Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-01-03
THE BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG.
Extracts Of Letter from an Army Chaplain at
Fredericks6urg
CAMP OF EIGHTH RRo'r N. ,. ynis.

| CAMP OF EIGHTH RRar N J ynis
Near Falmouth. (Pa) Dtc 49, 1861
VI course you have beard very full particulars Of the
Cent movements about fredericksburg We papers
mere at oil IL would that papers we're contraband
article so seduousy they kept from the eyes Of the
| troops-whether for good evil is think question
Nevertheless. few incidents related by an eye witness
may not prove uninteresting. e
We all waited long and anxiosly for the expected att
tacK marvehng al the lapse of time especially Sumner
mad summoned the city to surrender long since, and We
knew that every days delay was advantageous
and 30 far fatal to ourselves We began to think that
no movement would be made and that we were doomed to
winter quarters upon the banks of the Rsppahannock
but the season Of inacon ceased suddenly The call to
arms sounded throughout the nes and n single night
every thing ready for the attack and the press for
ward as we trusted direct into Richmond over broken
and demoralized foe
Thursday morbEg, the / lth instant saw the entire
army IN motion, massine in some places. marching to
the right or leff or making their way direct to the
river. The passage across warmly contested and
cost us many valuable lives To lay the pontoons was diff
cult and hazardous and after all the passage and
The first entry into the city had to be made in the boats by
volunteers called cut for that special purpose Among the
volunteers who thus crossed and who lost his life thereby
was an esteemed personal fend-Rey. Mr. Fuller Of the
Sixteenth Massachusetts Volunteers Although the hea-
the bluffs on this side the river it seemed to tell with little
effect upon the enemy Their works concealed All
the advantage of position theirs Their lne of battle
was femrcrcle, arranged on the heights beyond the
plains that lie back of and reach far the right and left
OF Fredericksburg The heights were also skirted by
thick woods Their advantage Of position subsequently
told earuy upon forces all exposed only by the
direct fire they could bring to BEAR but by an enladnp
FIRE, which did terrible execution Thursday was produc
tive OF little success to u.s. Friday Q2tb witnessed the
renewal of the artillery combat AMI during the day We
were enabled to the ponoon bridges and to throw
heavy bodies of troops to the other side Heavy srish-
ing rather than gng the part Of the infantry alone
characterized the day Our oss was heavy much moro so
than The enemy's, who was not at all exposed
On Saturday l3h) ihe heavy work was done .ba hard
est fighting took place. and the eyerest losses
red Early in the morning Of that day took INV nositinn
works. bash o to S eS'y was playing upon the
the river Dvested of the thoughts aud horrors of war
and this wicked rebellion the sight grand and nspirit
ing IN all directions On the open ground back of her
stood massed Hookers grsnd division and soma
troops consisting OF perhaps fifty thousand of s arms
troops with anxiety AMI suspense as the bat
tie progressed hey were all veterans and anxious 10 b
led forward to patake in the dar gers and honor f the
struggle 1t was clear, beautiful day Arms ol;stened
every where Gay uniforms added to tho gaia appear
anee OF al things But the thunder of artillery and fAe
sharp rattle OF muEety aud the deep anxiety annarent
on all faces, told too we'll that no hoyday nss,as ,sss
anssctng but terrible serious awful ,caT Beyond the
river leavy bodies Of soldiers filed the plains naa :;
some directions forming long lines Of battia i n,h -
The centre OF attraction, however wsr tb baht, tht
rose up 70 ihe rear OF the city On those heights Were
plainly visible the enemy's battle array and the heavy
earthwoFks loaded with artillery Across be nIs. f
the city and up those heights were marcbinq steadly
prave', staooorny, our brsvesinto the laws Of death
IL was an attempt TO storm the position On n, ,bar
went up up almost to the very embankments bah;n3
which The enemy stood. There was whole dv;.;on ~
parehy OF our troops But they the crest Of
NIt ln,.1 al
the oe opened upon them most terrific and incess,nt
re OF grape and canister at short range and ost Sb
eling nre q mus&ery AZ was perfectly awful 1t look
ed Ike one herce shees of flame bursfnr ONT from th
WOODS ana over the crests of the hills into the f
cur doomed men They replied with spirit for lime but
what f,s re.nt us, ~ no s'as could stand We knew
moved strained vision to the utmos bnt The draaS
reality forced Itself upon The lines wayeTed swavsd
to and fro, and broke in wild disorder We NAV not
blame these brave men; they did noby. thev dd hs
they could They were rallied on the plains and With
other troops sent to support them again essayed the
Storm" llinglng their banuers to the breeze On ,h
went proudly, dehany their Steps were steady. thyy
never wavered could great gaps made in tho,
by the CALLING hre OF the enemy bat on they vent CLOSING
up ther shattered ranks as they marched Thev
the heights amid the widest shouts Of themsav.s J M
who witnessed their bearing, and, doube.ou;ck;no f;
pore dowa the Toe and drove him from s frrt line os
rhe-pts. 1t was most gallant aIar--to INV mind 90 e
the most gallant in the history of the war TINS f p
those troops suffered earuly Indeed the bistor or ,h
whee movement before fredericksburg is most
r, wounded. erinO
now little was the gain any 1t s estimated that yc
recrossed the yer with 600 less men than we
when crossed - posees'e~
HeaY AgatDg meanwhile was going on To The ,slof,
under Zen Franklin The heavy rellng Of artl,arv sns
ths swelling volumes cf musketry told that Fra,hln ,.
having severe time. Tet he did more and v,s oor.
really successful on hs line than was the case esa,yhs
At one time his troops drove the enemy more han ,i
out oil their work. through the woods into the
ground beyond Could at that moment beavv s,nnarts
been sent 70 hat point the enemys lines would h,ys been
thoroughly BROKEN, and his whole forces thrown into ~
fusion Bat, as 1t was the enemy rallied was eipf read
aLd 10 turn drove our back 10 their original nos
ABOUT three O'Clock IN the afternoon Hookers nres ,rer
aisdedoue half our corps) sent TO suppor Franz
n the DINER hsif went elsewhere We crossed tha ver
ana moved Rapidly dowu the let gaining opr aIIotad
position some three miles below tho city During fbc
whoe Tine we We're under FIRE of shot and sbe
and occasionally mushety After getting in line of battl
tue tight ragged with increased vgor on our immediate
right and leit-we under shower of fire. but did NOT
open In our 'front.' aud 80 we had nothing to do
How much loss for nothing Ii il heart -sickeninq tn
think OF the Eoble sl in and wounded in strpoga
that has proved fratess. Noble ones they were AMONG
them none more so than the young gifted brave and
chivalrous Baysrd General Of Cavalry knew him we'll
He honor to the country, tho army The loss
| of such a mao alone 10 ternble-and nothing gained!
| MISSOURI
Upon the meeting on MooSsy last Of the Leg stature Of