The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-05-19
HISTORIC FREDERIcKsBuRa.
Some Impressi ons Received when Boy in
the Beleagured City.
From letter in the GAINESVILLE Ad-
vance.

From q letter In the GAINESVILLE Ad-
vance
GAINESVILLE. Ga May 8. 1900.
Editor Advance-Thersa are many old
veterans in Franklin and adjoining
counties who will be interested to learn
that bill was passed last week In Con
gress establishing q national military
park at fredericksburg, Va and whose
thoughts will, as they have many times
since, revert TO that memorable and
now historic morn December ~ 1862, }
when "Old Wild OAt. as powerful
gun on the extreme left Of the Federal
line was known, sent forth its terrible
warning and set In motion two OF the
greatest armies the world ever saw, pre-
pairing for battle the next day, that for
valor displayed and execution done, has
seldom had a parallel In history.
The late Union general, John O.
Newton, after careful study Of the ter
ritory, declared that more great bat
ties were fought. more men engaged
and more execution done than on any
other spot Of similar area in the world. p"
The writer was then boy OF tender
years, bat many Of the scenes and in
cidents Of those stirring times have
been indelibly impressed upon my
mind There are many old ex.Oonfed-
crates In this section who took an act
i've part in the battle l3th Of Decem'
Der, lS62-at the stone wall, and possi-
bly, my feeble attempt at reminiscence
will have some interest for them
In this instanc 1t wasn't the unex-
pected that happened. but for weeks
both armies-Lee's on the south eide
Of the Rsppahannock river and Burn
side occupying the Stafford heights
had been facing each other, waiting
for the inevitable.
Just at daylight the long expected
"signal gun" proclaimed TO the two
armies that active operations would
soon be commenced Soldiers who oo-
cupied the town (Barsksdale' Mis-
sissippi Brigade in It's centre) were hur-
rying TO and fro getting together their
personal belongings, women and chill
rem were fleeing from the town in every
direction, and all this time the utmost
silence prevailed. A few citizens re-
mained in town, the writer among
them, who were advised that 1t would
be safer to remain. Our worse fears,
that the town would be shelled were
fortunately not realized. But soon the
frowniug cannon on the Staff Jrd
heights belched forth their awful mes
seugers, and from this time until 3 p.
N. l75 cannons on the Federal side kept
up an uninterrupted FIRE over the town
Many houses were struck by shot and
shell during the day. some Of them
being set on FIRE. About 10 q m. a
she'll struck q frame house some three
hundred yards away. exploding inside
and literally demolishing the building
The sight Of q fragment Of it. about
one fourth of l2-pOunder which fell
near the kitchen door. was the first
missile we had seen. and it Is needless
to say caused US to look for safer guar.
ters
Early In the morning. under cover Of
the fog. Burnside had hauled his rub
Der pontoon boats aud lumber TO the
river side. Scarcely a quarter Of q
mile away. watched with intense
interest the preparations for laying the
bridge. The boats were inflated and
anchored at equal distances from each
other and planks laid across them
Many O poor fellow would start for the
boats with 8 plank on his shoulder. but
before he reached the end was picked
of by the. Mississippians 500 yards
away, when his place would immedi.
ately be taken by fellow comrade.
A crossing was not effected over this
bridge until about 8 p m when the
men 10 the trepches were withdrawn
leaving only enough TO cover the re-
treat. Il was then the awfulness Of
our position was realized. Hand-to-
hand encounters took place in the
streets, stores and houses were broken
into and pillaged. The house in which
We lived. even after the soldiers knew
it contained women and children, was
set on fire by the soldiers three times
A faithful negro. the only man in the
house except an old blind negro preach-
or, succeeded in putting out the fire for
che third time, when Colonel Brown
low, of Massachusetts,. took possession
of the building and we were safe from
the soldiers at least
10 every direction houses we're on fire
and the sharp reports OF rifles were
heard, often followed By a cry Of an
guIsh as some poor fellow fell, perhaps
With a mortal wound. A terrible en-
counter took place half block from our
home between several Confederates and
the advance guard Of the enemy. re.
member hearing distinctly a call for
quarter, bat am certain that in this in
stance IL was not granted, for next
morning three Oonfederates were found
lying dead where they had fought 50
valiantly the night before until sur
rounded in the gathering gloom
Once during the shelllng the house
we occupied was struck by l2-pound
solid shot. going completely through the
upper part Of the bnilding and shaking
the whole structure like an aspen. and
we momentarily expected It to tumble
uDou ua in the basement. At the time