The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-07-21

view OF the fedefhI fOfceS, d1u h h.V0e gill
mating and bustltng spectacle u was.
Tsamps were being demolished; tents were
ssang struck, and the immense parks Of
svae1ns were unfolding into long lines, their
direction being discovered by the great CLOUDS
~ ~ d,,at that rose from the roads which they
fraversed. In front of this moving spectacle
and nearer the river could be seen the hosts
s'i'f the enemy drawn up In battle array, their
FURNISHED arms glistening IN the sunlight
and their flags floating proudly In the breeze.
These movements we knew to be Indicative OF
AN APPROACHING BATTLE,
and rode RAPIDLY to camp to be in readiness TO
nrornptIy respond to marching orders TO our
sstIrnriae such orders did not come that day,
for Rockers movements had not as yet been
sniiciently developed to enable Gen. Lee to
gorfn an exact idea Of his intentions.
The Federal General kept his troops con-
stantly on the move, marching up and down
the river In heavy columns, but the Confed@
crate commander was watchful and wary,
and as the sequel proved was not deceived or
rnisIed by the strategic evolutions OF his ad-
yerHary. Though our army had been greatly
reduced In numbers by the absence Of Long
streets two divisions, the general impression
among the officers and men was that 1t was
still strong enough TO cope with Rockers
boasted finest army on the planet"
April 29.--Before daylight we We're ava
kened by Major Hale, of Gen. Early's staff,
who brought orders to form the brigade inn
mediately and prepare to meet the enemy,
of our position, just below the Pratt House.
There we're no pickets from our brigade on
the river, one Of our regiments having been
relieved the night previous by Georgia
regiment. When the command had been
formed and was about to take up It's line Of
march, d rather singular incident occurred.
Al woman rushed out Of hut In one OF the
Iegimental camps, in deni-toitette, her
hair unkempt and disordered, and going
to the head of the brigade, raised
haf towards heaven.
and fervently called upon the Almighty
to cover us with His shield In the
day Of battle and preserve us from the enc
my Though she was hideously ugly, and
swearers In the army, there was an earnest
ness and solemntty In her manner that pro-
duced O profound impression on the minds
Of all who saw and heard her This woman
was d laundresS and faithfully followed her
regiment during the whole war,
We marched without delay and took posi-
ton on
THE FREDERICKSBURG RAILROAD,
in front and to the left of Hamiltons Cross
ing, being the first brigade to get into line.
The Sixth Regiment was ordered to the river
to relieve o. Georgia regiment on picket. 1t
marched up to the position under CALLING
fire from the hills on the other side Of the
river, and occupied the rifle pits. The gal
liant fellows manfully strove to hold their po-
sitDn and prevent the enemy from etiecting q
dust; but after an hours fighting, the enemy
having crossed by means OF boats and pom
toOns above them, our boys were thanked and
had to abandon the pits. They fell back, with
a loss of eighty-nine men killed and wounded,
TO the fredericksburg and Port Royal turn
pike O sunken road equi-dtstant from the
river and our Notifications, where they re-
formed and awaited the further advance of
the enemy. The. Federals soon constructed
two pontoon bridges and continued to pour
over the river all day. under cover OF the high
banks that protected them from our fire.
About s O'clock this morning, and immedi-
ately after our picket line had been driven
from the river,
STONEwALL JACKSON
rode In front of our line, amid the loud cheers
Of the men, and proceeded to the road along
which out advanced regiments (the Fifth and
Sixth we're stationed. From that point he
eoolly reconnoitered the position OF the enc
my, exhorting our men to hold the road OF all
hazards. Though the picket firing at the
time was very brisk, and the balls felI thick
and fast around him, he providentially es-
capped unhurt. After leisurely surveying the
enemy from that dangerous post Of obServa-
tion ne shut up his glasses and slowly rode
back to the main line.
On this occasion Gen. jackson was clad In O
span new uniform and wore a fine felt hat,
with gold cord and tassel; his unusually
spruce appearance excited much attention
and remark among his admiring foot cav.
In battle, the General had worn an old rusty,
sunburnt and travel-stained gray coat, and
faded blue cap of o peculiar pattern, the top OF
which fell forward over his forehead 1t
seems Gen. Jeb Stuart had received this splen-
did new uniform from friends In Baltimore,
and finding 1t too small for him. had present.
ed 1t to Gen. jackson.
J April 3O--During the morning the Federals
OH our side of the river we're industr1ously
working on their Notifications near the Pratt
House, while on the opposite slde 9., heayy
columns were marching and c0untermarch-
ing, evidently with the intention OF deceiying
us as to their designs.
About thirty yards In the rear Of the right
OF Hays brigade was slight activity called
JACKsoN's HILL.
because Stonewall had made it his headquar
ters during the first battle of fredericksburg
This afforded good position from which 70
watch the movements OF the enemy, and
there, during most of the day, were to be seen
Gems. Lee, jackson and A. p. Hill. The Rock
bridge battery Of four 20-pounders was in po-
aitIon on this hill, and at s o'clock p M. 1t
opened upon the enemy's lnes;. the firing
seemed to be effective, as considerable stir
and commotion was observable among the
blue coats around the Pratt House. Several
Federal batteries on the hills OF Stafford re-
sponded vigorously, and an artillery duel at
Sing taw" was kept up until dark The shells
exploded above and around our brigade, but
did very little execution, only wounding two
men of the Ninth; three men OF the same regi-
ment were severely injured by the premature
explosion OF shells from our own battery. At
one time during the afternoons firing there
was, for some unexplained reason, loud cheer
ing among the Federals on the river bank.
Gen Lee hearing it, asked what is that r
jackson Enthusiastically replied, Yankee
cheers" Old Jack never minced words or in
dulged in honeyed phrases when speaking of
the enemy; he called them Yankees, while
Gen. Lee more mildly spoke of them as "those
people,"
May 1.-Au quiet along our portion Of the
line. Both sides busily engaged in strength
ening their Notifications and placing batteries
In position.
At 10 o'clock q. m. Gen. Lee penetrated
THE DESIGNS OF GEN. HOOKER,
it being then plainly evident that he was
sending the larger part OF his army up the
river, In the direction of Kelly's Ford, leaving
two corps under Sedgwick to confront our
lines about Fredericksburg. A. ?. Hills corps
and two of Jackson's divisions were promptly
ordered to march towards Charlottesville,