Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1863-05-12
BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG.


4 account ofthe movements of both armies from tn
time of Hooker's advance with the finest army T
the plane" to his hurried retreat beyond tlIe, 'up
pahann@k b BY which he saved his beatep A"u O''
Plrited Lee ons from total destruction = -,
NEARLY week has passed sipceHs, aoo',,,'f
was fought and yet no full r,at,
of it has been obtained The atn lacts, ho"eser'
! are not known. All stateu>f'S t"A' eeeli Su'le"-
! tic may be briefly related '.
| lockers first obieeth crossing tue HipPanan-
mock above the towpSS 10 get ~ tne rear OF PreI-
attack on the IeS6y the Confederates, who he sup
| posed. yould march up the banks of the river ID
cut his arnS at the fords Hence he determined to
cross tn, Rappahannock above the confluence with
the 9tPidan, to march through a portion of Cul-
pe,rIer and passing the latter river at Germanns
a-1d ElyS, to keep his communication behind him,
the Rappahannock on his left flank, and the Con-
fecerate army and fredericksburg always in front
of him.
On Tuesday week his troops were drawn up in
full array on the hills of Stafford in view of the
town, pontoons thrown over, and strong detach-
ment sent across at Deep Run. This first step was
a mere feint TO distract attention. Next day his
army disappeared and the detachment Was with
drawn while the main body passed the rivers above
in the order stated Still believing that Lees onset
would be made close to the river, and on his left
flank, he rapidly strengthened that part of his line
to Charlottesville &C.,.
It'appears, however, from the dispatches of the
Confederate General that his ways were net a. the
ways of Hooker, nor was his attack made in the
manner which Hooker had decided he should make
It The Confederate operations were aimed at the
right Wlng-that rea;hing to SpotsylVania Court
House-of the Federals. Gen. Jackson did flank
them, after all but it was, the right hAEk--that
nearest Richmond-not the left flank, which, Hook
er had carefully guarded with a river and field
works. General jackson appears TO have turned
the Yankee line somewhere beyond the Court House,
and penetrating 70 tle wilderness creek between
Culpeper and Spotsylvania got partly in their
Attacked by the rest of the COnfederates in front,
while JackSOnS corps came down from the wilder
ness, the finest army Oh the planet commanded,
though IL was, by General Judas Hooker, was
shortly defeated with great slaughter, dislodged
from all the positions around Chancellors, doubled
up on aSelf and pressed down in confusion tO the
banks of the Rappahannock. In this condition their
rout and humiliation were nearly certain could the
attack have been continued as commenced
But the Confederate victory appears to have been
marred by the news from fredericksburg part
: of the army, supposed TO have been sufficient had
been put to quart the old heights back of the town.
Hooker had left large fOrce-said to have been two
full corpS-on the opposite hill, under an old regu-
lar officer, General Sedgwick by name, always bsts,
and commonly swimming in whiskey. What or.
derS he had, whether to pass when the sound OF
cannon announced the engagement at ChancelorS-
vile, or to wait till message was sent him, We do
not yet know. 1t may be assumed however, as
certain that his important part in the play was to
pass the river and ~carry the crest" if possible,
while Lee had his hands fuh of Hooker, and then
rush upon his rear. But such man was sure not
tn come up in time. After a long delay, he crossed
the river, and did actually get possession of Maryes
Hill, as related by our correspondent Sedgwick
was now in Lees rear, and the event might have
hoa E,k.1 - ,Aok aol-o Aol holl
own in front But Hooker was already beaten, and
at that time helpless.
Lee, therefore, could turn on Sedgwick with safe
ty. He did so, whipped him at once sent him back
to Stafford, and re.occupied Fredericksburg. 1t is
| reported that he then went to finish Hooker.
1t was too late The Yankee General had gotten
his beaten army in very deensible position, sup
| ported by the Rapidan and Rappahannock, and had
erected strong works in front The Confederate
General might well pause before he attacked him
there without neceSsit'.
Those who know tue character of those rivers
need not be told that there is necessity to attack
army which depends their fordS for every par
ticle Of supply 1t is possible to defend such p)
sition as that which Hooker is said to have assumed
but impossible to remain i'll it. This is the
of heavy showers. One of these converts those
streams in an hour from insignificant creeks into
terrible torrent which would sweep off PharOah's
host No pontoon could live minute on its flood
Z
ward, or get back to the Northern bank soon as
possible. As his army is beaten army, we were
not surprised to hear last mig that he had chosen
the latter alternative and retreated while still able
The Fredericksburg correspondent of the Rich.
mond Enquirer gives the following minute and in
tercsting account of the several battles from the
first movement Of the enemy below Fredericksburg
! on Wednesday evening. lie says:
This movement can hardly be said to have been
feint. 1t would be perhaps more proper to speak
of it a movement designed to cooperate with the
main attack at Charlottesville, it is possible that
this force was left in front Of Fredericksburg to
prevent rear movement on our part which, if sue
cesSfu and the river crossed by our troops at
a point town, their access to the railway could
have been cut off and their base of supplies rem
dered useless to them. To guard his and pro-
tect his base the force, which afterwards operated
Extensively at first intended to act defensively,
in all probability.
How it afterwards acted on the offensive, and sue
| ceeded in carrying by storm Marye's Heights,
can probably be explained by the fact that Hooker
had been hard pressed and whipped in the fight Of
/ Saturday and Sunday morning at Charlottesville,
and made this in order to create diversion, and
| enable him to cover his retreat.
! Charlottesville having been the real point OF
battle it will be the most fitting to treat of it first
On Thursday evening Gen. Anderson, who was
holding a position in front of the United States
| Mine Ford, twelve miles ABOVE fredericksburg
! ascertained that the Yankees, numbering five
army corps, with at least eighty thousand men,
crossed the Rapidan at Kelly's and Germana FordS
having previously crossed the North Fork Of the
Rappahannock at Ey's Ford, in Culpsppef county
| and were advancing down the plankroad General
Anderson at once fell back to Charlottesville, and
took up line of battle in front Of the plankroad
and extending to the. river, and reaching over to
wards the old CathariEe Furnace Gen. Anderson
however having too small force to hold the enemy
at this point fell back to position some four mile:
below Chancellorsville and fronting the old mine
road. On Friday morning Gen; Anderson was re
inforced on tho right by Gen. McLaws and on thC
left by Gen. A. p Hill. At this period Gen. Jack
son took command, and ordered an advance, him
self leading it and succeeded during the day il
driving the enemy back, they making but slight re