, 1865-07-19
REBEL OFFICIAL uISTORT.
Gen, Lees Report Of his Campaign
against Ger. Burnside.
The battle of Rreder1cksburg.

HrADonts AaNr NORTHERN v1no1sn,l
March 9, 1868.
G;n:S Cooper: A'juttnt and Inspector Genrlal,
sla: On the 18th November It vsas known
that the eneny WIS in rnotl,n towards the
Orange and AltxaIdria railroads, and one
regiment Of Infantry, With q battery Of light
artillery, was cent to reinforce the garrison at
F1cde, leksbusE. On the nth, It was ascer-
tanned than Summers corps had marched
from Catlett's Station, In the direction OF
Falmouth, aud Information WAS also received
that on the 18th, some Federal gunboa:s AID
transports Ind entered Acqu{a Creek. This
looked asu Fred, ricksburg Was again to be
occupied. and McLaw's and Rausom's tiyi-
silps, accompanied by ". Il. F. Lees brigade
Of cavslry and Lanes battery, were ordered
to proceed to that city. To ascertain more
fully The. movements Of the enemy, Gen.
Stuart was directed to cross the Rappahan-
mock. On the morning OF the 18th, he forced
Of regiment Of cavalry and three pieces Of
artillery guarding the ford, mud reached
Wa1renton soon After the last Of the enemy's
column had left The information he OBJ
taincd cona1med the previous reports, and It
was clear that tue whole Federal army, M
der Maj. Gen. Burnside. WAS moving toward
Fredericksburg. On The morning Of the 18th,
therefore, tho remainder Of LongstEcct's
corps was put in motion for that point. The
advance ol Gen. Sumner reach Falmouth On
the afternoon Of the 18th, and attemp. cd to
cross the Rappahannock, but was driven
back by Col. Ball, with the 18th Virginia cav
shy, four companies Of Mississippi inhntry,
and Lewis light battery.
On the 2lst 1t became apparent that Gen.
Bu1DRide was concentrating his whole
Amy on the north side Of the Rappahannock.
On the same day, Gen. Sumner summoned
the corporate authorities Of Fredericksburg
TO surrender the place By five p: m, and
Threatened, In case Of refusal, to b3mb3rd
the city at nine o'clock next morning.. The
weather had been tempes!ueus for Two days.,
sud stotm was rnslng At the time Of the
Summons. It was impossible 10 prevent the
execution OF The threat 20 she'll the city, as
it YVES completely exposed to tbs batteries
en- the Stafford hills, which were beyond our
reach. The city authorities were informed
for military purposes, Its occupation By the
enemy would he reIEted, and directions we're
given for the remoTal Of tile women and
children as rapidly as possible The threat
ENID bombarument id not take place but
In view OF the lmminence Of collision be-
tween the two armies the Inhabitants were
advised to leave the city, and almost the en-
tire population. without murmur, aban-
dontd their homes. History presents no in
stance Of people exhibiting purer and
more unsclfsh patriotism, or higher spirit
Of forutude and courage, than was crinced
by the citizens Of Fredeticksbulg.
They chl lerfu1lJ fincurred great hard5lfps
and p1lvationE, and SURRENDERED their homes
aod property to destruction ra.her than
yield them into the hands Of the enemies of
tleir country. Gen, Burnsidenow commenced
his preparations to forcs the passage Of the
Rapln6annock md advance upon Richmond,
When bis army first began 70 move toward
of Iu6tfrc:!ors, crossed the Blue Ridge, aud
r1hctd his corps in the vicinity Of Orange
CcuIt House, TO enable him mere promptly
to cooperate with Lcnpst-tet. About tue
Goth November, he IVES directed to advance
toward Fredericksburg. and AS some Federal
Royal, and It was possible that an attempt
might be made to Cross in that ylclni > D. H.
Htll's division was stationed near TINT rlace,
and the rest Of Jackson's cosps 60 disposed
as TO supper: Hill or Lorsst1cet, as occasion
might require: The foros Of the Rappaaan-
sra,d.a by our cavalry, and the bllsAde Of
Gen. ". Il. F. Lee, was stationed near Port
Rn.nl to watch the river at,cve and below,
On the eS.h, Gen. Hampton, guarding the
Upper Rappahannock, crossed 70 make a re-
connoissance On the enemy = right, and, p:o.
ceedins as iaE as Dumi1'es and 0c:oqaan. en-
counter cd ard dispersed his cavalry, capturing
two squadroDs and a number Of wagons.
Abort The same time, some dlsnonnted men
Of Bcalt's regiment, LeC's brigade, crossed
In boats below Port Royal, to observe the
en' ny's lef: ;, and took' number Of prison
e1s.
