FREDERICKSBURG.
Oon.
lturiisldn'H Oaiiiptngu on
tlio Itunimliuuuock
A QUARTER OENTURY AQONE
Btory
of tho Suukon Road ami tlio
Fatal Stono Wall,
nrmvi Improver, not until tlio day of Hit
presidential election lit HOI. "lion liu was the
riiinlldalii against Lincoln,
Thin nmmivullY again In Iho moment of
stirves, McClclltiirSi adverse fiito InU'i osed
nml smit-'hcd It from Mm.
rorlmlt nf Lending fliwcrnls nil lloth
SlilcsHimisliln Arranges Ills Army
In llirin (Iruml ltllriloii C'nniiiiiiiidod
by Kumiinr, rriinhllil and Iloolirr.
Mnrjo'ii Heights-" A Clilelien Could
Not l.lro Upon Tliut llrl.l" Wioik of
Mn In lllun 1'lRlit mill Villi.
tOopy righted by tlio American Press Association,)
Tlioi who Imvo followed somewhat closely
tho career of Gen. MeOlolliiu cannot fall to
bo Impressed tlmt there wns 11 fa to which
more tlmn onco deprived him of victory nt
tlio niomont It seamed surely In liU grasp.
Just before tlio lieglunlng of lYpoVi-iimimlgn
In Virginia, whllo tho Ai my of tho Potomac
was still on tho Jnincs below Richmond, Mc
Clellan niinoiiiu'ctl himself ready lostrlkutho
Confederate eniiltnl. liven lio seemed to lw
satisfied tlint liU nrmy was ready mul suf
flclcntly large. If ho linil attacked Itlclmioml
Just ut tlmt time, cmly In August, 1803,
it coulit Imvo boon taken, most likely, for lxt
hod woll high stripped It of defenders to send
Jnon against IVpo in Northern Virginia,
Hut nt tho very tlmo McClclliiu wiw giving
orders to advanco on lUchiuoiul, llnlleclt rent
him n )MMcinitoiy eommnud to iilt tho
ponlnitiln with his nrmy mul prepare toco
operate with Pope. Nothing was left hut to
obey, mul McClellan's opportunity was lost.
After tho battlo of Autlctnin, Bopt, 17,
IStW, there was tin Interval of doing nothing.
MeClolInu distributed his nrmy nloup; tlio
Maryland sldo of tho l'otomiio, watching Its
fords, lln vldontly thought tho used up
nrmy of Leo might attempt muither Invasion
of Maryland. Ho cnltoil vigorously fur re
enforcements, supplies of nil Mink Ilytho
lost of September ho had mi nrmy of 100,000
mm, still on tho Maryland sldo of tho Poto
moo, Oct, 0 President Lincoln directed tho
general to "cross tho Potomac and give bnttlo
to tho enemy, or drive him south."
Hut McClcltau was not yet randy to ilo so.
White ho wns waiting, tlmt dnhlng Con
federate cnvnlry lender, J. Ii. II. Btuart,
tuadouuo of hU characteristic mid, mid,
figuratively speaking, tweaked tho now
of tlio wholo Army of tho l'ototnno under
tho eyes of lln couuuiiuiler. Oct. 10 ho
crossed tho l'otomiio Into Mnrylmid with
1,800 cnvnlry, nenr Wllllamsport, gal
loped northward into Chninbersbiirg,
Fa,, destroyed tho publlo pro(icrty there.
turned southward,
circled nroimd Mc
Clclluu's nrmy
lying on tho Po
lo nine, hurried
down tho mouth of
tho Monocaey, In
Mnrylmid, n n d
then recreated Into
, Vi rir iu la and
RJ jolncil Ijo. Thus
vj" n second tlmo tins
bold raider rodo
nroutid McClel
lan's wholo nrmy.
qen. nunssiDK, Tho weeks went
on. Dally, ns of old, tho nows-jiaper head
lines nuuoiiucoil, "All (pilot on tho lMtonmc"
Then tho old imiKitleuco mid (HsMttUfncttQti
roko out nnow, mid tho country began to
wonder why it wiw so ijulut nlong tho IV
tonwe. Moro weeks went on till It was lx weeks
after tho bnttlo of Antletnm, nml nothing
done, lly that tlmo Leo' nrmy wns thor
oughly rested mid ro-enforced, mid nmounted
to 70,000, To tho niililent' orders to inovo
Bgnlimt hint enrly in Octolier JlcClellnn hnd
answered tlint ho must linvo now; cnvnlry
liorscs. Ily tho Inst of October ho concluded
tlmt ho was ready to cross tho Potomuc, Tho
crossing wns nctunlly tnndo Nov. 'X
McClellnn crderdl bis iiinlu nnny to con
centrate nt Warrenton, Vn. On this Ixo, hts
army in good trim, his communications with
Richmond perfect, resolved to retreat Miutli
want. Tlionmlnpoitiouof tho Confederate
nrmy nmivhcd up tho Bhenaudonh vnlloy,
turned off to tho lbtppnlinunock mid took po
tltiou nt Culpcpier. Btonownll Jnckson'ii
command, with tho cnvnlry under J. K., It.
Btunrt, remained behind to hnug upon tho
Unlmi ni my mid niiuoy mid delay It ns far
ns (iMilili till tho main Confrdcroto body
i-hould ho f.e-urp.
It one coutd have toul ukii n enk of tho
IV . It ; mountains of n bright morning in
I
V
t
i
I
h i
t
1 n
...iM. vv X
i vjSijtsi S
-ymK'ixz..
DUnNSIDE'3 CAMPAIGN.
