The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-05-16
SECOND BATTLE or FREDERICKSBURG
Summers ssStOnewali Position Carried
at the Point of the BayOnet.
FIELD OF BATTLE, ABOVE FREDERICKSBURG,

J
When General Hooker, with the 5th, 11th
and 18th Corps, moved to the right to gel
upon the rear of the enemy's army, he left
in front of that army the LIST, Sd and 9Th
Corps. with one disvision of the End. Such
was the general distribution of our forces
on Tuesday night, April %.
Two days latter the Sd Corps moved to
join Gen. Rockers column, and on Satur-
day, May I'd, the list Corps was also with
drawn from the position in front for the
same purpose. Thus, the whole force left
on the enemy's front, on Saturday noon,
was the 9th Corps and one division of the
I'd Corps. This force covered the commu-
nication, aud, by it's pontoon bridges,
threatened the enemy with an advance,
force against General Hooker, for in this
little army we ''magnifed ourselves"-we
moved continually in all directions, at all
hours, and looked as much like hundred
thousand men as we possibly could.
Meantime the enemy position was thus:
Threatened by Gen. Hooker on his rear,
he had changed his front and moved the
great bulk Of his army, beyond question,
so that it faced Gen. Hooker at Chancellors-
vile. And this brought the 9th Corps upon
his rear. But that rear was covered by the
entertainments behind Fredericksburg; and
these entertainments were the very works
behind which the whole Army of the Poto-
mac had been beaten in December last
Very justly the enemy's men had conf
dence in that position, and our men, not tc
mince matters, were afraid Of it. Now that
these entertainments covered Lees rear,
they were even Of greater value to him
than when they covered his front, and con-
sequently he occupied them with ten thou.
sand of his best troops.
Having promised so much, that the rela-
tive position of our own forces and those Of
the enemy might be understood, we will
proceed to describe the second battle oil
Hill, which has finally brought General
Sedgwick upon the exposed rear of the
army that faces Gen. Hooker. Commend
ing at the commencement:
Between four and five P. NJ, on Saturday
May 2, the light brigade was thrown for
ward-the 31st New York i'll the first line
as skirmishers, supported by the 9th Maine
the 5th Wisconsin and the 61st Pennsylva-
MIA Volunteers, drawn up in line Of bat
tie. This advance was directly from the
river, across the open, level plain just over
the point at which the bridges spanned the
stream. and this little field Of battle was
bounded on the right by the ravine that
ran up from one Bernardo house, and on
the left by the other Bernard's house.
Across the front of the field ran the Bow
ling Green road, and the possession of that
Briskly received by the enemy's pickets,
our line still went on, and in twenty min
utes had possession of the road. AS soon
as the fire began on the south side, all OF
our troops who remained at this point on
the north side of the river were sent across
and began to take up position. But there
was so much change in these positions that
it was midnight before the men were in
their places or had a chance to eat their
supper. When once they were at rest no
fires were permitted, and so but few sup
pers were eaten; for q soldier does not care
for cold bite at that hour.
By an admirable combination of strategy
and tactics, one mess did get kettle OF
coffee made, and we had the good fortune
to be one of that mess. At midnight, then,
we sat down to soft bread, cold viands, and
Bernard house. This house, which short
time ago was very handsome edifice, is
now picturesque ruins. Surrounded by
tall elms, and all pale and strange in the
moon light, it formed our supper scene;
and there your correspondent, sitting upon
the ground, ate boiled eggs and waited for
history.
then we laid down. We had just gotten to
that part Of the business when one begins
to get nicely warm in his blankets, and To-
SEES the consciousness that he is in peach
orchard. Suddenly our perceptions were
aroused; there was a gallop, and there
came an aid and an order: "Get your men
under arms Immediately
There was quiet decision about this Or
der that looked serious, and SO it was Sc
riously and quietly obeyed. Scarcely a
sound was heard as the column moved on
in the moonlight, except the rattle OF the
soldiers canteens and cups, and the jingle
of sabers on mounted officers.
1t was half-past II O clock in the morn
ing, on Sunday, May 8, that we left the
green plain on the river bank and marched
to and up the Bowling Green road: Sha-
ler's brigade had the advance; behind 1t
came Battery G, I'd U. S. Artillery, Lieut.
Butler; then Wheaton's brigade, and the
I'd brigade of Newton's Division, comman-
ded by Col. Brown.
Lieut.. Col. Joseph Hamblin, with the LIST
U. S. Chasseurs, skirmished in advance of
the whole line. For the greater part Of the
distance our march was unmolested; but
as the advance was on the descent of a lit
tie hill Just south of the town, fire of
pickets was opened upon them from an OPP
posite hill to the left. By this fire several
men were knocked down, and Maj. Healy,
of the Chasseurs, was wounded, we fear
MORALLY. The gallant fellow thought the
wound fatal one, and his last remember
ed words were to Lieut.. Col. Hamblin: cts
all over with me, Joe, Goodbye"