give back towards the river. There was an inter
mission in the firing from eight o'clock until about
nine. But from nine until long past midnight the
sound Of artillery and small well nigh
deafening. The explanation ready. Jackson
was pressing them with night fight. Our boys
drove the Yankees, who stoutly held their ground,
until near day; and at early dawn Sunday, the
fight began on both ends Of the line, and by IL
o'clock the firing had ceased On the upper end
of the line, Charlottesville, the Yankees
got badly whipped, retreated to the river.
On the lower line, near Fredericksburg they
succeeded in carrying Marye's Heights, and
rioted in the widest excess Of joy. They had
stormed they said, the Gibraltar Of America, and
their route to Richmond was plain and easy, little
remembering that they had hurled a column of
fully ten thousand upon regiment in front, and
thus gaining the rear Of the rest Of Barksdae's
brigade.
But " the best laid schemes of men and mice
gang aft agree;" and whilst the Yarkees were
felictating themselves on their splendid successes
and imagining themselves to be in the rear of our
army, Gen. Lee maneuvreing as to meet
the enemy-who were now throwing themselves
forward from the town on the plank road About
four o'clock on Sunday evening, McLaw's
division, including Wilco1's brigade of Ander
sons division, met the advance column Of the
Yankees, under Gen Sedgwick, at Salem Church,
four miles beyond Fredericksburg, on the plank
road and cur line of battle was formed at rlgh:
angles with the plank-road. The battle here
ragged for about two hours, but the Yankees were
repulSed with considerable loss, including some
tive to six hundred prisoners Our line on the
Telegraph road. meantime, had been formed at
Smock's, about three and half miles out from
town.
Early on Monday morning, Lawtons old
Brigade, now Gen. Gordons supported by Gen.
Smiths and Gen. Hayes, all of Early's division,
advanced towards Marye's Heights, and charged
them without the firing Of gun, driving the
enemy from position from which less than "A
hours previous he had dsIodged Barksdale's Mlssls-
sippians after most heroic resistance, in which the
enemys loss quite considerable In this con- |
1ition matters remained until about five o'clock In
he evening, when general advance ordered.
At the firing Of a signal gun, Gen Early moved
upon the enemy from the right, and Gen. Ander-
son and Gen. McLaws from the left. The enemy,
Who held position on the plank road, extending
up and down, were quickly dislodged and driven
With great loss from the field. Their resistance
vas slight The charge grand Early's men,
md especially the Louisianians under Hayes,
walked over the enemy giants over plgmles,
While from above, the of Anderson and Nc
avs who had been constantly marching and