Oon, llurii-ldo 'Tin n limn of flue, soldierly
prcsenw, mid highly esteemed. Ilo was born
In Lllieity, lud,, In 1WI, mid was grndunUd
nt Went l'olut In 1817, Jmt In tlmo to In mut
to Mexico, Ilo nflerwnrds iTAlgned from tho
nrmy mid eMabllihod n factory for innklng
nbreiKli loading illlo of his own Invention
in Ilhodo Inland. Ills carcur was u vailed
one, mul when tho wnr Ib'riiii, In 1 HO I, ho
wna mi oflleer of tho Illinois Central uilhnnd.
Ilo lumiudlntcly Joined tho Union iiimy ns
colonel of u Ilhodo island irgimciit, mid uo
to In) a major general of volunteers luiino
dlalely nflertho Hint Hull Ilim. Ho wnsputto
duly nlong tho Atlnutlo coast, and Nuwlieru,
Ilenufoitnud Iloauoko Island weio trophies
of his mlllta y ability.
toon bridges were pienred by Ibirtisldo, mid
lioiirrmig'd to ciiiss tho Hiippnliniiiiock nt
Bknnbvr'ii Neck, twelvo niikw lxdoiv, I'o
ilUu(iicd this inovo In tlinoto fiiiHinlo It.
Thero NVin In hnvo lieeu ways wheirby
Ibirnstdu'iijilaiis wero roiistiiully dUeovered
to I .co, nml tlint nlmost liiimedliitely,
Willi a largo iHirtlon of I.-o'n nrmy nt
Rki'likei'it Neolt, Iltirusldo next thought ho
could foivotho pawng" of tho llnmmhnuuock
mid lako l-edfi Ickhburg under (ho gnus of
thoso who wen left, Tho Union nrtlllcry
wns planted upon HtnlTord llclahls, hImivo
I'niiioul!i, it commanded tho wholo plain of
Kredeil kslnirg.
Itt wnso well Inforineil of nil tlint went
on In tin) Union nrmy that within twenty'
four hours after McCIiIIiii had been iuiier
teded by Iluilislilo ho was Informed of it,
LEE'S QENEflALS.
Aioimd Ii In that deadly ciuvnt uj-oii
tho heights of I'Ycdci Icksburg wein gnitii"d
tho tiled generals whoso tuhhorii lighting
fluidities had enabled him to cairy dismay to
tlio Army of tlio rotuiimu moro tlmn once.
mid tho forces of I ho two Joined In tho center
mid encircled l'mlerlcksburg.
To understand tlio light fully, glnuco nttho
ncco lipniiylug innti. VU miles below Iicd
erlckslmrg tho littlo Maswiponax river
lloweil Into tho H.'.ppalmnuwk from tho west,
A rldgo of lulls eloped down to tho llnppn
Imnnock iiIkivo tho JlasnaK)nax, riiiiulng
from tho northwest, 1'ivo miles nlovo tho
oniowlmt to Mnssnponnx creek. Tho fight
between tho Federnl left mid Confedornto
right continued two hours.
Humucr'M grand division formed tho Fed
end light. Toil fell tho Inskof storming
Mnryo's hill, tho most formldnblo of tlio Coii
feilernto works, Imi's ofllccrs say tlint w hen
their genernl discovered tlint Ilurutldo was
nbout to at lack his works on I'rcdcrlcksburg
far enough to leuvo a plain, mid upon this
plain tho town of Ficdcrlcksburg was built.
aT " i III ?, iw- n nMnba l'reet. Btonownll Jackson, tho llllln,
:.IUII.."virl.?l. ir.rfnr.ii,Ml.,.tlv0 i Jlml MV HtUlirt,. WlUl III CftVMlW
1. II . nT ...,. ,..-..... ,. lllllll lfllt(k IWllll I 111 flk
'?.
O
I'AllKIC
tut .v diiyn of November. lOJ, bo would
, hv a tlj,bt to thrill i'oiU mul men. On
i .HM.ienf tho i idgo McClellan's mighty
iy in over HX),(K)0 men muivhed wlthwav-
limii'i'.i nml
auitui: gnus
"i to Wnrreii'
Uiu. Alfrod
11 asonton Ird tlio
nlvnnco with tlio
cavalry.
On tho west tldo
of tho niuo Ridge
bo who looked could
bnvo teen nt the
sanio moment mi
other great host
moving southward.
it was Ih Army
of Korlhern Vir
ein in, Tho two
Oik
,$mx&r
7vfc y
miw
V '
OKK, i'LKAHO.NTOS.
bostllo forces wero sometimes only n fow niiU-s
apart in this raco southward, but with Uio
rldgo between thorn. Dut Leo moved moro
rapidly. His ndvance, under Longstrect,
hurried forward, crossed tho mountains and
took poMtlon at Culpepper Nov. C.
This rapid matching, bowover, separated
Lee's army moro than was bafo. Jackson and
tho cavalry were threo days behind him.
Perceiving this, McClellan at length deter
mined, of bin own free will, to gl vo buttle, lie
believed that no could now ktrlko n ratal
blow, HU nrmy was at Warrenton, Leoi
advanco nt Culpepper, some ten mllea boutu,
lie said afterward of tlio situation; "I did ex
pect I could either fceparato them and beat
them in detail, or elso forco them to concen
trato as far back ns Qordonsvllle, and thus
placo the Array of the rotomao In position
ither to adopt the Fredoricksburg lino of
advanco uxm Ittchmoud or to bo removed to
the peninsula,"
Tho good weather of tho nutumu had by
thHt tlmo passed away. McClellan now,
turnover, seemed to bo thoroughly nllvo and
in full Vigor of determination. Thoiilghtof
Kov." 7 thoro was a henvy rain over tho enmn
it (he Army of the Potomac. Oon. McClel-
H Hit iu hu tent coueludlng jilans and glv
g dlrcctloiH (or tho groat liotllo movement
to bo m&lo lha next two davm. A inofencer
brought him a dbijatch from Washington.
