Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-01-22
Of the whls J
CAMP MAR FREDERICKSBURG,
I.,,tarv IL lgRg

CANP NEAR FKEDKRcEsBURG,
January 10, 1888.
Yesterday paid a visit to Fredericksburg, going
round through the battle Geld Of the l3th December
aud telt 80 wildly the fact that was riding over his,
todo ground that il occurred 70 to send you some
notes Of what saw.
Tai, u certainly historic ground" now Ia the fullest
meaning OF the term aud perhaps these lines, written OF
the scene and this period 10 the aEaals OF the place,
nav ba read With iuteres, BY hereafter. Tbs bat.
lie ied was stripped OF all the marks OF oondic except
our sight earth works for infantry aud few worthless
articles which vause5s 10 attract attention
No QUE would have supposed that great battle could
have been fought here and that ae koows aud guies
ofDeep Run aud other portions Of the f-ld were, short
time siacs, crowded with five Yankees covering under
the hrs Of artillery and getting ready 70 attack a.
The expanse Of hill au! msstow looked quite peaceful
aud but for Oh ject you might have doubted that
there had been any btt;ie-tlt any war existed Inis
vas a fort opposite IN which mounted some ugly
looking 81 Founders with black mazzes prorudng deh
andy toward the Northern srore. Yankee officers were
riding aOug the crest Of tls hill the zyooking pickets
we're louuging the river bank and of TO the right
saw the smoke Of large camp, beyond the R which Is
most probably that OF Summers Grand Division There
Il another extensive npment beyond the pines
she opposite side opposite Falmouth, and in the night
are naerogs which dot with their white sides the
slope Of the hill
took another look 10 passing at the spot whore the
enemy threw across their main OSer pOutoJn. They had
SIX IN all but opposite this one, observed on the days
preceding the battle the heaviest body OF troops
ed with long lines stretching down. like huge spiders
legs toward the river. The character of the ground
here Is well known BY this time The stream is not
broad and the banks re-amOSi too abruptly TO admit
Of riding up or down them-abOut fifty yards from the
margin. Il under this decliyity that the enemy
aimed shelter themselves from the anticipated can
nonade-which, however, did not disturb them. They
must have been sOrey puzzled by that silence of
guns and any General but Burnside would have taken
warning from that Omnously quiet reception. tyro
might have known that a foe who neglected such OPP
porunity 20 harrass him. WAS sure Of the game, and
waited OF the deences here will ouly say that they
are more than sufficient.
short ride brought me to the streets of Frederick
burg and rode through a part OF the town which
had not before seen, though had visited the place te-
uuenty since the battle Il hero that Barksdales
brave sharpshooters sationed-clOse TO the bank
aud In position harrass the pontooners most terri
bly, The enemy appreciated the importance Of disodg
ing them 90 destructive their fire. and throughout
Thursday the llth poured Sneeasng storm OF shot
and shell BArksdaie. The consequence was that THIS
portion Of the fairly rdded with cannon balls
Il almost impossible convey any idea Of the extent
OF the destruction The houses fairy t0rn 70 pieces,
sae fences, porches everything, spintered 70 atoms
In the front Of small house counted the holes OF
afsy cannon shot aud there is scsrcey building OF
anv description In this quarter of the town. which has
no. its roof pierced ta gable knocked n It's ehim
ney broken by the enemy FIRE. The cannon shot passed
clean through In the majority Of instancesas the bat.
tees we're placed the of the hill scarcely half
= mile Of and had full swing at the doomed quarter
A / advanced along the Main street, every object
which met my gaze spoke eloqueny OF that hot ThuS-
dev and the Yankee iuroad which succeeded ne with
drLEal ofour forces. Tue Vandts had sacked every
house robbed them Of their CONTENTS aud the impo-
senes Of malice ransacked boxes Of private letters aud
scattered them broadcast 10 the Winds Here were the
deasest treasures Of Southern gentlemen aud ladies'
letters FROM sons and brothers, aud husbands and ia
thershe sacred leaves Of pure hearted women aud
fsmiles-laIen prey to worse than GoIhA thought,
When looked these familiar srcbeves, there scat
tered aud torn have often thought before In io
lowing the Of these people, that there IS some
thing bArbare and beasty Ia their national character
From the horrible letters With their terrible Oescenily,
picked up Manassas the results Of their occupation
OF fredericksburg there Is nothing WHICH does nos re-
veal depth Of degradation and vleness almost hcon-
ceivabls. Were there other grounds for eternal
separation between the North and the South, except
these evidences Of vugary and usAl ooarseness these
alone would be enough to make every SOuherner re-
70 die where be stands rather than have the old
ion restored.
Opposite the Chatham House where 4 flag was
ripping In the wind the appearance Of the town
unspeakably mourufdl and desoate. / saw what bad
read Of IN books but expected TO on AmeEi-
can sol atty which had been sacked aud almost des-
troysd The bank and many Of the finest shops were
muses. Of runs The papers Of the bank scattered
tar and vide IN the CUTTERS and the whole vicinity wa
SPS ScsRs Il boSlsI 1OTH b SsuaSn SaS vaIh sSPplsa