Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-05-15
TRE BATTLES or THE RAPPAHAN
NCCE.
FROM CUE srtcnI. CORRESPONDENT
FaSpssirEspUEa, Va,
L aspEsitESDUEG, VA, I
Wednesday, Nav IL, 1853

| E"'S Spa"nf"'Sc, IA ptoHiUu5 lotSts, tO
rccspitu'sto the outlines Of the eatirs eight
days. fighting, beginning with the croe,ing at
Pfatt's and Eornard's below Fredericksburg,
on Wednesday morning, or, rather during
Tuesday night, and ending With the vigorous
sheilias which tho ensmy received from our
| well.Girocs1d batteries At and naaS tho United
States Milo Ford, On Wednesday morning,
the 9Th Of May, when tbs last Of tho finest
army on the p'anet,' found jsseif "safe' on
tho North bank Of the Rappahaanock, in its
" former postion.' In that letter my Only
e5ror consisted in representing Jsckso,, or,
rathe: Jackson's men. as making tho attack
during Saturday night. This attack "a
made by the Yankees, and wss fl tffart to
break our lines r: Tho points held by 8. ?.
Hills division and Anderson. The aitelnp:,
however, was weak one, and easily s-puiacd.
Aftes this tho ereuly kept up q furious shell
ling st into, walls during the night. evidently
fesr'"E g night attack f;o7, US: it resulted
! howeyeS, m but itls damage. - :.
| It is, of couise, unfsir,,na series of engage
ments Of such u.agnituds rs these throug;,
wh:ch this any has just psssed,1o notice ps7-
ticular br!SSsiea and I2gi'naEts, snd give .astn
undue prominence - t!,o !, Tr;ioct .nd o'nl1-
sion q! othos origs6ea and .eSinsuia. Tms (,
as y0nr repo-:e-, haV0 ard ahan hlws. 2
! avoid, unless wha: J. rotate should coma M
dur my special obss1 y,..inn, Ga Was tha caaa
! with the ratehiGg Of :ha heights q: FIajcr-
icksbu7g by sne ssl'snt Gsc.ginpa uadus G II
doc, aud the nohlo chs-ge ii Mnut.f evening
by Hsyos srd IIoke, which closed the fight
| ing and secured tho gzost victory which We
have achieved. Tie E.en OF WcfLd, too
deserve moro tasn a passing word f.r tho
s.ssdy fire, cool and CALM courage which
marked their march straight no t, tho can.
nous mouth in the fi.a:s # Saturday syiD-
ing end assia on Slndsy marning.
Ignorance Of ";:%aL FACTS prevents the no
tice duo 20 the different bYig>de. Of D. II.
! Ilil's cd division, snd that al Trimble. 10
those d!sih:e1s MAS coD,m:ltra thu ,mpn. tsiii
part 10 tho graud programme Of t,irnlHg The
enen7'a hank. y hiist A 2. Hin, McLaws nu.i
AIde,s III, with their divisions, engaged the
enemy iii frcrt. Rhodes commanded D. Il.
Hills old division, srd did hja duty hand
someiy. 10 plss=s: Fss Geo. Jackson II ..j,
his con,Inct That he H;omatea hin CIT i:s
lsi::-oi course, sutjact 10 the approval oittt
) PfesideE,t, which has Bilc- bGsu bestowed
But the whol5 honor Of tuis ga iGht and skill
ful msnGuvyeing and hgh,irg belongs not TO
Rhodes slurc. T5iu. bio msn though place.!
10 the second liuo OF oa:tin, !ousht up t. ald
aicng With Inc first line ol battle, as is av;-
dsnoed hy tho fact thG. private in tho %.
| Vngioia regirusnI bnot general officer, sup.
posed 10 have bcsn DeTsnr, snd taking !.on,
hiIn ha sword, pssscd it to L. Cal. Warren
who 1T chat tilre commanded brigsdo ii this
division. Anolhsf cuIrobora.iys fact IL that
the command Of a brigade j. this division
Chsnged hands no lesh IT, ~ ssvtn tlI,cI OUR
ing these IL shsg. Brissdior G"Esrsl UG!stcE
commanded the division la thi. light in tbs
absence CT Gen. G:inbie, who w.s SICK; a,d
/ have it from coed su:ho;isy that The mon
wore handled with the Skill Of prsctsad of
fccr.