It was ut: order relieving him from com
Band of tho Army of thn Potomac, mid np,
pointing (leu. Ambrose E. liunisido In his
place, with that tho nqmo ot Uen. McClel
lan dkaiipeani from American military his
tory, uo re&ijfiMd his coinmUsioa in the
wns calloil to Virginia. Ho irroriue
and distinguished tervicu through tlint and
tho Maryland campaign. Ho woll was ho
thoimhtof that tho command of tho Army
ot tho l'otoinao had Ihimi oircrcd to him twlco
beforo ho ticvepted It, mid each tlmo ho hnd
refiihcd It, Ills modesty t.oenw to Imvo been
iiniipiali'tl In tho hbtory ot army olllcei-s.
Tho Army of tho l'otomiio had already
been thn grave ot tho military reputations of
McClellan mid l('iw. IliiruMdo' iiamo wns
to mid tho third to tho huplcM list. After
his Fredericksburg campnlgii ho wns sent west
mid performed distinguished servlcu In tho
deiaitmeiito tho Ohio, freeing oustTonnes
teo ut length from tho Confederates. During
tho final ciiinpaliili ngntust Ulcliiuoiid ho wns
In the east ngiilu mid commiiudcd his old
Ninth corps, contributing not u Mttlo to tho
rloslng victory,
After tho wnr bo wns threo terms gov
ernor of Ilhodo Inland. Ilo wmi In Kurono
during tho Frnnco-Uorninn wnr, nnd wns nd-
mitted within tlio
belligerent lines.
Ho returned mid
represented Ilhodo
Island In tho Uni
ted Btales Beiintis
Whllo kervlng In
this cnpnclly in
IBS! ho died, ro
spected mid la
mented. At tho
tlmn tho order
ciiuio placing him
rj at tho head of tho
Army of tho Po
tomac, doubtful
Ktlll ot his capac
ity for great command, ho would Imvo de
clined tlio responsibility if ixwslble. Hut tho
eivniptory order from Lincoln left him no
alternative.
Ho decided tlint tho Union nrmy should
march on Itlcliniond by wny of Fredericks
burg, Vn. Richmond wns to bo tho object
nlnied nt, nnd Aequln Crock wns to bo his
bnso of supplies.
Onco moru tho battleground Is changed to
tho oris rrospd field of Virginia.
Fredericksburg Is nearly 100 miles south ot
tho Held ot Auttetmu. It is on tho right bank
of tho Rappahannock t Ivor, n littlo Inland
from tho Potomac, mul tho nil I road lends di
rectly wuth from it to Richmond, fifty miles
distant,
Acqiitn Creek is n town on tho Potomno nt
tho mouth of tl0 creek of tho snino unmo.
A railroad leads from It to Fredoi lektburg.
On tlio 15th of November, ISO', llurnsldo be
gan his grand march to Frcdcrickabuig, Ho
hod organized h's nrmy Into threo "grand
divisions," rlcht, center mid left, commanded,
roloctlvely, by Sumner, Hooker and Frank
lin. They left Warrenton, Vn,, as their
starting point. Hy Nov. 10 tho threo grand
dlvlbtoiiH wero In tho vicinity ot Fredericks
burg, on tho enstfcidoof tlio Rappahannock,
Buniiicr'4 gfiiud UlvWoij reached Fal
moulb, directly opposite Fredericksburg,
Nov. 17. Ho wns not permitted by llurnsldo
to cross, bowover, and tlint very tiny Leo
sent largo body of troops to ro-enforco the
Confederate garrison there.
Diirnsido began nt onco to put in order tho
railroad from Acqula Creek to Fredericks
burg, to ninko suro of receiving his supplies.
Qen. II. J. Hunt wns llurnsldo's chief of nr
tlllcry. Ho jiosted nil tho guiisou tho Federal
lido of tlio llui
p nil an nock, and
superintended their
transportation
from Acrmla Creek.
Ho decided that it
was necessary to
plant guns upon the
heights above tho
let bank of tho S
r I 1. I.. AtS.
lUllIlimilllU-K ,As:alUBluMy
suuicient iiumoei
to cover tho cntln
length of tho oppo
line forces on tho
right bank. Henry "". ""NT-
Jackson Hunt was bom in 1831 in Ohio, like
bis commander n western man, nlso a West
Point graduate Ho ilulsbed tho courso of in
struction thero when only 18 years old. Dur
ing tho Mexican war ho liecamo major of ar
tillery, and was afterward! especially identi
fied with that arm of tho sorvlee. Ho was
MeClollnii's chief ot staff during tho peninsu
lar campaign. During tho wholo war ho
served in the Army of tlio Potomac, nnd was
one ot Ita most rmtiiiul mm uteiut omccrs.
Uuriiftido's chief cavalry commander con
tinued to lio Qen, Alfred Pleasonton, Plcas
onton was born at Washington city, In ISM,
nnd wasthoMimo ago as Dumslde. Ho en
tered tho cavalry service when ho left West
Point, in 16-11. nnd was sent to Mexico. Ho
remained in tho west and southwest on duty
most of tho tlmo till tho outbreak of tho civil
war. At Fredericksburg ho held tho rank of
brigadier general of volunteers. Ho saw
sovero lighting thero and subsequently at
Chnncellorsvllla nnd Gettysburg. After
wardshowas ordered west, and his troopers
helped clear Missouri of Sterling Price's men
in 1801.
In IbCS Qen. Pleasonton resigned from tho
army nnd engaged In mining and other busi
ness. His advocacy of tho Itluo glow theory is
well known.
