The Irish standard., 1899-08-12
"Never We're Men So Brave"
Said Gen. R. E. Lee.
The TEMPEST AND DELUGE OF SHOT
Vivid Description of the Fray
By a Correspondent.

Fredericksburg is located in fertile
valley on the right bank OF the Kappa
hammock, fifty miles north of Richmond.
The Rappal,annock at this point is skirt
ed by low crcsts of hills, which, on the
northern bank, run parallel and close
to the river, and on the opposite side
stretch backward from the river and
leave scmi-circuar plain six miles i'm
| length and from two to three in breadth,
inclosed within their line before they
again approach the river. Immediately
above the town the bluffs are bold and
bare of trees.
On this range and between these
spurs, in December, 1862, the confcd-
crate army, under Lee, 10000 strong,
was posted. The command OF Gen.
Longstreet occupied that portion of the
range in the immediate vicinity OF Fred
cricksburg, his right resting on Marye's
Hill, on the crest OF which was posted
Col. Walton's far-famcd Washington
Artillery. This range Of hills was so
completely commanded that Gen. Long
street the day before received the report
f,om his chief OF artillery, Col Alcxan-
der, that I'VE will comb it as with fine
comb. A chicken could not live on that
field when we open fire"
Burnside, who succeeded Mcclellan in
command OF the Army of the Potomac,
crossed the Rappal,annock on the 18th
OF December and prepared to give bat
tic the next day, a delay which gave Lee
time to bring Jacllson's corps to his as
sistancc. As Lee WAS strongly in
trcnchcd he did not wish to oppose the
crossing OF the river. The attack on the
confederate left could only be made on
Maryc's Heights. The drcldul engage
mcn and the charge OF the Irish brigade
is thus described by Gen. Thomas Fran
els Mcaghcr, the commander OF the Irish
brigade. in his report 10 Gen. Burnside:
A little before o'clock Saturday, the
18th inst, we received orders to fall in
and prepare instantly to take the field
The brigade being in line, | addressed,
separately, to each regiment, few
words, reminding it OF its duty and ex-
hortng il to acquit itself OF that duty
bravely and nobly to the last. lmme
diatcy after the column swept TIP the
street toward the scene OF action headed
by Col. Robert Nugcnt, OF the Sixty
ninth, and his veteran rcgment-evcry
officer and man wearing sprlg OF ever
green in his hat in memory of the land
OF his birth. =
| And in their caps-tho' all around
No tree nor shrub was seen !
They worc-heavcn knows from whence
procured
Each man, sprig OF green. 81
Emerging from the strect-having
nothing whatever to protect 1.-THE
brigade encountered the full force and
fury OF the cncmy's fire, and, unable to
resist or reply to it. had to push on to
the mill race, which may be described
as the first of the hostile defcnses
Crossing this mill race by means OF a
single bridge, divergmg to the right, we
had to dcploy into line OF battle The
Sixty-ninth, under Gen, Nugent, being
on the right, had to stand its ground
until the rest OF the brigade came up
and formed.
| directed Col. Nugcnt to throw out
two companies as skirmishcrs on the
right flank. This order was being car
ricd out, when then other regiments OF
the brigade, coming up with brisk
step, and dcploying in line OF battle,
drew down upon themselves a terrific
fire.
Not long they stand in waiting
The bloody strifc's begun!
Hark! From the rivers further side
Rings out the signal gun!
Nevertheless. the line was beautifully
and rapidly formed, and boldly ad-
vanccd, Col. Nugent leading on the
right, Col Patrick Kelly, commanding
the Eighty y-cighth, being next in line,
both displaying courageous soldier
ship.
Major Joseph O'Neill, commanding
the Sixty-third, was as true that day as
he has ever been. His command took
position on the left of the cen.er of the
line. The center was assigned to the