The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-05-10
NO 81

the plain to the right aud in the road
that skirted the battlefield. Captain
Adams practiced at the rebels and was
also practiced AZ, and well. too. bv the
battery on the hill TO the left and by an
other which suddenly opened on his
right nearer 10 him, while he endeavor-
ed to get the range Of the iirst Between
this cross ire this battery was severely
cut up, and this position became too hot
for it,
As General Gibbon went TO the rirht
the enemy's men were sent ia that di-
reotion TO meet him. As they had the
shorter lines, the same men could be en-
ployed at whatever point we might
threaten. Thus ten thousand men should
have been equal to at least fifty thou.
sand, and we did not have more than
fifteen thousand on the field
On the front, whore General Gibbon
commanded, the 10Th Massachusetts,
skirmished toward the enemy's pit, and
the fire demonstrated that there were men
there as well as cannon.
Away on the left Howe did lust what
Gibbon did on the right and Newton
did the same in the centre; yet, with all,
though men were killed aud wounded
plentifully, there was nothing done.
Every battle has these periods of in
definite endeavor, from which some one
fact eventually shapes itself out, and be-
comes the fact Of the occasion. SO il
was here, and while in every direction
the artillery-Butlers battery, Hexam-
er's McCartney's, Harris, Hazards,
Adams and semo ethers-thundered at
the enemy; whilst Howe felt for chance
on the left and Gibbon found every point
equally difficult on tho right plan of
assault was determined upon, TO be made
by the Third and Eighth divisions un-
der General Newtcn, against the enemy's
center
Yet distinguished officer had said,
only ashort lime before, that an "attempt
to carry the place by storm would be
waste Of life"
Attempts to storm were TO be made
simultaneously by Gibbon on the right,
Howe on the lett, and Newton on the
center, and were so mado but inAsmuch
as Newton's was the successful attempt
Ia he was the first 10 penetrate the
the line, and as when the line was once
penetrated at one point IL was no longer
tenable anywhere--Newtons assault ap-
pears TO deserve the especial honor.
WHERE THE ASSAULT WAS MADE.
II was made on the center against Ma
ryo's Hill. Directly west, out of the
town Of Fredericksburg, runs road that
finally reaches Charlottesville. Just in
the outskirts Of the town, AZ much less
than mile from the main street, this
road ascends . hill that, while il is suiIi-
ciently steep to render the ascent toll
some, is not s. steep as 10 render any
less effective the FIRE Of artillery and
musketrY. This is Marye's Hit Oho
name is pronounced Maree aud at the
summit of this Hill ia Marye's house.
Near the hill a road leaves the Chancel-
lorsyile road, runs toward the south
across the front and right OF the hill at
its base. The latter has substantial
stone wall on each side 6f it, and these
roads, with a liltlo assistance from the
spade, have been converted into excel
lent breastworks. About the center of
the FIRST wall was little house which
made the position the stronger, and this
was only the base of The hill. No ariil-
lery fire could touch these walls, for II
was q sunken road, and, though the walls
were four feet high in the road, in the
fields their tops were level with the sur
face. Thus, as seen by our batteries,
there were actually no walls there. Be-
hind the second line Of pits rises the
hill, and around its whole crest runs a
vel constructed earthwork, in which
there was one large howitzer. Both
flanks of this kill were completely swept
by the Gre Of works Of the same charAo-
ter on either side.
THE APPROACHES.
To the left (our lefD Of this position
was an opened ploughed field, on the
further side Of which were the stone
walls. TO the right was an open green
plain, and here there were no PHI at the
foot Of the hill so the way was clear
to the crest though Of course every inch
of il was under fire. Wosst Of all, per-
haps was the central approach, which
was the road. Though, at it's exit from
the town, this road is covered by few
houses, il is fairly under fire all the
way, and at the ascent of the hill, IL is
a mere gulch, broken and stony, and an
awful place for men TO be packed In un-
der plunging fire Of grape and canister,
in addition 20 the musketry fire.
WHO sToRMED THE hill.
The right column was formed Of the
6lst Pennsylvania Regiment, Col Spear,
and ihe 43d New York, Col. Baker. IL
was supported, as we have said, by two
regiments in line, the 1st Long Island,
Col. Nelson Cross, and the 82d Pennsyl-
vania, Major Basset. These two regi-
ments were part Of Shaler's brigade, aud
Shaler went with them.
The left column Of attack was formed
Of the 7th Massachusetts,, Col. Johns, and
the 35th New York, Lieut. Colonel
Welsh This column was supported by
two regiments In line Of battle and a
regiment Of skrmishers in the open iield
10 the left These skirmishers were the
f3rd New York The regiments In line
were the 9th Maine and the 9th Wiscon-
sin. These two columns and their sup
ports numbered in all about 5000 men.
They moved out Of the town TO the as
suit At about III A. M.
As soon as they came we'll into the
enemy's field Of fire the terrible fusillade
began. Col Spear, at The head OF his
regiment, was one Of the first hit, and
his fall Affected bis men, 20 that they
wayered and fel into coniussion and
disorder, and communicated IL 10 tho
| Forty third, behind them, apd much Of
the ground already gained wss lost ---
| For this column IL was, 30 far, fair
ropu.se. But ia this critical juncturo
Colonel Shal,E with magnificent gall
/ lantry, rallied The column, brought IL up
| ~ lhn wnrk nnna nnrn- nnl lnnL ii IN