Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1863-01-02
BATTLE OF FREDERICKsBURC;.
Rebel Account, .r.E ...

burg. We find room for the following:
Now the fog has lifted, revealing the dark
and heavy columns of the enemy moving
down the opposite bank Of tho river. Far
down near the lower part of the valley, they
ART seen dehouching. Whole fields arc
cleaning with bayon"ts. They continue to
pour cut upon the plain in stream which
seems to come'from an inexhaustible fcunt.
ain. The meadows are black with them,
tens OF thousands in solid columns. Wecan
only vaguely conjecture at this distance the
number. Old soldiers think there are co..
OOO. Where are our meny 4 solitary bat.
terry Of four guns, commanded by Captain
Garter Braxton, is to be seen on the plain -
The fire from the enemy's battery of twenty
two guns opens upon it, but it makes no
reply. Other batteries direct their shots
towards it; but it has evidently made up its
mind not to be hurried. =. Is a8
The enemy now formed in three heavy
columns advance to attack our right on they
90 at donble.q',.ck towards the woods, max.
ing the earth shake under their tread, with
colors flying and arms gistening in the sun.
light. Where are our men? A long sheet
Of flame from the skirt Of woods at the foot
Of the hill, cloud Of smoke, roar and rattle
of m,lsketry tell their whereabouts. The
advanced column halts, delivers hasty fire.
A continuous stream Of fugitivcs from tho
front scour across the field rearwards some
are halted and formed in squads, but can
never be forced again to 20 to the front, ex.
cept at the point Of the bayonet TIE smoke
now mostly shuts the combatants from tho
view Of the distant spectator. There is break
ing Of ranks among the enemy, rallying and
rera.lying. but Of no avail. They cannot
stand the inurdcrous fire. They give il up
as a bad job. Meanwhile the battery in tho
field (Braxton's) has opened after long en-.
d1rances, and Mt the right moment make its
mark. The coolncss and precision with
which it is handled wins the admiration of.
all observers. The manner Of its action will
be noticed hereafter in complimentary terms
in official reports. Other batteries did their
work nobly, but they, with other particulars
Of the engagement on the right, must be no.
tlced where each can have justice done in an
extended account.
The Yankees commenced the storning Of.
the hill mt half past eleven clock a. m., with
six brigades, and were ,epulsed four times,
with immense slaughter. They were now
ed down by hundreds. Two hundred and
fifty bodies were counted on space occupied
by only ono regiment. The firing was kent
up necessarily until o'clock. Col. Walton'sS
battery held the heights, pouring a murder.
Gus fire into the advancing columns. Tho
batteries on the various hills nobly assisted
the battery on the heights, keeping up con-
tinual stream Of fire, each volley thinning the
ranks Of the enemy in terrible manner.
The battery Of Capt. Miles c. Macon, Of
Richmond, covered itsei. with glory. The
fire was opened Oh the storming regiments By
this battery. The railroad gap at one time
was filed with Yankees, when well directedS
shot from the battery exploded in their midst
killil 6 about fifty OF the hireings. Captain
Macon's battery was hotly engaged on tho
llth, 18th and 18th, and won the admiration
Of all the commanding officers by the cool-g
ness and precision exhibited by the men I'M
handling their guns. Astonishing to say, NOT
ed.
One rife piece Of Capt Ewbank's battery,
near the center. has been engaged. On Sat &
urday Afternoon it played upon the Yankee
brigade driven by Hills men from the woods
in front OF Bernard's. This portion of tho
battery has been under heavy fire for three
days past, but has fortunately suffered no
loss. The remainder of Capt. Ew banks guns
are so disposed that they will perform efficient
service when called upon, in which event, We
expect to chronicle brilliant achievement on
the part Of this gallant command.
Late in the afternoon comes the magnifl-
cent charge Of regiment of Hoods division
across :he plain. routing of brigade from
the line Of the railroad, ard while under the
concentrated fire OF battalion OF artillery, /,
driving the enemy from the skirt of woods
before mentioned. capturing forty-one pris
oners, representing SIX regiments, and on the
whole covering themselves with ineffaceablt
glory. -. a,.. ..5.
Al the mist rises from the fight, and the
clouds clcar away from the battle, the extenS
OF our victory. and the Yankee defeat, begins
to show itself. Intelligent citizens Of Fred =
ricksburg say that the Yankees admit great
defeat, and loss during the whole engageA
ment, beginning at the passage of the river
aud ending with Saturdays great fight, Oh
$4,000. It ~ also said. upon what regard
ms trustworthy authority, that the Yankee
officers were anxious to renew the fight orr
Sunday. but that the men were denoraIizets
and could not be gotten up to the mark
Some Of their prisoners, likewise, confirmN
the report that bayOnets and sharpshooterss
were used in forcing up the men to the terri
BILE work Of Saturday; and they further say
that they were thrcateDed with the fire oE
their own batteries should they falter. I,hinL
it cannot be questioned that whisky rations
were freely supplied the Yankees previous ID
going into action. But all this was to nd
purpose. the Yankees had essaycd tasls
which no army ever inarshaled or that evet
will be organized could have accomplishedN
To have driven our men from their positiorA
and to have taken 1t, was a work compared
with which the storming Of Gibraltar would
be as ctild's play. To appreciate the strength
OF our position it must be seen Suffice Il
to say, that we had Stonewalls at botlS
ends of the line-Jackson on the right and
the stone fence on the left. at FredricksbuIgS
No other man than Burnside would have at
tempted so difficult or so foolish an adventure
Truly may it be said that the Yankees
slain in battle have been obutchered to make z
Lincoln holiday" They have failed hers
most signally. Th ny try the Port Roy
al route; If they do they viii find the same
character Of obstacles there as here Tho
same advantages to our side, of brave spirit%
to Oppose them, and the choice Of position iIa
which our men can arrange to dispute thci 4
march. The results are glorious Lee
jackson and Longstreet. as well as the galN
liant men under their commands, deserve
our never ccaSinp thanks