Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1881-04-27
VOL. 55--WH0LE NO. 2,7l9.
F1RWAa. UNDER FIRE
AT ATFREDERICKSBURG HEIGHTS.
A BLIZZARD OF SHOT AND sHELL--How
THE PICK AND FLOWER OF THE
ARMY SUFFERED A BLOODY
REPULsR

A brilliant description Of the battle
Of fredericksburg, prepared for the
"Annals of the War" by Major General
st. Clair A. Mulholland, occupied seven
columns in the Philadelphia Weekly
Times recently. General Mulholland
touches upon the fine condition of the
Army Of the Potomac, relates the cir.
cumstances under which General Burn
side took command, tells of the open
ing of the battle and of Meades advance,
and describes vividly the terrible on
slaught andrepulse at Marye's Heights.
The following extract from the article
is description Of tho thrilling scenes
enacted in front of the famous stone
wall:
While Meade was moving on Ham.
ilton's, the troops in the city were pre-
pared to strike. Under arms, listening
to the sounds of the fight on. the left
and waiting patiently tor their turn to
share in the strife, General Francis
Meagher, mounted and surrounded by
his staff, addressed each regiment of
his (the Irish brigade, and in burning,
eloquent words, besought the men to
uphold in the coming struggle the mill
tary prestige and glory of their native
land. Then green lockwood was culled
from a garden near and Meagher placed
a sprig in his Irish cap Every Of.
ficer and man followed his example
and soon great lunches Of the fragrant
shrub adorned the caps of every one,
Wreaths were made and hung upon
the tattered flags and the national color
OF the Emerald Isle blended in fair har
mony with the red, white and blue of
the Republic Atnoon, Meade not yet
having reached Hamilton's, General
Couch ordered French and Hancock to
the assault. French moved first, closely
followed by the superb. As we wheel.
ed into the streets leading towards the
enemy we were in full view of the
frowning heights and the march Of
death began, Nearly mile away arose
the position that we were expected to
carry and though not yet clear of the
city we felt the pressure Of the foe, the
fire Of whose batteries concentrated to
crush the heads of our column as they
debouched upon the plain. Solid shot,
fired with light charges, richochet on
the frozen ground, caromed on the
pavement and went tearing through
the ranks, traversing the entire length
of the streets, bounding over the river
to be buried in the opposite bluff.
A BRAVE BOY FROM CHESTER.
Shells began dropping with destruct.
i've effect. One striking in the Eighty.
eighth New York placed eighteen men
hors du combat | will ever remem.
ber the first one that burst in my reg
iment-wounding the Colonel, cutting
off the head of Sergeant Marley and
killing two or three others | was
struck by the instantaDeousness Of the
deaths. The column had halted for q
moment, a sharp reports pull of smoke
and three or four men lay stark dead,
their faces calm, their eyes mild and
lite.like, lips unmoved, no sign of pain
or indication of suffering. Marley had
not fallen, but dropped upon his knees,
his musket clasped in both hands and
resting upon the ground. After get
ting into the open and crossing mill.
race a rise in the ground hid us from
the enemy, giving an opportunity to
dress the ranks and prepare the column
of attack, which was by brigade 'front.'
General KImba's brigade in the lead
followed by those of Colonel J. W. An.
drews and Colonel Palmer. Hancock's
division came next, with the brigades
of Zook, Meagher and Caldwell in the
order named. Here the thought struck
me allow different is the real battle
from that which our imagination had
pictured. After the reading of our
boyhood, with heads filed with Napo.
leon and his Marshals and narrowing
tales of CORY fields of yore, with what
realistic feeling VIC can see the wild
confusion of the storm.swept field
charging cavalry, hurrying artillery,
the riderless steeds madly rushing to
and fro, their shrill neighlng mingling
with the groans, screams and shrieks
ofthe wounded" Here there is no dis
order The men calm, silent, cheerful
The commands of the officers, given in
a qniet, subdued voice, and distinctly
heard and calmly obeyed. The regi.
ments maneuvro without flaw.
In this trying moment the guides are
ordered out and the alignment made as
perfect as on dress parade. The de-
struction of human beings is done with
order and system. Yet it is terrible
enough the very absence OF confusion
and excitement but adds to the dread.
ful intensity Of the horror. As for the
screams and shrieks, | have never
heard anything of that kind either on
/ the field or in the hospitals. 1t may
be that the soldiers Of other nations in.
dulge in cries and yells our men took
their punishment without a complaint
or murmur, Just before moving from
this spot one Of our young officers,
brave boy from Chester county, Penn.
sylvanla, Lieutenant Seneca q. vii.
lauer, was badly torn by q she'll, which
stripped the flesh from his thigh and
left the bone for four or five inches
white and bare. Ho came TO me, and,
holding up the bleeding limb for in.
specton, said, with the most gentle
manner and placid voice "Colonel, do
you think that / should 60 on with my
company or 90 to the hospital| No
doubt had told him to go on ho would
have done so. Then the advance is
sounded. The orders Of the regimental
commanders ring out clear on the cold |
December air. "Right shoulder, shift |
arms" Battalion forward, guide cen
ter, march p The long lines of bayo. !
nets glitter in the bright sunlight. |
We have no friendly fog, as Meade had,
TO hide us from our foes, and as We ad. |
vanced up the slope we come in full
view Of the Army of Northern Vir.
glnia. All their batteries open upon
us. We can trace their line by the
fringe Of blue smoke that quickly ap.
pears along the base Of the hills and
we see that we are marching into an
arc Of fire. And what reception
awaits us Fire in our front, from our
right and our lett. Shells come at us
direct and oblique and drop down from
above shells enflade our lines, burst
among us in front, in rear, above and
behind us. Shells everywhere tor.
rent Of shells; blizzard of shot, shell
and fire. The lines pass on steadily.
The gaps made in the ranks are quickly |
closed. The colors often kiss the
ground, but are quickly snatched from
dead hands and hold aloft again by |