Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1881-05-05
MARYE'S BLOODY HEIGHTS.

MARYE'S BLOODY HEIGHTS.
Burnside's Experiment on fredericksburg
One of the most Sanguinary Battles of the
War "A Blizzard of Shot and Shell-HOw
the Pick and Flower of the Army Suffered
Bloody Repulse.
A brilliant description of the Battle Of
Fredericksburg, prepared for the annals of
the war, by Major General st. Clair A.
Mulholland, occupies seven columns in the
| Philadelphia Times. General Mulholland
touches upon the fine condition of the Ar
my of the Potomac, relates the circumstan-
ces under which General Burnside took
command, tells of the opening of the battle
and of Meade's advance, and describes viv-
idly the terrible onslaught and repulse ct
Maryes Heights. The following extract
from the article is q description of the thrill
ing scenes enacted in front of the famous
stone wall:
While Meade was moving on Hamilton 8
the troops in the city were prepared to
strike. AT noon, 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 he wheeled into the streets leading to-
wards 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 clean of the city we felt the
pressure of the foe, the fire of whose bat
teries 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, t1aversing the entire length Of
| the street bounding over the river to be
| buried in the opposite bluff.
After getting into the open air and cross
| ing mill race 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.' Gener-
al Kimballs brigade in the lead, followed
by those of Colonel Palmer Hancock
division came next, with the brigade OF
! Zook, Meagher and Caldwell in the order
named. Here is no disorder. The men
calm, silent, and cheerful The commands
of the officers, given in quiet, subdued voice,
are distinctly heard and calmly obeyed.
The regiments maneuvre without flaw.
In this trying moment the guards are
ordered out and the alignment made as
| perfect as on dress parade. The destruc-
| ton 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 dreadful 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. II
may be that the soldiers of other nations
indulge in cries and yells; our men took
| their punishment without a complaint or
a murmer. inst before morning from this
| spot one of my young officers, brave boy
from Chester county, Pennsylvania, Lieu
tenant Seneca, G. Willauer, was badly torn
| by shell, which stripped the flesh from
his thigh and left the bone for four or five
inches white and bare. He came to me,
and holding up the bleeding limb for in
spection, said, with the most gentle man
ner and placid voice: Colonel do you
think should 60 on with the company or
go to the hospital?" No doubt had I told
him to 60 on he would have done so.
Then the advance is sounded. The orders
of the regimental commander ring out
clear on the cold December air.. Fright
shoulder, shift arms" battalion forward,
guide center, march, The long lines of
bayonets glitter in the bright sunlight.
We have no friendly fog, as Meade had, to
hide us from our foes, and as we advance
up the slope we come in full view of the
Army of Northern Virginia. All their bat
ferries open upon us. We can trace their
line by the fringe of blue smoke that quick
ly appears along the base of the hills and
we see that we are marching into an acre of
fire. And what reception awaits us!
Fire in our front, from our right to our left.
Shells come at us direct and oblique and
drop down from above; shells enfilade our
lines, burst among us in front in rear,
above and behind us. Shells everywhere;
torrent of shells; a 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 held
aloft again by others who soon in their turn
will bite the dust. The regimental COM
manders march out far in advance of their
commands and they, too, fall rapidly, but
others run to take their places. Still in
| good order, we push forward until five hun
dred wards of the long half mile that Law be-
tween us and Maryes Heights is passed.
then the sharp whiz of the Minnie ioins
the loud scream of the oblong bolts.
HANcooK's GALLANT ADVANCE.
Soon we forget the presence of the shell
| in the shower Of smaller missiles that as
sails us. The hills rain fire and the men
advance with heads bowed as when walk
ing against hail storm. Still through the
deadly shower the ever thinning lines
press or. The plain over which we have
passed is thlckly spotted with the men of
tho Second Corps, dead, in twos and threes
an Ia groups. egiments and companies
have now their third or fourth Commander
ana the colors are born to the front by the
third or fourth gallent soul who has raised
them. The gaps in the lines have become
SO large and SO numerous that we have to
make continued efforts to close them. and
the command "Gulde centre" is Frequently
heard. French nears the entrenchments
OF the Confederates' first line and the enemy
redouble their efforts. The storm rises tc
greater fury. The struggle is hopeless
His lines wave like corn in hurricane. re-.
coils, then breaks and the shattered mass
falls back amid the shouts and cheers o1
Cobb's and Kershaw's brigades, that line
the trenches in our front. Now Hancock
with the division that never lost q gun or 3
celor, sweeps forward, and being ioined b,
many OF the gallant men Of French's com.
mand makes the most heroic effect of thu
day. Passing the furthest point reached
by the preceding troops, he impetuousl,
rushes on, passes the brick house so con.