Uurnslde'H chief of staff was Drlg. Gen,
John O. Parko. said to bo ono or tho
handsomest of the accomplished ofllccrs
orrouned nbout tho bendnuarters . of
Uio Army of tho Potomac. Parke "was
a Femisylvnulau, born In 1837, and a
West Pointer of 1810. Ho entontr tho engi
neer con w. llotiau been n brigadier general
on tho North Carolina coatt under llurnsido,
nid, with bis old cominnnder, Joined tho
Annyof tho Potomac Ho after wants was
ordered south and west. Ho took nctlvo pnrt
in tho siego of VlcUhurg, also of Knoxvllle.
He foil wed tho fortunes ot Hurnsiilo. At
tho final luittlcs beforo Richmond, and pre
vious to that, in 1601, Gen. Parke, under
Duruslde, commanded tho old Ninth corps.
Gen. l'ui'KO is now superintendent nt Weit
Point,
Military critics doclaro that Diniisldo
should Imvo aimed at Ihi's army rather tlmn
at Richmond, At nil events, bu determined
to occupy Fredericksburg immediately. Pub
Ho sentiment nnd tho newspapers dviiiuuded
that Mmi thing should bo doiio nt onco.
While Buriisldo was making n wav for the
transportation ot supplies the Confederates
wero fortifying Fredericksburg and tho
heights Ikclilnd it. At tho bud ot November
Leo's whole army lay In n crescent around
FrederleUbburg. Its right was nt Poi t Royul,
below tlio town; the Mt a littlo dUlanco
above. The Confederate fortifications were
truly formidable, bo as to render crowing ill
rncti; in fiont of tho city hopolohs. llut pou-
men, wero waiting for tho deadly grapple
with IluriKido's iiiuii.
Nov. 17, tho day that Bumiicr ivached rnl-
nioutli, opposite
Prciteilukxhurg,
I.-osont two divis
ions, miller Mo
IiwHiindltansoui, accompntiled by
cavalry mid in til
lory, to occupy
FiedeilckHburg.
Ransom tmik con
sjilctious pnrt in
tlio btoody fighting
that nfterwnrds oc
elli ivd there. It
limy bo mentioned
nn.v. iianhoji. In iKixsliig tlint this
Geu. RiitiHom Is now United States Beuntor
Mutt, W. Rtiiisom, from North Carolina.
, CI en. Itmisoiii, was u unllvo of Noi th Caro
lina, born III 1W0. Ho was educated In his
, own state, became n lawyer, mid held vurloun
local oIllcoM provlous to tho civil war. Then
hocntcicd tlioCouredernto army mid passed
, up through various promotions! to tho rank of
major genernl. Ho roiitluucd In Uio Army
of Northern Virginia till tho end, nnd sur-
1 rendered with Leo nt Appomattox, Ho Is
now serving his till nl conwciillvo term In tho
1 United Slates senate,
j Another Confederate general who has en
tered Washington by a different route from
) tho ono ho proposed twenty llvo years ngo Is
, Wiido Hampton, United Btates senator from
South Carolina. Ho too was at Fredericks-
' burg nnd commaiided n brlgndo of cavalry,
W. II. V. Loo commiiiidliig minthcr. J. lj.
II. Btunrt was tho division cavalry com
mnintei. Wndo Hampton distinguished himself In
tho Conftlemto cavalry service. Ix-o placed
him on guard abovo Fredericksburg to pro-
ventlluriHldofroin
UJJ ,
IJo v
UJ9 f
MassniMinax tlio rldgo letroats from tho river heights ho was greatly rejoiced. Ilofelttlmtlio
could hold them well nigh against tlio world.
Iingit reel's chief of artillery siiid to him tho
morning ot Dec. l.'l, as thoy looliod over tho
ground In front of MnryoV hills
"General, wo cover tlmt ground now so
well tlmt wo will comb It as with u Alio tooth
comb. A chicken could not live on tlint field
when wo oien on It,"
Them is ono fact connected with this tlmo
which renders It exceedingly difllcult to gut
at tlio oxact truth In Its history. Tho reports
nnd accounts given by nrmy olllcers and con
tcuiiornry correspondents nio manifestly
tinged with tho pro or iintl-MeClellan parti
snutlilp. Tho poslttmi of neither Pojio nor
llurusidu as coiiimmider ot tho Army of tho
l'otoinao was a pleuuiit one, nml tlint fact
needs to bo borno In mind constantly.
Hrlg. Gen. J. F. Roy nolds commanded tho
FliM iiirjm In Frnuklln'M left grand division.
Frmikliii considered that threo divisions of
Reynolds' corps werosulllcieiit to carry out
Uiirusldu's order, which ho understood to
mean tlmt ho should luaku u recoimolssnuco
rather than a serious attack. To Reynolds wns
deputed this tn.sk, and to Ills corps belonged
Mcndo'ri division.
Gen. O. O. Hownrd commanded tho Second
division in Bum
'' i tl. a in
Wimmm
v.n ,iAvaiitm -
wmms
03Eh iTsv35s
r&r fc
r
crossing, whllo W.
II. F. Ien giini-lel
tho fords below tho
town.
Hampton was
born In South Car
olina in 1818, mid
was graduated at
South Carolina
college. Ilo en
tered political llfo
nttliolicgluui'.igof
hi career, mid w-ns
elected to various
StntOOllUvs. 1)111 WADB IIAJIITON.
Ing t'jo v v ho rcnclied the rank of major gen
eral, f ico then ho has served two terms as
goveutoeof South Carallun, previous to his
election o tho United States a.nrnto.
Senator Ilamptou'ii gmndfatlici', also
called Wado Ilamptoii, was lil;oui a soldier
nnd politician, Ho wn.i n olllccr In tho rov
olutt'ii nnd n mcmlier of congress in t705.
