The Portland daily press., 1863-01-01
COMMUNICATIONS.


nC WCHthCtn 1MdAmc dt II00cElChsOuISs
1t is rarely that troops, who have been only
three months enrolled, are detailed to cover
movement of such importance and delcacy as
the evacuation Of Fredericksburg by Cen
eral Burnside's army. How well this duty
was performed by the twentieth Maine regi-
ment, SO recently stationed at Camp Lincoln
near this city, readers of the Press already
know through the graphic letter of our cor
respondent, "W.' But the story cannot be
told too often, while each new pair of eyes
proves obseryant and furnishes new and inn
teresting details of the action. We are per-
mitted to publish the following spirited des-
cription ofthe part ofthe Twentieth in the bat
tie from private letter. We are not permitted
to use the writers name; but few, who guess,
viii miss it.
CAMP opposite Fredericksburg,
Dec. 17th, 1862.
know how much you must desire to hear
what have witnessed and experienced during
this eventful week. Let me begin by few ex-
tracts from my note book.
"Dec. 11th, 10 n. M. In the saddle, wait
Ing the word to cross the Rappahannock in
front OF Fredericksburg. Hooker's Grand
Division, closed in massess covering the ground
around as far as the eye can see. Our batter
les open upon the town--forty-five or fifty
shots minute. We cannot see the river, but
are told our engineers are trying to throw a
cross the pontoon bridges, and the rebel sharp
shooters under cover of the town are picking
them off as fast as they appear. Our cannon
aiding is to shell the rebels out of the CITY,
Their formidable batteries in the rear of the
town are plainly to be seen, but do not reply,
or but rarely. l asked permission to ride TO
the front a short time ago, and with Mr..
Brown for companion lone would not wish for
better one) with some of the rashness of
youth perhaps, we made quite a minute in
spection of affairs. Advancing beyond our
line of batteries we were fully within the cir
Gle Of sharp-shooting operations. But the re-
suit repaid the risk. From the famous Lacey
House. directly opposite Fredericksburg and
should think almost within pistol range, the
scene (let the word include sounds as well as
sights) was grand beyond anything l ever
witnessed, or expected to witness. The fame
and smoke, the thunder and scream OF arti-
lery, the shells bursting in the city; the bridge
. of boats half done; the rebel sharpshooters
running from the shells, and rallyng 10 the
front again; here and there huge pontoon,
whose weight had broken its carriage, lying
like stranded whale and on the other hand
train of ambuahces full of wounded, slowly
winding its way to the rear; before us the
beautiful city, on fire in dozen places, col
umns of smoke streaming into the sky. and
lurid bursts, where some enormous shell had
lifted brick building In the air, ground to
dust; behind us glittering in the sunlight our
countless host-t was a scene not given to ev-
cry one to see. Antietam was not anywhere
equal TO 1t, because more extended; this is
gathered into one focus.
Dec. 12.-Not ready yet moved nearer,
however, and waited yet another day.
"Dec l3.-The day opens with sharp mus
kerry, followed by spirited artillery fire.
Griffin's Division is drawn up near the head
of one OF the pontoon bridges, in full view of
the engagement, waiting the critical moment
to "go in" Line after line advances to the
very crest Of the hill before the rebel batteries
and rifle pits, checked each time by the nA-
tufe of the ground and the strength of the
entrenchments, no less than by the awful fire
that seems to scorch them from the hillside
/ see tears in the eyes of many brave man
looking on that sorrowfnl sight, yet all of us
are eager to dash to the rescue"
No more OF note books now--other work
now. Griffin is In motion. The hour is come
1t was, perhaps, two or three o'clock. The
rebels could see us perfectly well, and had the
range Of the bridge and roads through which
we had to pass. Shot and shell were plunging
and bursting around us all the way. We kept
under cover of the city as well as we could
though every streetwas raked by cannon shot.
Emerging at last in rear of the town, and in
front Of the fire, we halted, under the partial
cover Of slightly rising ground, but precise
ly In range Of the hottest fire. to form our line.
The dead and wounded lay thick even here,
and fragments Of limbs were trampled under
foot. Some of our own men fell here. Sud-
denly two new batteries opened; 1t seemed as
II the ground were bursting under foot, and
the very sky were crashing down upon us;