Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-01-10

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river, relay the bridges, cross with his
command, capture the city, take the
heights which dominated the town
known as Marye's Heights, march out
on the plank road in the direction of
Charlottesville and join General Hook
er's command at daylight. The dis-a
tance of Charlottesville from Fred
ericksburg is about eleven miles. The
distance to be accomplished by with
drawing to our own side of the river and
marching by the Falmouth Heights to
Fredericksburg about five miles. Inas-
much as it would have been totally i'm
possible in the time allowed for the
whole march to have taken up the
bridges, transported them to Fredericks-
and relaid them there, General Sedg-
wick decided not to remove the bridges,
but to cross with his whole corps on the
bridges as constructed and move by the
flank on the enemy's side of the river
into Fredericksburg. By doing this he
would save some hours of time. He
moved at once to cross the river with
his remaining division.
Brooks who was in position. fronting
the enemy's works, was sharply pressed
by their pickets in the darkness. as if
they desired to know whether we were
Withdrawing. Newton's and Howe's di-
visions with the. light brigade, marched
in the direction of Fredericksburg.
They were pressed as they advanced 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 COM
mand reached the town of Fredericks-
burg, moved out and as soon as the de-
| ployment could be effected, assaulted
the stone wall made memorable by the
slaughter of our troops, under Burnside,
in the previous December. This stone
wall or line of rife pits, presented to US
at the beginning of the slope which
led up to Marye's Height smooth face
of solid stone, about six feet high, be-
hind which, but on higher ground. was
a strong line of the enemy's infantry.
As our men advanced gallantly to the
attack. supported by one or two bat
teries, the first in position, the enemy
reserved their fire until our line was
close at hand. The batteries at Marye's
Heights crowning the crest behind the
stone wall opened with terrible effect.
1t 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 af-
fording shelter, the line was ordered to
lie down. and did so promptly and with
out confusion. Sedgwick rode out near
the left of the line, and as he witnessed
the repulse he remained watching in
tently the enemy's position with an ex-
preston on his face that | had never
observed before. All the merry lines
about his eyes had disappeared; his
lips had settled into a 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 in the vicinity the others
were along the line of the retiring
troops, to indicate the position where
the line was to halt, reform and lie
down. When this was accomplished
the enemy from the rifle pits perceiving
a commanding officer whose very pres
ence indicated authority. directed their
fire upon General Sedgwick. After a
few seconds of delay | ventured to sug-
gest to him to retire from his exposed
position. At first he did not seem to
hear me. Upon my repeating the sug-
gestion as the bullets became more nu-
merous, he turned to me with rapid
gesture, pulling down his old slouch hat
as if to conceal the intense expression
of his eyes, and said with strange en-
phasis. "By Heaven, sir, this must not
delay US.
He slowly turned his horse and rode
back into the streets of the town.
During the few moments that he
stood gazing at the enemy's works his
plans we're completed, and we're carried
out without the loss of a single instant
Gibbons division, which had crossed
over on bridge newly laid directly ir
front Of the town, was ordered to move
forward on the right to develop what
could be accomplished by an attack il
that direction. Howe was ordered to
: execute similar movement on the left
In the meantime, from Newton's Divis
ion and the light brigade, assaulting
columns were organized to carry the
heights directly in our front if the fanE
! movements should prove impracticable
, Gibbon found himself confronted by the
: canal running parallel to the enemy's
; position and under the full fire of al
, their batteries. This be could not eros.
, in the line of battle; to cross it in col.