Delaware State journal and statesman., 1863-01-02

against our city officials. We have no doubt,
however, but Mayor 0ilpin-who is a very
straightforward, honorable, impartial officer
will rniisfy any person who may desire iuiormS-
ton upon the point in question, aud will call
on or address him personally. We very much
mistake the character of our present excellent
chief magistrate of the city il he knowingly
would permit any officer under his control Ia
turn "saye catcher as is nlimatel by " jus
tice" We think tue matter is susceptible Of
satisfactory explanation Journal
--z-sset--
Letter from FIrst Delaware Regiment
LETTER No. 81.
CAMP NEAR FALMOUTH, Va,
December 26, 1862 !
FRiENp EcKEL:
Since our last, how many pages
have been added to history How many braves
have fallen aud how many gaping wounds attest
the terri6, nature OF the combat At Fredericks
burg Events moinentous have succeeded
events with lightning rapidiy almost, and
scenes have shifted aud changed so quickly, that
the mind could scarce fx or comprehend them.
Time has hardly been given for thought until
now, but impressions OF the revolution of the oc-
currences during few days, deep and vivid,
have been retained and though it is too late TO
attempt to give you an account of the great
events that have transpired in this vicinity still
we can assume to give some "reminiscences Of
the ordeal through which all of us have lAtterly
passed of the dark, nay, black clouds OF pro-
hnhle defeat and disaster thai hung over US of
the familiarity with the carnage Of the battle
field, with death and suffering of the uuearihly
noise and terrible execution OF the engines Of
var.
lndulging in these remembrances, we recall
the period when we were ordered to march
towards the city on the Rappahannosk; when we
halted near the north bank aud slept that night
ON the frozen grounds with nothing but our
blankets TO cover US we remember that after
5ipoHdeki1g there, we assembled the hill that over
looked Fredericksburg, and watched hy night
tue shells from our batteries, as they fell upon
the doomed city, and the flames US they burst
out from the houses, and licked with greedy
tongue their prey, lighting up the heavens with
their glare aud disclosing the steepes of
churches which our artillery have spared
And we remember with What distrush the
next morning. we marched over the pontoon
bridge and took possession of the town ;.We say
disIrust, for the silence of the enemy was Omi
nousi not gun was fred NJ US, though we
knew there were many in our front We then
suspected that a trap had been nicely adjusted
and that when it fell, il would come upon us
with crushing force, And we have not forgot
ten the scenes Of that day, after we In / stacked
arms in the streets of the hitherto fashionable
aud aristocratic city the sacking OF the place
the deserted houses--a city without inhabii-
ants-dWellng houses and stores broken into
soldiers with all species of plunder irom IA
fashionable bonnet to grindstOne--men hurry
Ing through the streets with china, books PIC
tures, boxes and bales of tohaccO-solliers sit:
thug OH the curb stones cooking sausages and
eating slap jacks aud apple bntteP, the products
Of larders which they had d;scuyere,l-cellars
visited and canteens filled with wine found in
bottles or barrels it would require good de-
lineator to depict the scenes Of that day. There
was little registering, for all appeared 10 have a
perceptonthM something mOmeniOus was iul-
pending but that consideration did not prevent
our living well that day; and that night when
number OF us made our headquarters id a
large mansion, the thought Of shot aud ghrll did
not interfere with our making ourselves COM
Portable. We lighted up the chandeliers, filled
up the CRATES with wood, and had them sending
out their heat prepared the large aud. richly
furnished chamb rs for ,ur rest, by making up
the soft and luxurious looking feather beds sui
fret on the sofas and then on the velvet
cushioned rocking chairs, and felt at houlskrlbe
house bore but one mark Of the bombardInent,
solid shot had penetrated the wall, passed
through the communicating doors of the parlors
aud had fallen upon pile of beds which had
been brought down. We picked the ball up -
This house had been more fortunate than many
others blackened and crumbling walls were on
oil Sides rubbish was an obstacle to the pedes-
trian on the pave; large apertures had been
made in the sides OF houses, chmneys had been
toppled there were ruins under which fire was
stl smouldering household furniture had been
diverted from its uses, and piled in the streets
a pf alats..
was complete
But how different was the next day All
arose with the assurance that something event.
tul would happen the enemy had failed to shell
US ln the night, and we reasonably supposed
that they were reserving every shot for an eff.
fective one, and that terrible fight must eusue
but breakfast was dispatched, with no symptoms
of trepidation. Soon the men were ia arms-
regiment after regiment, brigade after brigade
and division after division, took up their places
on the streets, preparatory to their marching
upon the field which was but few hundred
yards distant there was little noise. Soon the
order came to advance. Our gallant little regi-
ment was iiutered to think that il had been se
lecteIi with two other regiments, 10 make the
advance ss skirmishers and can we forget the
noble manner in which it acquitted itself, whilst
the screaming shell fell in the ranks, dealing
death on every side, aud the bullets from the
no ialtering, no wayering--on the first Delaware
marched until it gained the position assigned,
aud that position it held, though nearly hun
dred Of its men had been wounded. Its bravery
was not questioned; II was commended by
colonels and generals, aud the commanding Of
ticer Of the skirmishers, from another regiment.
assured us that he did not wish to see a brayer
regiment than the first Delaware that il acted
it's part nobly.
We pass over the Incidents Of the next day.
which was devoted to the care of the sufferers
houses had bsen appropriated all over the CITY
to receive the wounded beds had been removed
from chambers everywhere, in order to make
them comfortable. During the progress of the
battle, il was a busy time at the hospitals;s tbe
yard and garden Of our Division Hospital were
filled with the manned, and whilst the surgeons
were engaged in attending to their wounds the
shells would explode all around as But who
con faithfully describe the feelings Of the army
on the next night? We had waited all dav for
n renewal of the fight. What will the morrow
bring forth? every one asked himself. We
had failed in our etiOrte, and change of pro-
gramme was necessary all became more than
ever convinced that we had gotten ourselves in
to ineshes, from which il would be difIieult IN
be extricated. The only alternative lett, COM
mon sense dictated, was to retreat, OF evAcuate
il you please; and what IL the enemy sbould
learn our intention how many thousands of
lives would be sacrificed how could that vaat
army, If a panic should seize il, cross tboss
slender pontoons, in one nights time, with the
rebel artillery opening upoa them, and their in
tantry following up! No one felt easy proba-
bly,; there was no little trepidation: every one
talked gloomily of the prospects; no one could
divine what was about to happen Why didn't
ihe enemy smell the city that night and make u