Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1889-09-10
Written Cor the ONfori Dcmo,rai.
IAE RAIIIE OE EREDERlCkSbunG.

y
orders, u was of the utmost imporiancs
that he should hurry, which he did, pay
lng the slNty-hfih regiment II eight
hundred men la one hour and twenty
minutes they worked all night aud nj
siN o'clock Ia the morning left for wash
lngton.
pcr. sth. We broke camp early aud
marvhs,l to white oak Church. All day
Ne could hear the boom ~ cannon a. the
enemy we're shelllng our advance. Dcc.
gth. lWh and llth the whole army were
marching aud counier-mirching Ia front
~ the city. Al of the reserves were
brought up and artillery was put Ia 20
.ltion. Ncross the river aud directly In
front ~ the CITY, was the firsi Baiiery
of Connecticut Heavy Artillery ~ seven
guns carrying a thlriy-two pound shot,
white along the hank ~ the river Tor
mile. werc the light batteries. All was
anxiety the city was doomed. al was
ready aud on the morrow the ball was a.
open. We could scc that the enemy we're
A. active a. wr. for they had hc"n throw
Ing up brrastwork. IN every direction
around the city, which looked a. though
thsV meant 90 give us q warm reception.
lice. lsih Wa one ~ the loyelirst of
days. NJ four o'clock Ia ihc morning a
single gun was heard. then the whole linc
~ hatteric. opens,i. Il was one sheet ~
dam. a. thcy h.lchcd forth With shot an'l
she'll aud crashed through the city. Ih"
Womeu aud children were neeing Tor dear
life over the Hill towards Richmond.
The engineer corps novel up aud laid
q poniuon hfiigc acr,ss the l,nppahan-
mock River a. the city in one hour and
forty minutes. under one II the mnsi gall
iur firc. ~ muskctry men we're ever sub
ir,ts,l to. the loo. Nas one captain, TIVE
lieutenauts and hfty prlvate.. Mean
while a second bridge was thrown Acruss
the river tNo mile. below the city With
out loss of life. \. soon a.. the BRIDGE
wcrr laid the troop. commenced o. cross,
the Infantry crossing on the bridge Al
the city. the sixth corps IN advance.
They charged through the city, driving
the enemy hack to the heights beyond.
cur soldier. occupied the city that night
aud the next diy they charged again aud
drove them behind the hrcastNorks.
At one 4. NJ. sumner. division ~ the
Fad corp. charged upon the works on the
heights io ihc right of the city under a
deadly flrr from the enemy's batterie.
po.ici on the hills. They marched A.
steadily a. N going on battalion drill. on
IN to D. cut down Ike grass before 10"
.cythc. Gap after gap would he cut
through their rank. hut werr immeii-
ately closed up. THREE time. they
charged up that long hill, and each time
werv they r,pulsc,l With heavy loss, lcaN-
ing the ground covered with dead aud
wounded. On the left the sixth corp.
made an unsurce-sfil attempt to dislodge
the enemy and turn their right Hank. hut
they were prepared to meet us ~ every
turn. The cannouading was terrible all
day. there were several unsuccrs.iul
charges made to dislodgr the enemy :
guns. On our left below the city the
enemy came oui under cover ~ a raNinc
and wood. and charged two of cur bat
irri,. II howitfrr. the men wcrr lying
around their guns, and did not .ee them
iill they gave their unearthly yell, but IN
les than a minute the guns were charged
With canister aud turned ON them, cau.-
Ing them to fall back ON the double
quick they we're followed by grape aud
shcll till out ~ range. They then scnt
out a battery ot .iN guns and opened on
our batteries. hat their shots were r.
turned with Interest, our flrst shot dts
mounting Que ~ their guns, and the
SECOND making kindling wood of a wheel
~ another they then limberrd up the
remaining four and left fof DiNie's land
\ detachment of Infantry Was sent out
With rope.. aud brought ihc guns Into
our lines.
December llth. Heavy cannonading
all day: the enemy amused them
selves by throwing railroad irun aud
she'll. 40 our teams parked on the opl'o'
lite idle II the river. They sent out a
light battery on a hill aboye the city,
and kept up fusllade all day. One
piece II iron eighteen inches long. came
crashing through one ~ our wagons,
ani scattering the corn aud oats pro-
mi.cously.
Dcc. 18th. There was very little hiring
except by sharpshooters. some OF oui
men werr Killed while on picket, seven
on one pest: Gen. IIearl Was shot III
front of hl. tent by sharp.hooter; ON,
lieutenant was .hot In his tent. NJ on,
could tell where the shots came from
The general commanding sent for Cali
fornia Joe, a. he was called; the best
shot that ever crossed the Rocky Noun
tains. lie aid. II will give YOU I've
hundred dollars " you will Kill that
sharp.hOOter. joe crawled out on the
plain. keeping hid a. much a. possible
lie lay there all the afternoon, aud NJ
night entrenchcd himself la a broad
field. NJ daylight the object of hi'
search made his appearance. Creeping
out "a an old chimney, the Johnnie load
ed his rifle aud climbed up the hue to 4
small opening. Getting la position, h'
stuck his head out to take In the sur
roundings. Joe took deadly aim; ons
single shot was heard ringing cut on th,
morning air, aud the sharpshOoter fell
Ia the ground. Three comrades ran "a
pick him up, but shot FROM Joe sent
Que of their number To the happy hunt
Ing grounds: the Others ran for dear life
Joe kept guard all day, and al Might
caWled out and captured a. iine hen
tucky rife a. a man ever put to hl'
shoulder. The distance was one mile.
That night our army retrcated across
the river. At daylight the troops wer'
safely across and the bridge taken up
The troop. fell back two miles from th'
river aud put up their tents.
IL l. estimated that our loss was oNel
two thousand killed aud four THOUSAND
wounded; some even set II AZ high a. NV
thousand killed. Summers division
composed of the Irish brigade., VA
nearly annihilated.
4 hag of truce Vas sent over for per
mission Ia bury our dead, which wa
granted, aud a detachment was sen
over In boats for that purpose. Ih'
Johnnies were very Jolly over their sue
cess, aud joked the Yankees about thei
defeat, saying, "What you uns came
down here To fight We uns fori We un
shall whip you uns Yankees" They trad
ell Jackniyes aud tea aud coffee and suga
for tobacco, aud had a good time.
Dec. 2ith. was sent To Washington
by the brigade quarter-master genera
aud provost marshal general with tn
money Of the brigade Ia be expresses
home Ia families OF the soldiers. ] oh
tanned citizens suit and passed as set
ler's clerk. Ileft camp at 4 q. NJ, took tn
ears at Falmouth. and arrived at Aquli
Greek at s y. NJ, then came the trial
The steamer John Brooks was loadin,
| Nth xxound,.d .oldiers 4 asked the Ofii