On The 5th December, Gen. D. II. Hill,
witt gone Of his fsld guns, assisted by Mai.
Pelham, Of s.uast's horse artillery, attacked
the gulbuats at Port Royal, and caused them
to retire. With these exceptions, no i1apos-
tant movements took place, but 1t became
evident that the adsanee Of the enemy would
plo5ed IN Strengthening cur lines, extending
from the river about mile and q balf above
Fredericksburg alcug the range OF hills In
the.reas Of 'he city to tho Richmond rail-
ruad. A these hills were commanded
sn ey the opposite 9pp hc'shts; in posses,
sonsueted com @ ns upon ;hs,r e9est It "sae ths
most eligible position for artillery. These
positions we're judiciousls chosen and fortI-
lied, undcr the direction Of Brig. Gen. Pen.
de1ton, chief Of artillery, Col. Cabell. Of Nc
Laws division, Col. E. ?. Alexander, and
Capt. 5. B. johnson, ol the engineers. To pre-
ry,p1ottcted by yentreuchnents, was placed on
the bank. about four miles below the city, in
an excellent positIcu, selected by mY a;d-de-
camp, Nhjor Talcott. The plain Of Ffcder-
icEsbu r is so completely commanded By the
Stafford heights, that no efIec:ual opposition
could be made to The construction OF 6nyades
or the passage Of the river, Without exposing
cus troops to the destructive fir. of the nj.
merous batteries Of The enemy. At tue sane
1ime, the uar1oWness Of tha Rappahaunock,
it's winding course and deap bed, prevented
opportunities for aJing down bridges at
~ pp.s -. s.;a. .as nem tu UTE =! onr aru!!ery.
@ goI pos1uoa aa,et Nas s,, snsle. @ ssieetea WIN
esst" se" ~ "a .s H. .nx sne aulancs MteI
EMrl en13ciant % !" ,mnsjs nne saaioea ~ on15 ey
until the arny could be concentrated,
Before dawn cn the 1lth Of Dscember our
r,nn+ssn1 shor,t ~, a1a'na,- ...s GILL; "a'
noeS tnoIun aoout ~ @ osnSA :. u u com
ths - pnahaonoai ~ .nom ~ gaues
~ s ~ a ~ ahatt upPosite 1teuet4cse-
low neor 1ie mo1t 1 nf n,c1 1 .,Iar ssr Tn "
~, nsu. ,.a ~ - na.i5 anuu ~ DtEp 51se,; I've
1Sision ~ ~ ~ ~, 80 o1ssaae 1S.a NSLavs
an.t .tded +hesa 1oints ,na t,rna ra Mstpi.
fhs Sth Findda ~ andersnusa ~ Ji,'e;nn fa;s1 ~
-, ,hn nn-er ~ ssoA 0''4n1'"' oe1ls
= hc rest 81 the bytpade with tbc n d,.,.
slcn Geo1rfa REGIMENT. a,so OF Anderson's
d!T, n, wss heid in reserve in tie citys
ths sle tha bd1ss dosr p r. ta t5o0R
renel,, ); tfe repeattd cf5orts ot The enemy +,
iar r; ,itires nnnosite tl,e tnrsn a.;;y,,ne, ~
hack wnrifnr narfirs and their snnnorts
will: .u.-htcr. It the 1nErr no,nt MSa.e
there =: no such nrotect;nn tbc cne,nv vteas 1as
success, lyresssted mil % nea,IT T nom When
being r. eauy exposed to he lie ~ Of ths . Ia,
teIies Oh the oppcsite heights. and snne1inr
to1c0 ~ ~ +, fnfrr an IL .iSsr snh h.nss our
t1nons W.. TitSdrarn. and ahant nne o;,,osl
n, ~ 1l,c :. .ssre 1ras cn,nn1eted' Sam air.
FEa1d r. oIr hnndrcS and f3ffT nsccss ~ sr,silc.r
o1n.c6 jn1tcns ~ 11o. {ha c1tT -. =. ,a;n2
psi5otn. ~ 1at;ra o1, " In ., W. sA1sE a
,,,t uVops To Tsa @ ata! e4s H., ats o54A -
hoets and ,pore,acl ,and Ian ar doM tha ~
,1taees % ~ n,sadTancc into tbe eitT was fn bTave W.,
y resisted untll datE. when our troops were
recalled. me necessary time Tor concentration
haSing been g1med: a., uu.>..,,.
:, During the night and TIE succeeding day,
the enemy ero.sea ID .asge numbers 81 sod
bcioH t1s 1o"n. Secured n t5o a1;a m9neia. aasGt Ss
only be used With effect tShen occasional
clearing Of tbe mist rendered H hls columns Etsi'