Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-11-20
AT FREDERICKSBURG
COL. MERCER SLAUGHTER TALKS OF
THE OLD HISTORIC CITY.
Two Great Battles Fought Thcre--Jack-
sons brilliant Flank Movement
When He Cut on Hooker.
[Atlantn con.tItutIon.i


histories it figures with considerable
prominence. There two bloody and
desperate battles were waged. and thou
sands of both armies were slain. IL was
from there that Jackson moved his
army up the river for fifteen miles to exc
| cute flank movement on Hooker's army.
That Is known in military history as one
of the most brilliant strategic movements
of an army ever accomplished. That IL
ended with Jackson's death at the hands
of his own men, who idolized him, has
marked it IS one OF the most dramatic
tragedies OF the war. There is o man in
Atlanta to whom fredericksburg as
she was q quarter of century before
the war. Fredericksburg during the
war. and Fredericksburg of to-day is
known as well as the result of the
civil war Is known. Born in the neigh
boring township. frequent visitor at
Fredericksburg IN his boyhood, volunteer
Ing into the service of the Confederacy,
and going first to duty at this old city by
the Rappahannock, living in camp on the
beautiful heights Just south Of FrederIcks-
burg for months. and afterwards partici-
pating In the two bloody engagements
fought there, and being frequent visitor
there since the war. every point IN detail
of the great drama centering around that
place is known to him thoroughly.
il IDat gentleman Is OOlOHcl heICtl
Slaughter. An examination of the re-
ports of the officers OF either side
of the war will show that quite
q lot of space is devoted TO old
Fredericksburg. Va. A volume Is made OF
these reports. and among them about the
most interesting documents concerning
the several months maneuvering and
fighting around Fredericksburg and Chan
ce.lorsvlle, fifteen miles away up the
river.
GRAPHIC STORY.
These reports taken in their order tell q
graphic story in themselves. One chapter
is furnished by a most interesting commu-
nicatlon, written by Mercer Slaughter,
mayor of Fredericksburg, to General h. v.
Sumner, of the Federal army. Mayor
Slaughter, whose name was Identical with
that of Colonel Slaughter now Of Atlanta,
formerly of Virginia, Is cousin or Colo-
mel Slaughter, of Atlanta. The latter gen.
tle1aan tells story OF dramatic interest.
| of the events treated of in the official
communications and reports, adding In
some thrilling details omitted In the re-
ports.
In talking about the fights and incidents
around Fredericksburg Colonel Slaughter
! could not refrain from saying something
OF the early history of the historic old
| CITY. Linked with the tenderest memo
ries and associations of his boyhood and
early manhood 10 old Fredericksburg, and
everything bearing upon its past or Its
present is 10 MN very dear. lie has a
copy of the act incorporating Spotsyl-
vania county, in which Fredericksburg IS
located passed in the House of BurgesseS
of Virginia in 1870. That act was short,
but 1t covered the point to nicely. 1t
reads as follows:
1.-The frontiers towards the high noun
tains being exposed to dangers from the
Indians and the late settlements of the
| French to the westward of the high noun
| tains, therefore be it enacted, That spot
| sylyania county bounds upon Snow creek
nm 10 the mill, thence to the North Rune
| river. thence up the said river as lar as
| convenient, and thence by line TO be run
over the high mountains to the rear on the
northwest side thereof, so as to include the
northern passage through said mountains,
| thence down the SAID river until 1t comes
against the bead OF the RGppahannock, ana
down this river to Snow creek, which tract
of land from the lst of May, 172l, shall
become q county by the name OF Spotsyl-
vania."
| The county was named for General Alex
ander Spottswoods, aide TO the Duke OF
Marlborough and Lieutenant-Goyernor OF
! Virginia In 1871 an act was passed found
ing Fredericksburg, which was named ior
Frederick Prince of Wales, father OF
George III. -Four years later the first
church was built, where the Episcopal
church now stands.
Fredericksburg was noted as being the
home of George WashingtOn's mother. In
/ 1852 he left Fredericksburg with the Nir-
GINA commission to treat with the Indians
at Nenaugo. Pa, Tor the protection Oh lroh-
/ tier settlers.
In a commercial point of view Frede-
ricksburg was quite important until over
Swallowed by Baltimore and NorfoiK;
which two cities were founded several
years later.
Fredericksburg was the home of an
aristocratlc people. A more patriotic peo-
pie than those of the old city never lived,
and mono ever priced individual or State
rights more dearly.
TMPLACABIE soUTHERNERs.
| When at last the act of secession was
| consummated there were no more I'M
placable eoutherners in Virginia than III
old fredericksburg.
At that time Colonel Slaughter lived at
Orange, in an adjoining county, and IN
speaking of those people he says: " In all
the war there were none truer than the peo-
nile of Fredericksburg. Mercer Slaughter
Sr.. was mayor of Fredericksburg when the
war began.
Very early in the history of the great
civil war Fredericksburg became seat OF
conflict. The town lay Just south OF tho
| Rappahannock. Just north of the river
| and parallel with it lies long range OF
hills overlooking fredericksburg south
of Fredericksburg is another long range OF
hills parallelling the river.
Ion November IA, 1862" says Colonel
Slaughter, General Lee heard that Burn
side was moving his army from Warrenton,
Va. toward fredericksburg. General Lee
was then in the Valley of Virginia. | was
| in the army then, belonging to Jackson's
corps. He OWNED Burnsde's intention
of crossing the Rappahannock at Fred
ericksburg and making his way to Rich
mond. He determined to cut him on at
the former place. Burnside had forty
army of l25,0OO and progress was neces-
sarily slow. General Lee had but $4,000
Z men Reaching Fredericksburg, we en-
carnped on the southern heights, and
found that Burnside's army was on the
range of hills north OF the river. FOR
some time the armies renamed motlon-
less. On December 5th General sumner
under orders from General Burn
side. sent to Mayor Slaughter COM
munication complaining OF the people
of fredericksburg furnishing the rebel
army with supplies and giving the
people of Fredericksburg sixteen hours 70
get ont of the city before Smelling would
z DpglQ maNOf SiduU4tcI ItpiiSh III
communication. stating that the railroads.
would no longer supply the rebel army;
He stated further in his letter TO General
Sumner that while the Confederate army
did NOT intend occupying Fredericksburg.
il would not allow the Federal army to do
so.
DESPERATE ENGAGEMENT.
ut was not until the morning OF De-
oember 18th that actual hostllities began.
On that day Burnside crossed the river
and was net by the Confederates- A des-
perats and terribly fatal engagement en-
sued. lasting until the night OF the 10Th.
That NIGHT, under cover of violent storm,
burnside reerossed the river. The loss TO
General Lee was 4, POI. aud he said he had
onIv I'd. 600 men engaged. Burnside lost
~ ass. Ii was IN this battle that the loved
and lovable idol OF his men, the brave
General Thomas r. K. COBB, fell.
" Burnside, foiled in his attempt to gam
the railroad TO Richmond again struck
camp on the heights and waited. Lee
eamped too. ,,, ,.so
1.-The next move was not until May, 1865
| Thep fighting Joe Hooker was IN COM
/ mand. Protiting from Burnside's expe-
rience he adopted another scheme by
/ which to reach Richmond