Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1863-05-05
THE BLOODIEST BATTLE OF THE
WAR IMMINENT.

The Yankee army on the happahah-
mock seems to have aroused from the
comatose state in which it has existed
since the hattie Of Fredericksburg, on
the 18th December last, when our
gallant boys put thirty thousand OF them
"off duty forever" The Yankee army
was then commanded by Burnside-it
is now under the command OF sFighting
Joe Hooker" whdseems determined to
yindicate his title to his bellicose soub-
aaQaset. On Wednesday morning last,
the 29th ult., he commenced crossing
the Rappahannock on pontoon bridges
about two miles below Fredericksburg.
AS it was very early in the morning, and
there .being heavy fog on the river,
some of his men crossed and succeeded
in surprising our pickets, and capI9ring,
it is reported, about eighty ~ them.
The enemy continued to cross in great
numbers, and there was considerable
skirmishing during the day between
them and the 18th Georgia and I'd La,
regiments, in which the loss is reported
to be about eighty in killed, wounded
and missing. At the same time the en-
envy attempted to cross 4 miles above
Fredericksburg h1l611Eeiaafepulsad ~
/ Wilcox's Brigade.
| On the same day, a column entered
Culpeper county, on the way towards
Gordonsville. Our forces under Gent
Fitzhugh Lee engaged this column, but
were compelled to fall back before the
vastly superior numbers of the enemy
; The enemy, in large force, occupy Cul
pepper Court House.
The forces which crossed the river neal
Fredericksburg, do not seem to be III
hurry to engage ours which are impa
: tientiy awaiting their advance When
ever they do advance to meet our brave
and warm-hearted soldiers they will b.
cordially greeted, and will be "welcome(
> with bloody hands to hospitable graves.
: "Fighting Joe" may well hesitate, 70
: there is surely lion in the way. Hi
} march Lee-ward will be crippled an(
y halting one. 1t is said that Gen1 Lee
Il predicted that the battle at Fredericks
. burg now imminent would be the blood
! lest of the war. Ifthis proves to be true
the slaughter will be terrible, and tn
killed and wounded will be counted b,
" thousands.
: A portion of the enemy's forces which
;, crossed the river higher up have beer
: more active than those which crossed be
. low Fredericksburg. A force supposed t.
number about thousand entered Lou
: isa G. H. at o'clock on Saturday morn
= ing last, and proceeded to destroy tn
: Railroad track The trains and arm,
8 stores, having been previously moved
: did not fall into the possession of the en-
envy, and they can infiict no greater in
. jury than the damage they may do t
, the road, which it will not take a grea
= while to repair This is the news as ia
= as received up to Sunday night.
:, p. Son Monday morning a tele
e gram was received here which state
Z that Stonewall Jackson had, on Sunday
. a fight with the enemy above Fredei
. icksburg in which he captured fv
y thousand prisoners. The loss on bot
sides is said to be heavy
LATER The passengers by the trail
!, of last night report that despatch ha
= been received at Charlottesville stain,
- that we had captured twelve or ffteel
; thousand prisoners, and that the enem,
. had been driven across the river Gu
} readers will be panied to hear that, it j
:. reported, that Gen. jackson was wound
; ed, and that Gen'l Paxton, who com
: manded the Stonewall Brigade, was kill
:, ed. Wetear that many Of the nobl
: soldiers from this county have fallen il
= = this terrible conflict. If they have
! their friends may be consoled with tn
!. reflection that they offered up thei
!, lives on the sacred altar of their coun
try's defence and were martyrs in th
. holy cause Of freedom.
Those who fall in this glorious strug
gle will have their memories embalmet
| |, in tie grateful hearts Of their country
Il men, and will have their names linket
! with Immortality.
+" No king, saint, hath tomb SO proud.
e AS he whose flag becomes his shrOud -