cannot perceive that anything but praise
attaches to tho Mississippi brigade for the
part which they bo:e in thsss ever memora'
bio battles. History records Leonidas ssd
his Spartans hsroes, though ayerposeTs4 os
Therasopyiss, and the mcu Of mississippi
ciubbsd Duskets with the enemy 81 ihe stohe
wall even after they h.d been tl.nksd and the
fne had surnsd lheis OF guns upon tham.-
Ntithhr anu I Of tbOae who hnYe TtG3c.ed
upon Easy Or hiR division for not reinforcing
and saving the hoignts. II were imp-*Ctica.
Bile of attainment. Military nen and history
will SO decide Il il no. The business Of G
correspondent, and, # incliaa!ion prompted,
patriotism would forbid O too thorough &c
soriptiCn Of our position AID forces, fvr tie
reason thst tue battles GA this iino, though
erded fer the present, may nc resumed, saa
discussions such SIS these, whilst yorchsnco rl
adyantsgo 10 our foe, can servo neither ouI
army ner our pcoPs sny good purpose. This
is no time for isEerinss and nos EpRper CON.
troverS;as sInong our braves LII the feld.-
There is too atrorg = disposition spt Ak
Of it with regret---on The part Of Soma Wha
are attached 20 On. command in this asE,y to
speak Of tho achievements and reaulta of :hosa
connected with other commands somewhat
disparagingly, This il radically wrong, snj
should 90 trowGed down. Taaro is homo.
enough already won, and laurels enough sti !
to be pluckCd in the 81 ye: unfoIght bri: Ice
OF this wsr, to mako heroes CT oil whp Care
for their country more than T." s,i!. L.,
feelipga such as these hs bs.ilai.-d, enc :. ,cG-
tine1t of country, first and alwnyP, prevail.
And whoreve- fsu'ing Of this sort I.-tdnmi-
mates, truo grea:Hoss will be found, AID Grand
results for Cur cGlnmon csus" and blseiire
country nuss be achieved. Where tro oppo-
site prevails. discussions will spring, a,is4usi-
ties will riis and hstreds, supsrseding friend
shcs, will make q Gesert IF the bri .h!es!
hopes that ever flashed nthHart the visions ot
the mos: confident.
1t cannyt se deued thai we allowed the
enoIny 10 Sc. off too easly. hii while f,rGe
cus't 20 nave bscn Captured, or rathes :i.at
which ctoSaod az Eauka' F5TA. Why the
fsiiuEt to GU: off and capture a !nrger number
than waro hrouen. il i. 10 mol in my power
to decide. ] bolis7e General Lte expected a
mote brilliant result. Il Waa no fault Of hia
that there was Isilurs ct any poat; and
whilst tho crodit belonga i'll c0sEnon 10 Lee
and Jackson, up to the jll-fItad hour when
Jackson eceived his wound, it is but Just to
say thxt af.or that psriod tho whole credit
belonged to General Les, not only for plan
ming, but tor being Ill Convenient distan CO,
and watching with his own eye 10 tho enecn-
lion, i'll 80 fsr as he could max il Euccafaiu!.
The esicrsy ought to ha,o been attach ed ST
two O'Clock ON Monday evening, May 4.h
The reason, however. W hioh deferred il uniil
ak is not propsr. i'll the ju gmobt Of your
correspGndent, TO be communicated. Whe3,
IN an .f;erday, history writes the reason, its
suficisucy will be- readily acknowledged.
Just hore, let me urga upon the nav5ps-
pers, AZ the organs of public opisiop, to insist
that GoneI a. Lee shsll never hereafter again
expose HIS valuable life 70 the u,issjea Of death.
l! is unnecessary; ard now tha. jack SOL hhe
fallen, this, our grost haro aud chieitAin,
owes il 60 us. mot to hiusslf to b. whe!o
the shock Of bEtt,s caunSt reach. Ton thQ!i-
sand, or even oao hundrei thousand ran
slain in ba;tls might be replsced, but if Gen,
L4e should iall, who could take hiE placs
| Echo answers who!
have passed OVER tie " holo battle-ground
since the fsht. |. reaches frora Dasp isun-
;,5ssd II NAV be said IN cS;enS fron HkIHii,