Tlnrvld man died at Columbia, B. 0., In 1S31,
tho i Ichest planter and blavo owner in tho
United States.
Tho lirtiuoof Loo was numerously repre
sented in tho ofllccrs grouped around the
Confedornto coinniiinder. llrlg. Gen. W. II.
F. Lee, tho cavalry commander, was Robert
Ii.'s second sou. Robert Ii's nephew, Fitz
Hugh, nlso a quviilryuian, hold n prominent
command in tho Army of Northern Virginia.
All of Iao'hsohs threo of thorn served In
tho Confederate army, Tho eldest, G.W, C,
was an nld to Jelr
Davis mid after
ward a general.
On the dentil of his
father G. V. O.
succeeded him as
president of Wash
Ingtoniiiid Leo uni
versity In Virginia.
Ills third son, Rob- ,
ert E., Jr., was ii"S:
fttnfT nlTleer of ruv, ,
nlrv. These Lees it!
continued with the S"
Confederate nrmy
un to the flnnl sur
render at Appo- OEM. w. n. r. lue.
ninttox. They took part in tho heaviest
'fighting of tho Army of Northorn Virginia
throughout, several times distinguished
themselves, yet nono of them was killed.
Tiiey survived to lie estimable, uud In somo
some cases distinguished, citizens ot tho
United States. "Fitz," ns it wns customary
to call Fltz Hugh Lee, is now tho governor
of Virginia.
Another veteran among Lco'n ofllccrs wns
Gen. W. I). Taliaferro. Ho also was
mer
jmL
KfV,1SSteJE"-'i
l'i-iiVxMisipPBtaK
'rtey
rW
oflleer.
soverely wounded
at Orovcton during
tlio I'oihj cam nnlcn.
!, His brigade be-
ll7S? Intif-A.1 InKlmiAttfnll
9 jQcicsou'H famous
"Foot Cavalry,"
OEM. TAMAFKllllO. 011(1 had UOllO 110
less hard marching than fighting.
Gen. Richard II. Anderson, dlvMon com
mander in ImgitU'ct's corps, had, Uko all the
others, passed througu tho ordeal of lighting.
niXDKnlCKHDUUO 1IATTI.K OllOUND.
Ilolowtho town tlio rldgo again approaches
closo to tho rlvor. llehlud tho llnt rnngo of
hills another rose, as If both wero built by
tiiituro for tho planting of bnttcries for tho
protection of Fredericksburg, llurnsldo
could not hnvo selected a worso oInt for at
tack or Io n better ono for defense. Tho
railroad from Richmond to tlio Potomac
river passed through tho town.
100 had 78,000 mou after Jackson Joined
him. Tlicso began to throw up earthworks
in a crescent six miles long, from tho Mnssa
pounx to nbovu Fredericksburg. Thoy
woikcd with u will and soon had built thoso
formidable fortifications against which Iliiru
lido's hapless hosts wero to dash themselves
llko waves against n granite lock.
Nearest tho Rappahannock, on tho north of
tho Confederate left, wns Taylor's hill, about
which R, 11. Atidcrsou'ri men lay. Noxtcamo
Maryo's hill, which gained fatal renown lu
tho battle. Hero were others of Lougstrcct's
men, Hill, Ransom and McLaws. Across
Maryo'H hill ran n stono w nil, terracing tlio
hill. Next enmo Telegraph hill, tho highest
of nil. Hero Leo stood and directed opera
tions in (icrsoii. For this rt-nsou tlio crest Is
now called Lee's hill, and ns such is pointed
out to Uio visitor. Next after McLaws conio
Hood's division on tho right. Still farther to
tho right Iny Jackson's men, A. P. Hill,
llarly and Taliaferro. D. II. Hill's command
was uiHin tho cxtrcmo right ns n reserve.
Bo, on tho morning of Dec. 10, 1603, lay tho
Confederate army awaiting tho Federal ad
vance. Stafford heights, occupied by llurn
sldo's artillery on tho opjioslto sldo of tho
Rnppnhauuoclc, wero higher than tho hills on
tho Cniifcdcnito side, but these, again, wero
so far distant ns to bo practically out of
rango of tho Union guns.
Longstrect says Leo's nrmy had twenty
nays to prepare
for the battle, mul
they made good
uso of tho time,
Mnryo's hill was
tho best point of
lookout, and to
tho Confederates
stationed thoro
was assigned tho
task ot watching
the opposite shore, 'i
mm muivuHeillKlu t(r?
T.ni't nrmv ultmi v'
tho first crossing 3V
should be attempt- n. u. ANDcnsoN.
o 1. 3 Jin usldo had prepared pontoon bridges.
Doe, 11 was tho day ho fixed for tho crossing.
That morning, beforo daylight, tho bridges
wero brought down to tho shoro nnd
tho engineers set to work to construct thorn.
As tho dawn broke, boom! boom! went an
unallotted camion from Mnryo's heights, tell
ing Loo mid his men that tho tlmo wns com a,
Ilnrksdale's sharpshooters w ithln tho town of
Fredericksburg began firing on tho bridgo
builders. They prevented tho completion of
tho bridges. Tho batteries from Stafford
heights wero then trained upon Fredericks
burg. They battered It down, yot tho sharp
shooters wero not dislodged. Then Union
volunteers to cross tlio liver in open bo its
mid drlvo out tho sharpshooters wero called
for. This was dono with tho loss of nOO men,
nnd tho Federals took possession of tho river
front of Fredericksburg, Doc II, That even
ing mid the next duy Sumner's and Frank
lin's grand divisions crossed, leaving pnrt of
Hooker' center grand division on tho Fal
mouth side.
FREDERICKSBURG.
