The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1877-08-14
Fredericksburg

FROM noon 10 dark burnside cOnfin-
ued to hurl one division after another
against that volcano-like eminence,
belching forth fire and smoke and iron
hail. Frenchs division was the first to
rush TO the assault When it emerged
from cover and burst out on the plain,
in full view Of the enemy. it was greet
ed with frightful fiery reception from
ali bis batteries Oh the circling summit.
The ridge concentrated upon it the con-
vergent fire Of all its enginery of war.
lou might see at mile the lanes made
by the cannon balls in the ranks. You
might see bursting shell throw up in
To the air cloud Of earth and dust,
mingled with the limbs of men. The
batteries in front Of the devoted divis-
ion thundered against it, To the right.
to tho left, cannon were answering to
each other in q tremendous deafening
battle chorus. the burden of which
was
Welcome 10 these msdmcn about TO die.
The advancing column was the focus,
the point Of concentration, of an arc
almost semi-circle--of destruction. II
was q center Of attraction of all deadly
missiles. At that moment that single
division was going up alone in battle
against the Southern confederacy. and
was being pounded TO pieces. 1t con-
tinued to go up, nevertheless, toward
the stone wall. toward the crest above.
With lips more firmly pressed together,
the men closed up their ranks and
pushed forward. The storm of battle
increased its fury upon them; the crash
of II Isketry mingled with the roar of
ordnance from the peaks. The stone
wall aud the rifle pits added their ter
riblc treble to the deep bass of the bel
lowing ridge. The rapid discharge of
small-arms poured a continuous rain of
bullets in their faces; they fell down by
tens. by scores. by hundred. When
they had gained large part Of
the distance, the storm developed
into perfect hurricane of ruin.
The division was blown back, as if by
the breath of hcll's door suddenly
opened. shattered. disordered, pell-mell,
down tie declivities. amid the shouts
and yells Of the enemy, which made
the horrid din demoniac. Until then
the division seemed to be contending
with the wrath of brute and material
forces bent On its anDihila lion. This
shout recalled the hnman agency in al.
the turbulence of the scene. The di-
vision of French fell back-that is to
say. one-half of it. 1t suffered loss of
Lesr half its numbers.
Hancock Immediately charged with
five thousand men, veteran regiments,
led by tried commanders. They saw
what had happened; they knew what
befell them. They advanced up the
hill the bravest were found dead with
in twenty five PAGES of the stone wall !;
it was slaughter, havoc, carnage. In
fifteen minutes they were thro wn back
with the 10 of two thousand-nnpre-
cedented severity Of loss. Hancock
and French repulsed from the stone
wall, would not quit the hill altogether
Their divisions. lying down on the
earth. literally clung to the ground they
had won. These valiant men, who
could not 60 forward. would not go
back. All the while the batteries on
the heights ragged and stormed at them.
Howard's division came to their aid.
Two divisions of the ninth corps on
their left attacked repeatedly in their
support.
1t was then that Burnside rode down
from the Phillips house. on the north
ern side of the Rappahaunock, and
standing on the bank of the river, star
ing at those formidable heights, ex-
claimed: THAT crest must be carried
to- night" Hooker demonstrated. beg
ged, obeyed. In the army to hear is to
obey. He prepared to charge with
Humphreys division he brought up
every available battery III the city. 81
proceeded" he said. against their bar
riers as would against fortification,
and endeaycred to breach hole suffic
iently large for forlorn hope to
enter" He continued the cannonading
on the selected spot until sunset. He
made no impression on their works.
"nn more than you could make upon the
side ot mountain of rock Hum
phrey's division formed under the shell
ter OF the rise, in column. tor assault.
They were directed TO make the attack
with empty muskets; there was no time
then to load and fire. The officers were
put in front to lead At the command
they moved forward with great impet-
uosity; they charged at run hurrsh
ing. The foremost of them advanced
to within fifteen or twenty yards Of the
stone wall Hooker afterward said;
mo campaign in the world ever saw
more gallant advance than Humphreys
men made there. But they were to do
& work that no man could do In a
moment they were hurled hack with
enormous loss. 1t was now just dark:
the attack was suspended Three times
from noon TO dark the cannon on the
crest, the musketry at the stone wall
had prostrat.d division after division
ON Maryc's Hill. And now the sun had
SET: twilight had stolen cat Of the west
and spread her veil Of dusk; the town.
the fat, the bill. the ridge. lay under
the ''circling canopy Of nights extended
shade" Darkness and gloom had set
tied down upon the Phillips house. over
ON the Stafford heights where burnside
- /, s.f