Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1863-05-15
Vol. VIII.----No. 40,

$50 NV bctI seen In THIS army.
Inc Third Corps, under General Sic
! Kles, was interposcd in the breach thus
made and the excellent GOODNESS eff this
oihcer, with the better qualities which his
corps exhibited, saved the further pro-
gress OF the panic and the roul, and tho
evil was temporarily stayed But the
poison was infused the other corps had
witnessed the utter confusion and panic
! OF one full corps, and their enthusiasm
was from that moment dampened, and
Y the confidence they had hitherto felt in
tn~Sr success under General Hooker was
lost IN the reflection that they could place
little confidence in one another.
But little ground was lost in this
event, yet all had an ill-boding sense of
fear that our men would not prove relia-
bic, and that our successes thus far were
but to prove frnitless in the end. This
rout of the Eleventh Formerly Sigcls)
Corps pas the crisis. This was the turn
ing point, from which our succeeding
misfortunes can be most distinctly traced
Saturday closed the operations Of the first
week, with doubtful prospects of the f.
nal result, and the previous successes of
Athe right wing seemed destined to end in
disaster.
Sedgwick, with the Sixth Corps, had
at this time withdrawn to the east bank
of the river, taken up his bridges and
replaced theR again directly in front of
Fredericksburg, and prepared for an as
sault on the morrow Of the earthworks
back of the town.
SUNDAY,
The assault of General Sedgwick upon
the heights of Fredericksburg was COM
menced on Sunday morning A more de-
termined and desperate attack has not
been made. No men ever attacked the
Notifications of an enemy with more en-
thusiasm or vigor The bank was steep,
the fire of shot and shell was terrific, and
the slaughter of General Summers corps,
four months ago, gave little promise of
success. To almost certain death tue men
charged up and carried the works, drove
the artillerists from their guns, captured
twelve pieces Of the best and heaviest
artillery, and many prisoners Of war in
their trenches. With the heaviest losses,
Sedgwick followed up his success with
the boldest energy, and pursued the enc
my toward Charlottesville, with tho
purpose of uniting with General Hooker
at that place.
But this brilliant success came too late,
for the enemy held the plank road
the rout Of the Eleventh Corps which
had yielded to them on the previous
night, and the enemy was enabled to
throw any sufficient force Against him to
prevent bis junction with Hooker. This
was speedily done, and soon Sedgwick's
fine corps, the largest aud perhaps the
best of the army, was cut off from com
munication either with Hooker or with
Fredericksburg, and, thus isolated, was
compelled to fall back upon the river at
Banks Ford, where bridges had been
thrown over, by which, if severely press
ed, he could make safe his retreat across
the Rappahannock again. Thus followed
misfortune on misfortune, not for lack Of
skill or bravery, but for the conduct Of
the miscreants who had fed from their
position on the previous night almost
upon the FIRST attack Of the enemy.
But another repulse was sustained on
Sunday morning by the army near Chan
cellorsvile. The enemy renewed tho
attack and again drove back our lines for
half mile. From the large brick house
which gives the name to this vicinity the
lines of the enemy could be seen sweep
ing slowly, but confidently, determined
ly, and surely, through the clearings
which extended in front. Nothing could
excite more admiration for the best quail
! ities Of the veteran soldier than the man
ner in which the enemy swept out, as
they moved steadily onward, the forces
which were opposed to them. We say
il reluctantly, and for the first time, that
the enemy have showed the finest quail
ties, and We acknowledge on this occa-
sion their superiority in the open field to
our own men.
They delivered their fire with proci.
sion, and were apparently inhexiblc and
immovable under the storm of bullets
and shell which they were constantly re-
ceiying. Coming to piece Of timber,
which was occupied by division Of our
own men, half the number were detailed
to clear the woods. 1t seemed certain
here they would be repulsed; but they
marched right through tho wood, driving
our own soldiers out, who delivered their
fire and fell back, halted again, fred and
fell back as before, seeming to concedo
TO the enemy as matter Of course, tho
superiority which they evidently felt
themselves. Our own men fought we'll.
There was no lack Of courage; but an
evident feeling, apparently the result Of
having been 80 often whipped, or of bav-
ing witnessed the rout on the night pre-
yious, that they were destined to DO beat
en-, and the only thing for them to do
was 10 fire aud retreat The enemy felt
confident that they were 10 be victorious,
and our own men had, from some occa-
sion, imbibed the same impression Our
men showed lack Of carnestness and en-
IL. I,.l nj af