Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1863-05-12

IChancelloFSviile the Yankees badly iwbfpped,
and were in full retreat towards the river On the
lower line, near Fredericksburg however, they had
succeeded in carrying Marye's Heights, and we're
riolng in thewild excess OF joy. They bad stormed
they said the Gibrater Of America, and their route
10 Mehmond was paeHd easy little 81 remember men
thousand upon one StAt auAfron and thus
But 1.-THE best laid schemes of men and mice gang
oft agree" and whilst the Yankets were eeeieAting
themselves on their splendid iedecesses, and in
agining themselves to be in the rear Of our
army Gen Lee was so maneuyering as to meet the
enemy, who were now throwing themselves forwerd
from the town on the plank road About four
o'clock on Sunday evening, McLaw's division in
Guiding Wilcoxs brigade of AndeIson's division,
met the advance column of the Yankees, under Gen.
Sedgwick at Salem Church, four miles beyond
Fredericksburg, on the plank road, and Our limo Of
battle was formed at right angles with the plank
road. The battle here ragged for about two hours,
but the Yankees were repplsed with considerable
loss, including some Eve to six hundred prisoners.
Our line on the telegraph road meantime, had been
formed at Smoeks, about three and half miles out
from town. ..er... l-'' d.. 81
EARLY on Monday morning Lawton's old brigade,
now Gen. GOrdon'S, supported by Gen. Smiths and
Gen. Hayes all Of Early's division, advanced to
wards Marye's Heights, and charged them without
the firing OF gun, driving the enemy from posi-
ton from which less than twenty four hours before
after most heroic resistance, in which the enemy's
loss quite considerable. In this condition mat
ters remained until aboutfiye O'Clock in the evening,
when general advance was ordered At the firing
OF signal gun, General Early moved upon the ene-
my from the right, end Gems Anderson and Nc
Laws from the left. The enemy, who held posi-
:Ion on the plankroad extending up and down. were
quickly dislodged and driven with great loss from
the field. Their resistance was slight, The charge
was grand Early's men, and especially the Louisi.
uot Lad ~
ants over pigmies, while from above, the men Of
Anderson aud McLaws who had been constantly
marching and fighting for Ave days, showed no
signs of relaxation but marched boldly and fearless
ly up to their appointed work The result was tue
enemy was driven in confusion towards Banks
Ford, across which he succeeded in making his way
during the night-hot, however, without serious
loss IN killed, wounded and prisoners. Gen. HOke,
Of the North Carolina brigade, in Elrlys division,
was wounded in this charge. Whilst this was 60
ing on, Barksdales men were holding the stone
wall, MaryeTs hill and the heights commading
the plankroad, so to prevent a movement
our rear out from Fredericksburg. But this
hardly necessary. Yankee desire for a general
advance hud been satisfied, and by nightfall the
the Yankees had begun to prepare for the third and
last time to evacuate fredericksburg by day
break our pickets were in the town, which Is once
again in the hands of B1rksdale's men.
Though the enemy at Charlottesville did not re-
cross the river at the United States ford until to day,
there has been no general engagement since Sunday
only some occasional skirmshing and feints Of
attack to cover up their retreat across the river
Hooker, though having the choice OF position, did
not act Extensively after crossing but fortified and
threw himself on the defensive thus forcing our
men to contend against him in this fight against
vastly superior numbers aiie1 by breastworks for
tiicaonS and distractions of all sorts. But they
were Of little avail Jackson turned their flank and
fell upon their And Jackson's boys did their
work with all their mig and main. They charged
faster over the battle field than they marched it.
and their cheering they drove the enemy before
them broke upon the air with fine, inspiring effect
and told too plsinly that our men were terribly in
earnest, and were fighting for home, for woman
manhood and independence. In such a it
were worse than base not 20 strike heavy blows for
freedom and the right
Hooker expected success. He had planned we'll
but General Lee has proved himself more than
match for MIN, and his splendid army now lies
part dead on the south side of the RappahannOck
part wounded its north bank, and some here
too, and large part of the advance is already
your city. Hooker had drawn every man from the
fortifcations, and came prepared with eight days
ratOns-L E., eight days hard tack; three days
cooked meat and eight days cattle in a herd and
eight days coffee Hooker made his men a speech,
telling them he had ad d|antage Of position and was
bound to 60 forward all that he asked oSthem
| to fight lie had summoned every man from the
| fortlticatiOns and had uncovered Washington and
! man under one hundred and fifty thousand.
The bravery, for;itude and endurance Of our men
/ IN all of these engagements cannot be too highly
! praised or too gratefully remembered by the
+ try. 1t twould seem inv!dous to make special al
luSions where all fought so we'll but it is due to
candor and truth to say that the troops of McLaws
and Anderson were oitener engaged than any other
troops, they being engaged in fighting and march
ing almost without ntermisSion for rest refresh
ment, from Thursday night until Tuesday morning,
| period OF four days and nights. While to D. II.
! Hills old division, commanded by Gen. Rhodes,
aud TTimbe's DIVISION led by Gen. Colston, Early's
! division, led by Etry himself and A. p. Hills men
under their (avorite leader the country is indebted
| The cavalry too, claim share Of this glorious
work, for while the infantry were thus being
gagged, one brigade under Fitzhugh Lee met the en-
! emy near SpotSylvania Court House and succeeded
in whipping and driving back to Charlottesville,
certainly two brgades of cavalry, and perhaps four
| killing the Colonel of the 9th n Y. Cavalry and
two Captains, and taking some sixty prisoners.
The battle field, which reaches from FrederIcks-
| burg to a point above Wilderness, seine twelve
miles up from town, and out to the river, with the
! exception of about two miles between Salem and
ZDar churches Ittests the skilful aiming and dead
ly destruction of our artillery. The Yankee dead
and wounded are strewn over the entire country
Yet had it not have been one of the most thickly'
wooded sections of land in Virginia, the Yankee
loss would have been far greater.
Over this same field of battle are scattered, in
immense quantities. blankets, overcoats, canteens,
knapsacks, haverSacks, cartridge boxes, and any
quantity of rifles muskcts and various other equip
ments of the soldier. Our boys however, found
but little to eat The Yankees had well nigh de
voured the commisNariat, still a good quantity of
hard tack with some good cooked meats and cof-
fee were found in the Yankee haversacks. We
also captured some freshly slaughtered meats and
some corn and oats; all of which quite valua-
bic, ard Just the articles we needed
fredericksburg, on this occasion, did not suffer
severely as she did before, though the Yankees
managed to steal a good deal Private houses, |
believe were in no instance entered where the
families were present. and the town not shellec
nor were any citizens arrested carried off in the
| &. hr,fi nrnr