New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-04-27

Wal informed OF II. udh W"
into tier service AMI wanted TO omit II. i's epT
near, nee and his story were such a. 20 carry cohve
In 10 The minds Of every one who hehri n'H iio
told us precisely of the arr9hgenen's ,ot usiene
thew had made tho righr, but IN rey'ru ~ o Wv
he tneg ess. lie sid ibat It impo tlyle ior us
70 carry tits position. He informed ns OF 'he bate
,es thsy bud The PORTIONS they bad taken anu th'
defenses they rad thrown up, aud sud toat ue
r. bells regarded il az au inpo,sinli Tor mem o %
Jjysn from IT. Bat Gen. Blrnside sad that biz "a
vorit. plrce II ettsck was on the telegraph roah.
Slid he "Thst bis always been my fayonte place
Of attack" The army was accordingly divided 10
make two at,acks.
DISPOSITION OF HOoKERs TROOPS.
The MA ht before tue attack two Of my divisions
-ald they were NY invorite divisions, Tor ore WIS
the division which l bad educated myself, aud the
other was The ono that KearDey mad commanded,
and OF those two divisions kGew more than OF any
others in m, communications two divisions were
sent down to support Franklin. They LETT here
| under orders TO bold tbs bridge bead. Az III
o'clock on ths day OF the battle was standing
hsie on tbi. roof With Gen. Burnside, when word
was brought that those two divtsious had been or
dercd for ward with Franklin. said to Gen. Burn,
side that when IL camo to my turn TO Act wouiJ
| nave nothing 10 oct WITH and that dad not wdHs
Gen. Frank'is 10 fgh my d'r'sionsj thtt the next
report we heard would be that those divisions were
u, der fire. lie assured me- that they should BOT
cross tue bridge down there that they were ordered
as supports to Franklin, to assiss III de~ndlpg the
bridges. and were not to 20 into battle with him.
Soon after received sn order 70 seDd another OF
nv divisions TO relieve Gen. Howard's dlyihon, Ia
the upper end OF Fredericksburg. Ny otrer toree
divisions were drawn up at the heads OF the bridges
on this side, ready to cross at moments NOTICE;
About O'Clock on hat day received orders 10 sen
auoiLer Of nv divisions TO support Geo. StnTgs anu
abou. the same time received en- order IRON Gen;
Burnside to cross over my other tive divisions ana
attack the enemy on the telegraph road-ihe same
position we had been butting sgafnst all Gay long,
IA coon "a received the order my divisio-s com
ueaeed crossing.
HOOKER CROSSES AT FREDERICKSBURG.
lrode forward to zee what could learn from the
officers who had been engaged IN the staek-Gen'
French, Gen. Wilcox, Gen. Couch, AID Gen. Han
cock Their Opinion, with one exception, was u az
tue attack should not be ulsdo on that point. AFTER
comforting with them, went to examno lhe posi-
tion 10 ascertain whether or not iteould lie tnred
Disco, erinR 10 weak point and seeing that many OF
Ihe troors that bad been already engaged 10 the at"
tack were considerably demorallzed, aud !easgthh
should the enemy make an advance, even Oh out
small column. nothing but disaster would follow,
s-nt my aid-de-camp to Gen. Burnlie 10 say
that 1 advised him not 10 attack AT that
place. He returned. saying that the attack must
10 made. ! had the mater so much ~ near
tbs, mt spnrs 10 my horse and rode over here my
self aud ind to Gis-uads Gen. Burnside from max
ing the attack. He insisted GU ia being made.
HOOKER IN THE BATTLE.
then returned and brough, up every available
battery in the city, with view to break away teef
barriers by toe use Of artillery proceeded against
tue barriers AZ | would against fertilization, and
epdeayorsd % breach q hole sufficiently large Tor
" foriorn hope" TO enter. Reiore that Tie ATTACK
along tbe llns IL seemed to ne, lad been 700 general
not tuiIiceutly conceutrR' ed had two batteries
posiod on tue left OF the road, within 400 yards OF
ihs position upon which tue attack va, to be mace,
snd had other parts Of batteries posted on tho r'gh.
Of The road the dlslnee of5JO or ooO yards bad
all these batteries Fiayiog wnh great ugor natil
suuset upon that poilI, but With no apparent eleci
upop the Rebels or upon their works.
HUMPHREYS ASSAULT.
During the last part Of the csnnonnding had
given directions Gen. Humphreys division TO |
forn1 under the shelter which small bill afforded,
10 oojumn for assaut When the Ge Of The artillery
eeasoi ave directions for the enemys works 10 be
assaulted. Gen. Humphreys Doa took OIL their
knap.aeks, overcoas, and hayersacks They We're
directed 10 make tho Assault with empty m9,kets, |
FOR there was no time there 20 load ana ure. mues
tbs word was given the men moved forward with !
gr,g. hnpetoosty. They rhn and hurrshed, and was
encouraged by tie great good feeling that peIValea
them. Tho mead Of Gen. Humphreys column cd.
yaneed 70 within perhaps, fifteen or twenty yards OF
the stone wall, which was the advanced position |
which the rebels held, and then they were thrown
back O. quickly they bad advanced. Probably
tle rLole IF re Advance and fhs retriRg did not
OCCUPY fifteen minutes. ItSy ieft behtsd, as tods
it &C., nc '''0' y ''''' ''''' 90 '
NAV as well state here that Sykess divslon was
drawn up TO support Humphreys 90 that, 10 case
Humphrey should succeed, conlt throw forward
all the force that had lsft-Sykess diyi,on, about
LEGO nsn-to ho the position ia iaee oi JOOOO me
who were matsd behind that wall. That was Why
did not like " make the attack, because even II
successful could 10. bold the postioDj and as
gned thai as the reason did not think u advisable
10 make the attack.
THE NIGHT AFTER THE BATTLE.
II was now just dark Finding that had los; IA
many uIeo my orcers required me 10 loss, aus
p.ud.d The attack, ana directed that the men shond
hold for the advance line between Fredetlcksburg
aud tbe enemy, ditch that runs along abon' mil
way between the enemy's linos and the city, and
which would afford shelter for the men.
L will say that. in addition TO be musketry Ire
that my men were exposed TO- the crrsts OF tho lis
surrounding Fredericksburg form almost ssemleir |
FL. and these were filled with artillery, aud tho
fo.us was the column that moved up to this assault.
That focns was within good canister range, though
DO not think any ennister was thrown on my men
that day. All these difficulties were apparent, and
pcrfec,Iy we'll known to me before / went into this
assault Ihey were known also 10 other officers. |
On, French said to ME that the whole army could
not take that point and reported that TO Gen. Burn
side.
POSTING PTCKETs.
After establishing my picket line returned aud
reported 10 Geu. Burnside what had done. He
was dissatisfied with the line had taken for my |
pckets and said that they mus, be established al toe
advanced position that We had held during the day
We had bad some men lying down on their bellies,
about 100 yards beyond this ditch, on the aide
hin which we could sweep with our artillery, |
aud take possession Of 1t any time. l Immediate
y sent word for my picke.s to advance TO tina,
place, and mako that she line Of the plckets Gen.
Burnside had ordered Gen. Blrnside ssid that il
VIC came back to the ditch have spoken Of 1, |
wonld be n telling back Of or army. l. put Gen. |
Sykss's division 90 picket duty. That day, while
tho men were lying there their belize. my loss,
in Gen. Sykes command, was two hundred and
four man and nv man were whore they could ntict