The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-02-15

against the heights. The cncmy's artillery never
failed TO NOW them down before they csuld
reach the top Calamity the long line moved
through the focus of death, quivcring, but still
advancing, their own guns giving them what
help they might. Thus the slaughter continued
At one time the federal troops had nearly reached
the top when they were struck by a storm OF
bullets: the weakened ranks yielded to the tcm-
pest and broke. Thrice again they rallied and
rushed forward with desperate vllor in vain, for
at ever charge The slaughter was more frghtlul,
until finally the survivors withrcw, leaving their
dead strcwing the field
1t was in this attack that the Irish brigade cs-
pccaly distinguished themselves. Never at
Foutcnoy, Alhucru or WatcrlOo,--was more I'M
dauntcd courage displayed by sons Of Erin than
during those frantic charges against the impreg-
nablc position of the foe That any mortal men
could have carried the position, ii seems idle to
believe But the bodies which lay in dense mass
within fifty yards of the muzzlcs OF Walton's
guns are the best evidence Of what manner Of
men they were who passed on to death with the
dauntlcssncss of race which has gained glory
on a thousand battle fields and never was it
more richly deserved than at the foot of MaY's
Heights on the 18Th December, 1862"
In one corner of this battle field rests the DUST
Of "a 900 of those who died for the Old Flag
another national cemetery; while nearly as many
more of those who fell for the "COnaucrcd
Banner" sleep in what is called the "Ctizcns
Burying Ground, the killed in other battles
fought near this place The contrast between
the two cemeteries is wonderfully striking, and
sad indeed are the feelings of all who visit these
cite. Of the dead; both are pcoplcd with the
heroes of the same battles, carried from the
same fields of carnage but how differently cared
for In and around that part where the coufrd
crates are buried everything wears the look of
neglect and glOom,-thc graves maze in a care
less manner and some containing dozen or
more persons, with no slab or stone To denote
who they were or where they came from, but all
seem to be uncarcd for and forgotten. On the
other hand we find in the Union Cemetery that
everything has been done to make their last
" camping ground" worthy Of those who
Have had their last fight,
And fought their last battle;
No sound can awake them
To glory again.
Like all our nallOndl 'ciltlcTltS, III II nlCcIN
" laid out and decorated. At the head Of every
grave is \ slab on which is engraved the name Of
him whose bones lie beneath, telling also the
brigade, regiment and company; and thousands
are marked "unknOwn." In the center stands
the dag staff from which float the Stars and
Stripes. These are not the places that will 90 to
destruction and be forgotten. No, indeed; but
will remain Tor centuries As monuments, telling
future generations Of the events that happened
in the day. of their fathers,
The city OF fredericksburg has population Of
about 1000, who look like victims raised from
the dead. The people are Of the true Virginia
type Of the present day, to whom is unknown
energy or ambition; who are waiting as Micaw-
Der waited or till the state debt is rcpudiated be-
fore they 20 to work. The streets are miserable
and the business houses and residences unattrac-
tive There are some prctensions to a mill and
factory, but those are on small scale.
Leaving Fredericksburg We move son to Rich
mond" and in few hours reach that city which
it took the Army OF the Potomac over four years
to get into. j. ID. IL.