Year: 1863

How the Heights were StOrmed,


Our readers will remember the posi-
tons of the different armies Hooke
with SIX corps was at Charlottesville
Gen. Sedgwick with the 9th corps anc
one division of the 2nd corps was lyins
just below Fredericksburg, ready to at
tack the heights whenever it became
apparent that the rebels had withdraw
their forces to attack Hooker. At lasI
the order came to advance, an account
of which we take from the New York
Herald:


ORDER OF THE ADVANCE.


1t was at half past twelve o'clock in
the morning, on Sunday, May Sd, that
we left the green plain on the rivers
bank and marched to and up the. Bow
Green road Shaler's brigade had
Ihe advance; behind it came battery q
ant -Burier;; ttTef -rrrcaton brigade, and
the second brigade of Newton's division,
commanded by Col Brown.


Lieut. Colonel Joseph Hamblin, with
the First United States Chasseurs, skir-
mished in the advance of the whole line
For the greater part of the distance our
march was unmolested; but as the ad-
vance was on the descent of little hill
just south of the town, fire of pickets
was opened upon them from an opposite
hill to the left. By this fire several men
were knocked down, and Major Healy,
of the Chasseurs, was wounded, we fear
mortally. The gallant fellow thought
the wound fatal one, and his last re-
membered words were to Lieut. Colonel
Hamblin: "Its all over with me, Joe.
Goodbye"


But the Chasseurs went on steadily,
and at about three o'clock entered the
town of Fredericksburg, and held it un-
til the remainder of the column came up
1t was bold feat to enter thus a place
like this, where every house might sud-
denly open upon us like a mine. But
the result justified the apparent rash
ness of the venture.


On we went through the town in di-
rection north until we came to the rail-
road track, and then we turned to our
left and went fair west; again we went
to our right in a northwesterly direction.
At this time no one knew, perhaps, ex-
actly whore We were. But here was
Shaler's brigade massed in the road; in
the same road Buffers battery, men all
mounted, caissons up, &c. We were on
the march. Shaler was ordered to the
left to feel, and discovered that we were
in dangerous proximity to the enemy in
position and to what else it was impossi-
bic to make out in the dark General
Newton, wisely cautious, stopped this
advance We shall hear more anon of
the urnase that az hHa t5HHa nearly stR@dBefRa
writes in by street of the town of Fred
ericksburg, and this pit less than mile
away, it is to be heard even over the
roar of our artillery.


Day was just at peep when the pres
ence of the bad place in front was made
out, and we then had to look around US.
We occupied the town. Our skirmish-
ers held the ends of the side streets, and
the streets that ran down to the river were
eniladed by the enemy fire. While we
sought for place to get at the enemy a
man was found by some one who knew
something What was it that he knew
We could not make out for some min
utes what it was, he was in such hurry
to tell it. Finally he succeeded in call
ing attention to dam. He assured us
that this dam ought to be cut and the
water let out Why? Military instinct
at once jumped to the conclusion that
the enemy's position had wet ditch
But no; the man declared that the enemy
had dam above, by which they could
food the town. Now, as the town is or
hill, this was difficult to see; but never
theless the dam was cut Later another
man gave news that this dam filled g
canal which covered the flank of the
enemy's position.


Though this had no eventual connec
ton with the result, we mention it as al
incident of the occasion which assists tc
render the picture faithful one.


Just after daylight, and after the dan
had been cut, we received the first fire
from the enemy. A fierce fusilade wa'
begun from rifle pit fairly in our front
Unfortunately, it so happened that th'
23d Pennsy lvania was in line of battl,
in the open field, within range of th'
rife pits on the hill. From those pits
fierce eruption of musketry suddenl,
broke forth, and took the 23d by surprise
but they stood there, bravely and glori
ously-not man moved foot. Blu
when the fire hold NJ, Cor --1o-ao-e- che.
this magnificent 23d answered it-no
with fire but with one magnificent cheer


THE BATTLE BEGINS.


This fire knocked down number Q
men and told US where the enemy were
Immediately battery G, I'd United State
artillery, Lieut. Butler, with Mccarthy
Horns and Hexamers batteries, unlim
hered and opened fire on the positio
whence the enemy fire had come. Thi
stopped the musketry, as the enemy keT
his men covered, and commenced t
shell the town, in which our men wer
massed.


THE BRIDGES.


On our advance up the Bowling Gree
Road, we appeared to expose our line
retreat. But we did not do so, ina
much as the line of retreat went with us
for as soon as we were over the river th
pontoon bridges were taken to piece
and while we went up the river on on
side they went up the river, and when W


Ill Al