New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-04-23

From the last number of Blaokwood, the Menu
phis Argus has condensed the memoir OF Heros
Won Boreke General Stuarts chief-of-stah, de-
scribine the Federal repuse at Fredericksburg.
Although there is great deal of personal vanity
apparent in the writings of Major Borcke, there is
something so graphic and stirring in his account
| of the great battle at Fredericksburg, that we
| conv II in our columns as condensed by the
| Argus:
| The last number of Blackwood contains one of
| the series of g Memoirs of the Confederate War
stuart's Chief-ofStaff.n 1t is devoted to Fred
ericksburg, of which terrible conflict it furnishes
by far the most thrilling account we recolect TIC
have read. We hope no reader of the Argus will
fail to read the material portions, which are pre-
jackson had chosen his own position on an emf
nenoe, within q few hundred yards of Hamilton's
Crossing. which rose above the general elevation
Of the ridge in q similar manner to Lees Hill or
the left and which has ever since borne the name
Of Jackson Hill, 2 from its having been rendered
historical by the presence of the great warrior
during the fight. Here we first directed oui
horses, and here we found Stonewall and A. r
Hill, with their respective stats, looking out
through the white mists of the morning into the
plain below, from which arose an indistinct muir
| muir, like the distant hum of myriads OF bees,
vaguely announcing to us its hostile occupation by
thousands of human beings. jackson and Stuart
concurred in the opinion that it would be the best
| plan to make a sudden general attack upon the
enemy under cover of the fog, which must nave
prevented the fire of the numerous Federal bate
ries on the other side of the Rappahannock, OF
| had decided in council of war against any Omen
| sive movement, preferring to light behind MS IN
| trenehments and to nflict severe bioW upon the
enemy without the risk of fearful loss OF lie even
should the material result prove less decided 0ne'
And now the thick veil of mist that had con
| cealed the plain from our eyes rolled away like
the drawing up of drop-scene at the opera, di-
visions, brigades, and regiments of the Federal
| army forming their lines of attack. At this mo-
| ment / was sent by Stuart to General jackson
/ with the message that the Yankees were about
commencing their advance. I found old Stone
wall standing at ease upon his hill, unmoved in the
midst of the terrible fire, narrowly observing the
| movements Of the enemy through his field glass.
The atmosphere was now perfectly clear, and
from his eininence was offered distinct view of
more than tWo-thirds of the battle field and the
larger part of the whole number of the advancing
foe, extending as far as the eye could reach-a
military panorama, the grandeur of which have
never seen equalled. On they came, in beautiful
order, as if on parade, moving forest of steel,
their bayonets gstening in the bright sunlight
on they came, waving their hundreds of regimen
tai flags, which relieved with warm bits of color
ing the dull blue of the columns and the russell
tnge of the winter landscape, while their artillery
beyond the river continued the cannonade with
unabated fury over their heads, and gave back
ground of white feecy smoke, like midsummer
clouds; to the animated picture.
could not rid myself of feeling of depr ession
and anxiety as saw this innumerable host steadily
moving upon our lines, which were hidden by the
woods, where our artillery maintained as yet
perfect silence, Gen. Lee having given orders that
our guns should not open fire until the Yankees
had come within easy canister range. Upon my
mentioning this feeling to Jackson, the old chief
answered me in his characteristic way: Major,
my men have sometimes failed to take position,
but to defend one never l am glad the Yankees
are coming He then gave me orders for Stuart
to employ his horse artillery, and open fire at
once on the enemy's flank.
y Pelham was &C cordingly directed to prepare for
action, but, being exceedingly anxious to go to
to allow him to advance two of his light pieces to
the fork Of the road where the turnpike branches
off to Fredericksburg, as from this point the
masses of the enemy offered him an easy target.
The permission being given, Pelham went off with
his two guns at galiop, amidst the loud cheering
of the cannOneers and in few minutes his solid
shot were plowing at short range with fearful
effect through the dense columns of the Federals
The holiness Of the enterprise and the fatal ac-
curacy of the firing seemed to parayze for time
and then to stampede the whole of the extreme
left OF the Yankee army, and terror and confusion
reigned there during some minutes; soon, how
ever, several batteries moved into position, and
uniting with several Of those on the Stafford
Heights, concentrated q tremendous fire upon our
guns.
The rest of the horse artillery had in the mean
time Joined in the cannonade, and the thunder
soon rolled all along our lines while from the
tinuous roar the ear caught distinctly the sharp,
rapid, rafting volleys of musketry, especially in
the immediate front of General A. P. Hill, where
the infantry was very holly engaged. The battle
was fully developed, and the mists of the morning
were presently succeeded by dense cloud Of
powder smoke, QUITO which arose ever and anon
the dark column from an exploding caisson. At
above the tUmut of the conflict
could hear the wild hurrah of the attacking hosts
Of Federals and the defiant yell OF the Confeder
ates, as the assault was repuised. Directly in our
front the cavalry sharpshouters had become oocu
pied with long lines of hostile tiraieurs, and a
vivid fusilade ranged all along the Port Royal road
the shot and shell of horse artillery which was
in rear, crossing in their flight the missiles of
the enemy's batteries, high in the air above the
the heads of our men, The firing grew most ami
mated near number of stacks of straw, which a
body OF Federal infantry had taken possession OF,
and which offered them SO efficient shelter, that
all attempts to dislodge them had proved in vain.
4 / had just been ordering our men not to waste
their ammunition, and to fire only when they saw
the person of Yankee completely exposed, when,
close at hand, ! heard the dull thug of bullet
striking home, and turning reund, saw one of our
throw up his arms and fall heavily to the ground.
Dismounting at once FASTENED to his side, but
finding that the ball had struck him right in the
middle of the forehead, regarded him as corpse,
essary. Not many minutes had elapsed, however,
before the apparently dead man began to move /;
and when the surgeon, who had already arrived,
poured some brandy down his throat, to our in
finite amazement, he opened his eyes,. A few
hours later, maracuous to relate, when the bleed.
ing from the wound had ceased, he had recovered
from the shock to return to his
post of duty. According to the surgeons state
lnent, the ball striking obliquely had glanced,
passing through the cuticle and skull all around
the head, emerging at last from the very place
it had first entered. "a = !.
The fury and tumult Of the battle lasted all the
and until o'clock in the afternoon along
Jacksons lines. A comparative quiet then sue
ceeded, the infantry fire died away and only a
regular intermittent cannonade was kept up in
our immediate front; but from the left, opposite
there came to as the heavy boom
and we knew the fight still ragged there with I'M
diminished yehemence. So far all had gone favor
ably to US. The division of A. p. Hill had sns-
tanned the first shock of the Federal attack, which
for awhile had promised success to the enemy. On
the left wing of this division, under cover OF the
fog, and protected by triangular piece of wood
already described, the hostile column had fallen
rather suddenly upon our men, the first line OF
whom, consisting of brigade of North Carolina
gave way, reaching the second line in
their retreat at the same moment nearly with their
pursuers with whom they became Unfortunately
whereby was caused inevitable confusion
and great loss of life on our side Here the
gallant General Gregg fell mortally wounded,
while attempting to rally his men. Our
reserves speedily coming up. however,
with the right wing Of Early's division. the Yam,
KEGS were repulsed with severe loss, and pursued
kt,o lat,, IT, Tba h.ta rf