Tho battle of Fredericksburg took nlo.co
Dee. 13. It was a disastrous day to" tho
Union arms. Ihirnsldo'd plan of attack was
for Sumner and Franklin to storm tho forti
fied Confedornto heights nbovo tho town, all
along tho lino, nnd carry them by assault.
In tho midst of a donso fog, Dec 13. Bum-
Iso was a for- nor's grand division had crossed at tlio upier
umicu stales , pontoon on tho right, lTruiuiin'i
Llli'Wff"' a
mmmA
I v y
mm
-. j
nr
K
ncr'd light grand
division, and led
ouo of tlio awful
charges agniust
Mnryo's hill.
Ollvor Otis
Howmil was born
In Mutiio m 1N10,
nnd wiiMgrndiintcd s
nt West Point In ?$
18TI. Ho was In
structor In mathe
matics nt the Mill-
tr.ry ncntlcmy for nr.tf. iiqwaud.
hoiiio tlmo after Ids gr.idimUon. Ilo wns
actively engaged in fighting from tho be
ginning of tho civil wnr. lio co ninnded ft
brlgndo at Hull Run, mid was made a briga
dier general in Septeiulier, 18(11. Tho "empty
slcove" familiar in his portraits has Itccn car
ried slnco lfcOSnt tlio battle of Fair Oaks,
where ho lost tho right arm that tilled it. At
Aiitietmu ho was In command of Sumner's
corps. In 1SG.1 ho had command of tho
Eleventh corps,
(leu. Howard dlstlnciilshed himself nt
Gettysburg. Afterward ho was ordered '
west, participated in tlio flshU of Lookout
Mountain mid Missionary Rldgo nml helped (
relieve Knoxvllle, During Hhei mail's march .
to the sea and un to tho tlmo of Johnston's
surrender How aril coiiimaudul tho rlgiit wing
of tho army. After-tho war he was United
States coinmbslnuer of tho freediiieirrtbiiivnu.
Ho was president of Howard University for
Freednieu for a time, and nlso served as spe
cial commissioner to tlio Indians. Ho bus
been especially employed in government edu
cational uud benevolent enterprises. In 18S0
ho was promoted to lxMinoof thotlirco major
generals iiermltted by law In tho United
States army. Ho is at present lu command
of tho depaitmeiit of tlio Pnclllc.
Btonemnu'H corps ot Uookir's grand divis
ion was pushed up behind tho divisions ot
Franklin on tho Federal left nt Fredericks
burg in tlmo to nid lu tho repulse of tho Con
federates thero. His ndvantngo wns not
pushed by Franklin. Ho considered Hint his
orders from llurnsldo did not Justify htm In
doing so. Hurnsiilo, In tho courso of tho
day, scut an oilier for him to attack oil tho
front, but by tho tlmo It reached Franklin it
was too near dark for it to bo obeyed, tho
latter gcnorul considered. So tho fighting of
tho left grand division at Fredericksburg was
over.
Longstrect snys. In a moment tho gnps were
closed again, bowover, nnd the dovotidmea
marched on.
Unit tho narrow plain nt tho foot ot
Mnryo's hill was crossed, when, lul It seemed
as If all tho thundemaiidllghtnlngsof heaven,
burst tiK)ii them. A living sheet of II ro
blinded their eyes, nil Infernal din roared la
their ears, and when It passed hundreds of
bravo men lay Uoii thatplnlu, never moro to
too or hear aught with earthly eyes or car
again.
Tho deadly lightnings shot forth from'
Longstrtct' hidden gnus behind tho stono
Wall in i ho sunken road.
Against that 11 ro no living tiling could'
stand. Fiench's roldlcrs fell bnck. Han
cock's cniuo on gallantly. Another sheet ot
living lire, another Infernal roar, and hun
dreds of other bodies Wero plhd Ukiii thoso'
that nlrendy lay upon tho ghostly plain. Ono
brigade after nno her enmo on, each hi its
tin u to bo mown down and hurled back.
Those who saw tho osiult of Mnryo's hill at.
tho sunken road ono and all speak of It ns a
succession of waves of living human beings
in turn dashed and broken against tho sttno
wall.
After Fivnch'snnd Kuncoek'sdlvMons wero
repulsed, Howard's throw Itself against tho
wall. It, too, was driven back, broken nnd
bleeding. Thntlhilshed thoavallablostrengtU
of tho Second cotp, Gen. Couch'. Then
Sturgls' division of tho Ninth coips wna
ordered forward. Tho chargo nt Ualaklava
is famed in history. Moro than .'.wontjr
charges llko llalnklava would not have com
passed tho (Instruction wrought lieforo tho
stono wall at Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1803.
Six distill) t waves of troops assaulted the
works mid fell back. At ono moment Leo.
wntehlng tho light from L-o's hill, expressed'
apprehension to Lcvigstreot that tho position
might Ikj taken, so uover ending scorned to
bo tho lines of bluo that advanced against it.
Longsticct replied;
"General, If you put every man now on tho
other side of tlio Potomno on that Held to ap
proach uio over thos.inio lluo, ami glvemo
plenty of ammunition, I will kill them nil bo
foro they reach my lino."
bainuel Davis Sturgls was bom lu Penn
sylvania In 1MJ3. Graduated at West Point.
wns in tin' Mexican
wnr nud wns cap
tured at Ilueua
Vista, but was ex
changed. Ho won
tho rank of captain
fighting Indians on
the frontier. At tho
beginning of the
war of '01 ho wasT
in command of Ft rt &&sl
Smith, Ail;, lleio
every ono of his
subordinate olllecrs
abandoned him nnd
entered theCnufed-
Mfi m
"L &t W
msA
usmhwm
7- MflPVjf "1M11
3Wo ''
'a I
onw.
r
BTunais.
MA w
S"0 Ji7 -s.
izmte&ii
&&&
vAtrrYr?- r .
