Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1881-01-06
,ss the river with his remsiuise division

eHemy's works. was sharply pressed by their
pickets in the darkness, as if they desired to
know whether we were Withdrawing. New
toms and Howe's divisions, with the light
brigade, marched in the direction OF Freder-
icksburg. They were pressed as they ad-
vanCed by the enemy's skirmishers, who were
on the alert, and their progress, resisted in
this manner, was necessarily cautious and
slow.
1t was the opening dawn, therefore, when
the First brigade of Newton's command
reached the town of Fredericksburg, moved
OUT and as soon as the deplOyment could be
effected, assaultedthe stone wall made men,
orable by the slaughter of our troops, under
Burnside. in the previous December This
stone wall, or line of rifle pits presented to us
at the beginning of the slope which led up to
Marye's flights smooth face of solid stone
six feet high, behind which, but on higher
ground, was strong line of the enemy's in
IfantEy. As our men advanced calamity to
attack, supported by one or two batteries, the
first 10 position, the enemy reserved their
fire until our line was close at hand. The bat.
teries at Maryes Nights GROWING the crest
behind the stone wall, opened with terrible
effect. it was impossible to Withstand the
fire; the men were ordered to fall back, and
did so in good order and without panic When
they reached favoring ground affording shelter.
4 the line was ordered to lie down, and did SO
1 promptly and without confusion. Sedgwick
rode out near the left OF the line, and as be
Witnessed the repulse, he remained watching
intently the eneiny's position with an express
sion on bis face that had never observed be-
fore. All the merry lines about his eyes had
disappeared his lips had settled into fixed
expression OF determination, and the genial
face which had never seen before except In
camp, seemed at that moment to be made of
iron. A few of his staff were scattered inthe
vicinity; the others were along the line of the
retiring troops, 10 indicate the position where
the line was to halt, re form and lie down.
When this was accomplished, the enemy from
the rifle pits, perceivIng commanding officer
who very presence indicated authority, di-
Tected their fire on Gen. Sedgwick. After
few seconds of delay ventured to suggest to
| him to retire from his exposed position. At
| first he did not seem to hear me- Upon my
repeating the suggestion, as the bullets became
more numerous, he turned to me with rapid
gesture, pulling down his old sleuch hat as if
| TO conceal the intense expression of his eyes,
| and said with strange emphasis, by Heaven,
| Sir. this must not delay us''
He slowly turned his horse and rode back
| into the streets OF the town. a-sf nj
During the few moments that he stood gag
in. at the enemy's works, his.plans were CON-
| pleted. and were carried out without the loss
of a single instant.
T. GibbOn's division. which had crossed over
on q bridge newly laid directly in front of the
town, was ordered to move forward on the
right to develop what could be accomplished
by an attack In that direction. Howe was or.
dered to execute a similar movement on the
| left. In the meantime. from Newt0n'S divis-
ion and the light brigade, assaulting columns
were organized to carry the heights directly
| in our froht if the flank movements should
prove impracticable. iGibbon found himself
confronted by the canal running parallel to
the enemys position, and under the full fire OF
all their batteries. This he could not cross 10
| line Of battle to cross it IN column, on q
bridge constructed for the purpose, under the
| fire which could be concentrated on him, was
destruction Hazel Run, on our left, with its
deep and precipitous banks. rendered SINH
lar good service to the enemy as part of their
defensive line and checked, for the time, the
advance Of Howe. The regiments for the
main asanlt from the center on Maryes
Heights were collected as quickly as possible.
These regiments were drawn from the various
divisions of the corps. Our extreme left was
still back at the position held on the previous
day, and skrmishing with the enemy in their
front. q 1t was therefore ten o'clock before the
assaulting columns were formed and ready to
attack.
From the Main street of Fredericksburg,
running at right angles to the river, the plank
road leads up to the centre of the enemy's
position. e,ae5a" E7a :t 7c4
From the limits of the city to the crest of
Marye's Heights the distance is about half a
mile. A toll-gate stands about half way up
| the slope. The heights on both sides of the
road were crowned with batteries A little
| above the toll and at the commencement
of the sleeper slope to the left of the road as
We faced the enemy's position, was the stone
wall occupied still by a strong line of infan-
try. In front of the stone wall, about three
hundred yards below and near the outskirts of
the city was eur line of battle repused at
daylight. The enemy plainly saw our prep
arallons for the assault and evidently did not
wish to interfere with them. They seemed
perfectly confident of the result, and when
they saw that we intended to attack their di-
rect front and centre, they scarcely disturbed
our intentions by a single shot. At last it
was my duty to report to the general that ev-
erything was in readiness His Instructions
were that one column formed on the street
leading to the plank rOae should march direct
ly up the plank road that another and paral-
lei column formed on a street about sixty
yards to the right should march up through
the fields towards the toll gate. At .lis point
he knew that they would receive the heaviest
OF the enemy's FIRE. He directed that the line
of battle still lying in front of the stone wall
and rifle pits to the left of the plank road
should rise up at that instant and 60 forward
with cheer, and double quick.
III this plan there was an admirable calcula-
ton and combination of what may be called
the moral effects and which are of much i'm
p0rtance in a movement of this kind. The
advance of our left column on the plank road
be knew would be a tempting target for the
rifle pits on their left and that by the time the
head of the column approached the toll gate
they would no doubt draw the entire fire from
the rifle PITS that both columns would attract
the full attention of the batteries on the
heights, that the fire would reach its highest
intensity as the heads OF tie columns reached
the toll gate, that then, if at ALL they would
commence to waver, and angle cheer from
an advancing line OF American soldiers deliy-
cred a. the Sixth Corps knew how 10 deliver
it., would not only put new heart into the men
composing the Columns but strike dismay to
the defenders of the ride pits who would have
already discharged their volley FIRE.
The result was as lie expected. The men
went forward calamity at trail arms" The
artillery tore through our ranks, the men
neither halted nor hesitated. The left coluln
by the very force of the fire ON its front and
flank, bent towards the plank road and the
heads Of the two columns came together eli the
toll-gate. There, for an instant, as when q
strong, quiet stream moving in new channel
meets with some sudden obstacle, there was
momentary pause and the men clustered round
| the frame building at the toll gate seemed to
hesitate, and, for an instant it was doubtful
whether they could advance Out upon the
clear summer air rang the cheer eff Newton's
men. Up at double quick they sprang. The
men in the rife pits who had forgotten the line
of battle in their zeal to destroy the advancing
columns, saw their danger. The men of the
columns burst like mountain torrent over all
barriers Taking up the cheer Of the line of
battle they pressed forward magni6cently,
VIGOROUSLY, and beforethe enemy were aware
of the fact, still firing from their batteries an
| the hill. their attention distracted by the
smoke OF their own guns, by the cheering of
the line OF battle and its advance, the flag of
| the Sixth Maine Volunteers supported by
| that regiment and it's sister regiment. the