The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1870-02-25
rxE RATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG.

The London Telegraph OF December
18th, says: Upon this day, seven years
ago. was fought mighty battle, which
laid the great tTrans-Atlanti Republic
PROSTATE ald bleeding in the dust
As, on thu 18th of December. 1862, the
sun set behind the low Virginia hills
which skirt the river Rappahannock,
and stand like sentinels around the lit
tie town OF fredericksburg, it's declin-
ing rays glinted across plain upon
which, to quote the words Of an eye
witness of the bloody scenes "isy acres
of the Federal dead" Ii was said by
many who had participated in every
great battle which Virginia had pre-
viously witnessed, that upon no other
field had the dead lain 40 thick aud
close. Immediately in front Of Marye's
heights, agqnst which the fierc. on
slaughts Of Gen. Meagher and his gal
liant Irshmen were directed, there lay,
cold and still, some fifteen hundred
corpses. Without sustaining any ma
teriaf loss, the Confederates Inflicted
upon the attacking Federals at Fred
cricksburg the most crushing defeat of
the American war. At no other mo-
ment during those four years of fratri-
cidal strife was the confidence of the
Confederates or the depression or the
FedeIals so great as at the close eft 1862.
To this hour, IN the "cane brakes" of
Alabama, or in the s.ever gla1es" of
+ lorida, may be found rebel privates
who fought at Fredericksburg, and who
will bitterly tell you that II "Uucle
Robert"-for thus is General Lee still
sffeetionately styled by the soldiers
whom he led--had followed Stonewall
Jaekson's advice. and consented to
night attack upon the Federals. he
would literally have aunihilated their
army. Never was the Decentralization
of any northern host during the Amer
lean war so absolute as upon the night
which tollowee the battle of Frederick
sbnrg. lt will be remembered that
few weeks before that battle, General
Mcclellan, who had gained at Sharp5-
burg the principal victory won by the
Fede-als in 1862, was deprived of his
command, and or Tered by the Wash
ington Government to intrust his army
to the ibcompetent hands of General
Burnside. Whatever may have been
General McClellan's title to the affec-
tion OF his soldiers. he was always a IA
vorite with the Federal armies. His
successor, on the contrary, inspired no
confidence an awakened no enthusiasm.
Stronger positions have before now
been carried by attacking armies than
that which General Lee and this Con-
federates occupied at Fredericksburg.
In 1873 Napoleon boldly threw his Fore
es across the Spree. and launched them
against the allied armies of Russia and
Prussia, as they lay strongly entrench-
ed behind the river at Bautzen. Rid
ing forward at the head OF his troops,
and cheering them onward with his oft-
repeated cry of .sEn arant mes COLONIES I"
the Little Corporal taught Gen. Burn
side how armies occupying strong de-
fensive position might be attacked and
routed. But, even before the battle OF
Fredericksburg was fought, it was suit
ticiently apparent that Burnside was
no Napoleon, and that the Federal ar
mics which battIed in 1862 had little Of
the elan or fire of the men who fought at
Lutzen or Bautzen.