- "
's lielaw on tho
f loft. Tho First, Second, Sixth nnd Ninth corps
Taliaferro was a wero tho troops that had crossed, Thoy wero
native of Virginia. commanded lesjicctlvcly by Gous. Reynolds,
Ho had lieen ono of Couch, W. F. Bmlth nnd Willeox. Thoy
Leo's h tan olios t ' formed their lines parallel to tho river, except
lighters, ami was Gen. Meado's division of tlio rirst corps,
which was ot right nuglcs to it. Gen. Doublo
day's division was stationed ns a reserve in
tho rear ot Meado on tho loft.
Tho fogs of Dec. 13 continued to tho 13th.
Added to this, the weather, for Virginia, wns
bitterly cold. It wns tho frst experience of
somo ot Leo's soldiers with a northern whiter,
and tho night ot tho 12th somo Confederate
1 sentinels frozo nt their posts,
Fredericksburg is another of tho battles of
tho civil war about which there has been
1 much dlsnute. It Is said on tho ouo hand
Ilo bad aided in tho capture of Harper's ' that Durnsldo's order to Franklin as to the
Ferry, had Ikhmi sharply engaged nt Antlo- beginning of tho fight wns ambiguous in menu
tain, and now with tho rest awaited tho shock ing. On tho other, Gen. Franklin has been
of battle i ot Fredericksburg. blomcd for not pushing tho fight solidly on
Gen. Illchunl II. Andewon was a South I th0 Fe(U,rnl loft, nt Hamilton's crossing.
m' ffi. Tn'c du v ' h" vm." II. . SrVoTE After crossing the Rappahannock, Franklin
MARYE'S HILL,
Sumner's right grand division was to do the
fighting on Franklin's right. Sumner's task
was to assault mid
carry tho frown
ing crest of Mn
ryo's hill. To begin
tho fight ho sent'
Oon. W. II.
French's com
mand, immediate
ly followed by that
t 1ttttnrs)r Iff rt K
... : r n :. -", &&.
uivjsiuiia luiib nan zm
.. l ii.-i.. tii(4JI
JIUCI llllllVII IIIUII
uucun iu inu en-
cmy," ns ho said qt.n'. i'iikncii.
afterward. It Is rather n strange whim of
f ato that tho iiamo of so bravo and accom
plished ft general as William Henry French
should bo so littlo known to his countrymen.
Some of tho bloodiest fighting of this or
any war was dono by his and Hancock's tllvl
slons tlint day at Fredericksburg. Thoy lost
fully two-fifths of their men.
W. II. French was born In Maryland In
1815. Ilo was n graduate of West Point, ami
fought In tho Indian war in Florida in 1S37;
also In tho Mexican war. Ho was first in
command nt Key West during tho civil war,
but was trnmfcired to tho Army of tho Poto
mac. Ho becanio a major general of volun
teers In 16G3, After tho war ho was In tho
artillery service on tho Paelflu coast. Gen.
French died in 1831.
As tlio fog lifted in tho courso of tho fore
noon Longstrect beheld from tho heights of
Mnryo's hill French and Hancock advancing
in two columns to tho assault. They camo by
two pamllil roads, tho Ornngo plank road
and tho Telegraph road. Tlio Telegraph road
led to Richmond.
A deep rnviuo separated tho advancing
troops from tlio foot of Maryo's hill. Tho
Telegraph road skirted along tho foot of
Maryc's hill. Tho road, indeed, had been cut
out of tho hill's sido mid wos twenty-Ilvo feet
wide. On ouo sldo of it was tho hill, upon tho
other .1 high stono wall had leen built. This
wall was as high as ti man's itiouldcrs.
icademv
Moxleo. When tho first tirobabilltlcs of war
liegnn to bo talked of he resigned from tho
United States nrmy ill March, 1801. Ho en
tered tho Confcdcrato service as soon ns it
camo Into exUteuce and shortly bocumo a
brigadier general. Ho was wounded at An
tletnm. though not mortally like his nntno
sako, (leu. G T. Anderson.
Tho coniciicruic always spouo ot their
was directed by llurnsldo's order to Keep his
wholo command in position for ft rapid move
ment down tho old Richmond road. Rum
side wns by no means so well informed of tho
strength of tho forco opposod to him as Leo
seems to have Ik-cii nbout Uiirinido's nrmy.
Franklin's corps began tho fight enily in
tho morning, Dec. 13, with Gen. GeorgoQ.
nrmy under Ul's liuim-uluto command as tho ! Moado in tho advanco. There were two lines
Army or. jsonueru Virginia, jiistnsiiioiorco
opposed to them was designated throughout
tho war as tho Army of tho Potomuc.
THE TERRIBLE STONE WALL.
In every great bnttlo thero Is somo point
nrwtit which tho slaughter Is thickest. At
Fredericksburg it was tho stono wall upon
tho outer edgo of Telegraph road. Ilchind
this wall tho road was practically a sunken
one. It was qui to invisible to the advancing
Federals.
TOPOGRAPHY.
Lee's plan for tho battlo of Fredericksburg
was nt onco simpio ami
street's con a bad been tho
tlio ground, aim it occupied mo icrt, wttu
Gen. Richard II, Anderson on the extreme
left. Stonewall Jackson was on tlm light,
of Confederato fortifications along t ho heights.
Franklin's attack was on tho Confederato
rlgiit, against Btounwall Jackson. A fearful
ttorm of shot mid shell unit tho Federals. A.
P. Hill's advance Confederato lino was driven I Butiletiti road
back, however, but Uregg, Early and Bttiart I ,.,.... Thev
.. , i.. i il. ..I -.,.. r ..!. l ?'
