Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-02-06

the ensmy's flank. Acroap, or to the east oi
the railroad, on the extreme Confederate
right, Gen. j. E: r. Stuart, with his cavalry
and horse artillery, covered tho flank Of the
Confederate line, his roar almoat resting upon
Massaponax crock.
MovEMsHTs OF liIE UE7nE TROOPS rur nrRsl!a
ON THE Gold FLAG
As regards the disposition o. tns Federal
troops, nothing more is known than thst the
thTss crest bodies of troops were commsri l.
ed, that Oh the Federal right by General Sum-
nsr, that On the Federal centre by General
Hooker, and that On Tho Federal laft hy
General Franklin. II 10 estimated that not
lesa than 10000 troops were engaged i'll he
attack directed by Goneral Sumner, and that
$4,000 wore employed on the Federal centra
and left.
Friday, the lztn Of December, was en-
ployed by the Federal gsnnrsIs in arranging
and fnsssiHg their troops for the nsxt day +
attack. Active diminishing wss kept up by
the pickets on both sides for several houIa,
and in the afternoon, with view to feeling
the Confederate position, thu haaYy Federal
guns thundsred across tho river, and wore
only feobly repks-d to by tbs batteries OH the
Confederate left. TIE Roleinnity of The i'm
.nsiiately approaching battle cast its shadows
guilty Of demeanor which. on tho sve Of
momentous eyouta, oVsrtake even the most
garrulous snd thougbtless, re;gned un;nisIa-
kabl y upon every counl6nanco. Al night,s,
the pickets OF the two sr,niss were station cd
within hundred yards 0: each other, tho
ConfcderStas could hear the s.r,iest and in
FASHIONED speeches cf Federal crstora rousing
the spirit OF their troops, and making vehs-
ment appeals to the ssnct'ty Of the sold flag"
"Fhe old flag is played out !" shouted tho
Confederatcs i'll reply. "Somehow," remark
cd one Of ths Oonfederates To me "thsrs
muat be Tant Of grit among the Yankees;
otherwise they wouldn't ws;, al tbiu talking
t."
Il is impossible not to contrast tho split
Of the two arnies-thc Ccnfedorstas. 70 calm,
80 resolute, 80 satistied with thoir Goncrals,
30 suffering, yet rejoicing to suffs. aa long NJ
hardship is the price Of liberty, the Fpdarsia,
lsshed into tbs field ny the thong nf golden
bounti-s, and in the field lashrd sgsinst thc
ahamy ny ths invective &ni oppeals
OF able spoEesmen, 80 diatruatfnl uf thsir
generals and each other, 50 Iampe,ei an,l
yet so dissatisfied. The aurora bo7eaia
which oversprcad the HesYeus, and darted
blood-red tongues Of Gams swiftly from
the meridian down to ths horizon, was
accepted by the Confederates as the crous
outlined on tho sky was accepted l,y Con-
5tGhtips- sn Earnest cf assiitti vi2tnry
THE DAY CT THE BATTIE.
nsrrMREa Y, 1862.
rke mnIning u The l2th Of Dacemher-a
piemorsbls day 10 the historian OF tho De-
cline and Fall Of the American Republic
orpBs sill snd warm, While as On the prc-
ceeling day, thick haze '1veloped the town
Of Fredericksburg and t. circumjsca val
10y, and delayed the opening Of fire by the an
tagonistio batteries until ITO sun had been up
some three or fonr hours. II WAS strangs 10
contrast Saturday, the 18th OF &sptemhsr,
with Saturday the 9Th, and to compars the
intense cold OF the earlier Saturday with the
spring like warmth and cslmncgs Of ths Iaier.
Tue day which I am describing was one Of
ttoso outbursts oftiIat Iodian aummor which
fingers long au,i londly il heautiiul Virginia !:
tbs Iloraing haze which sLTuudad heath, an d
plain, and forest, was the n,dinsry pralude to
the warmth and glow.of the suu at monday.
Aa the fog lifted about ten in the morning
and the sun burst through the Clouds the
long lines of the Federal ps1ny which had
passed tho whole pre- 'ifng day in deploy-
ing aud preparing for the attack, were dis
tinclly visible in the plain, aud gave awful
indications of the amount Of tho Federal host
which had crossed tho river. Tho uouteda-
rate army, wholly undsnntad by the extrava-
CANT stories about tie glrorgsh cf their foe
waited calmly, drawn M for tha. most part
within the fringe Of tbs woods, confident in
nsvsr failed them.
STRENGTH o. THE ESeEL ik,IT.
Aud here it may be as we'll finally to dis
pei those illusions under which it is the Gus.
tom Of the Northern press tG veil tho disgrace
OF defeat, when the fact itself sdrniA Of nc
denial. The whole numhor III Ooniederatos
in Tho fald this day dill not ssceed from
$4,000 to 10000 men. 0f ttaEo atlns % ,0nC
man, taking tho very highest estimate, tooi
part in the fight. By tho urgent entreaty o
aoversl Of the leaiiing Confederate generals
il has long been sought rather to keep dowr
than to swell the numbers Of tho Southern
army. 1t is we'll known to the sagacious
generals Of the Confedoracy Tint such ST
day, if we'll handled, ami inbusd with a fint
spirit, is more than nstch fur any numbe,
In It Gun be led against them. Tho statement:
Of the Federal Secretary Of War, to the eflse
that ha has 100000 man 1T this moment il
in his pay, carry comfort rather than diainaJ
to the hearts of the Uonfederateo. So cum
brous and unwioldy machine ss the Fsdcra
army cannot but break down byits own weigh
and by the vast amount of transport which
it1 psupered soldisry req"ires; and, in addi
ton to many other testimonies 70 its inmo
| bility, the ststement Of The Prince dc Join
villa, that Gre railroad is not sufficient tt
supply such All army as General McClsllsr
led against Richmond, will carry conviction
| to the Europesn public.
TIE JeTILLHRr III PLAY.
It is impossible for mo to dear rribe tho poai
.iUns OF each Of the numerous Confederate
! batteries which stretched alorg tho length q
| their six mile line of battle 1t will suffice If
| indicate tbs bsttaiieG Which were most hotly
engaged, and bore tina brunt OF the acti0n.-
By far the moat important position WAS occu
pisd BY the Washington Artillery, command
ed by Colonel Walton, CT New Orleans, ant
pUetcu Uu IAo AulSAtS lh luo uhuituitlc ileiBu
borhood Of Frederick sbnIg, not more thar
four hundred yards from Le town. The
heights, which arc precisely of that altitud..
which is most favorable for tho play of ST
tillsry, are Burmountea by'a brick house.
now ridded by round shot belonging TO Mr.
Marye, and arc commonly called Msryet
! heights. At their base road winds, p,5
tectsd on one side by the hills, and On th'
other by solid stone wall, about four fee
in height, over which a brigade of Oonfede
rates, themselves perfectly sheltered, pourot
thu deadliest and most effective of tirss. A lit
tie further hack, to the southeest of Me7ys':
! heights, stands another and higher bill
| from which tue most commanding vieS 0
4 tbo entire field is obtainsble. snd which, 81
| it is the usual station Of .ths GommsEder-in
| Chief, Is now known as Gan. Lees Hill. From
this bill, during largo portion Of Saturday
/ m nono5ar Do ryI1n AT fha n n /,