... i' niL'i lu.Mim u . ., .-, -- -'not wj
admirable. Long- ' closed in nnd reelled chargo after chargo.
j first to orrlvo on , Moro than 40 iwr cent, of Meado's command
fell. Reynolds came to his aid with re-en
foreoiueuts, uud Reynolds lost -1,000. Hut
thoy finally drove tho Confederates back
TUB BTONE W'ALU
Longstrect perceived at onco thondvantago
of this position. Deliind tho high wall ho
stationed some 2,M)0 soldiers, under commnnd
of Oens. Ki'wlmw ond T. R. R. Cobb. Thus,
liko Antiota.n, Fredericksburg, too, hnd its
suukon roal.
Up toward the fatal stono wall and tho
camo the columns of tho Union
uuuvsed uiiou the unirow plain nt
tho foot of Mnryo's hill, Abovo them, tho
moment they camo within range, tho Confed
erate artillery upon tho heights poured hot
fire Into them. It cut great holes in their
ranks coos which could bo seen a mile.
crato service. Sturgls remained lu tho Union
service, and took an nctlvo jmrt lu tho war
from tho flmt. ilegh"diig with Lyons in
Missouri, ho nt length cumo east nnd had
chnrgo of the fortillcations nt Washington,
then commanded u division In tlio 1'otonmo
army, lio was uf forward chief of cavalry in
tho department ot Ohio. Ills rank nt Fred
ericksburg was that of brigadier general of
volunteers, SlurgU' division furnished Its
quota of dead men to tho fatal stono wall,
1,023 out of two brigades, and fell hack.
Grinin'rf division .of tlio Fifth corps fol
lowed Sturgls, ndvnnchig gallantly. It lost
818 men ami retreated behind a knoll. Sixth
nud last, Humphreys' division of Hooker's
corps was ordered to tho assault. Hooker,
seeing thouselo.-suessof this slaughter, begged
Hurnsiilo to countermand tho order, but
llurnsldo replied: "Tlio crest must bo car
ried to-iifgut," and ordered Hooker ncross
with two divisions, Humphreys1 and Sykcs1.
Humphreys is said to hnvo been the ablest
oflleer on tho Held of Fredericksburg. By
tho tlmo ho ndvniiccd on Mnryu's hill tho
ammunition of tho Confedornto artillery
upon tho heights was exhausted, and thus
ouo galling Mi o to which his predecessors
had been exposed was stopped. His men
gained a point somo 'yards in advanco ot
thoso who had gono before.
Perceiving tho usclessncss of firing at tho
woll, Humphreys ordered his men to charge
bayonets. They prepared to do so, though it
was liopeless. when tho sanio sheet of flame
(lashed Into their faces, mid splto of all efforts
to rally them they turned backward. Nearly
half of their 4,000 fell lu fifteen minutes.
Then night closed.
Andrew A. Humphreys wns a Pennsylva
man, n graduate of
West Point, nnd n
fninotiH lighting
man. Ilo wns
Meado's chief of
stuff when that
general command
ed tho Potomac
army,
T h u h French,
Hancock, Hownril,fii,v
nnd Hiiuiphreysi
charged successive-1""-?
Iy upon Mnryo's
Heights, mid suc
cessively their men
wero mown down
like blades of grass beforo n reaper. Night
only closed tho slaughter. When It settled
down over that smoking, bleeding field thero-
were lo.iXK) fewer cliectlvo soldiers of the
Army of tho Putonina than thero had been In.
tho morning.
Dm usldo wished to ronow tho contest next
day, Dec. 1 1, but his ofllccrs dissuaded liltn
from it, Tlmt night ho crossed buck to Fal
mouth, withdraw his wholo army to Stafford
heights and left Leo to possess Fredericks
burg, what thra was left of It. Ilo himself
passed tho night in n stnto of mental agony
hard to describe.
Tho battlo of Fredericksburg was fought
on n Saturday. llurnsldo had 100,000 effective,
men in bis nrmy, Leo 78,000 In his fortified
heights. The Union loss was about 15,000;
tho Confederate, fi,400. On tho Confederato
sldo Gens. Gregg nnd T. R. R. Cobb were
killed; on tlio Union sido, Gens. Georgo
Bayard and C. Fegor Jackson, Burnsldo
bod resolved to cross tho Rappahannock
again below Fredericksburg. Tho move
ment wns to commence Dec. 80. when sud
denly llurnsido received mi order from Presi
dent Lincoln to miiko no general movement
without, first informing him of it. Whllo
Hurnsiilo had been piepnilng to cross tho
Rappahannock, several of his generals bad
been to tho president nnd represented tohlra
that thoy thought Burnsldo's plans were
ruinous folly.
So nothing wns dono till Jan. 20, 1600.
Burnsldo hnd decided to umko another at
tempt to cross tho Rappahannock, six miles
abovo Fredericksburg. Hut It seemed that
not onlv his own oflleer, but tho fates, were
agaliistlitui. Ills army had no sooner started
up tho river thnnii great storm set In. Snow,
ruin mid sleet camo down nil together and
rendered tho march impossible. The soldiers
said it secuud as if tho bottom had fallen out
of tho roads.
'1 ho troopi cou'd not go forwurd. A fovr
Indeed reached tho river after long delay,
only to find tho Confederates ready for theia
nt tho crossing.
Tho expedition wns n failure, Olllcers
of llmArmvof thuPotomaa spnkaof Itdo
rlslvely as tho Mud March. Burnsldo was
noxt relluved from command of tlio nrmy "nt
his own mpiest," the gorernmout rocords
say. Whatever his military cnuicity or the.
luck of it, ho was ono of tho most unselfish
and pAtrlo'lu of all th Union general.
Spit sftf
am "ViujV
fctS3T
JNC- ..Jl s.
No
gcx. mj&tnmism
.!