BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG, DECEMBER 13, 1862
Enemy massed on Stafford Heights--Heavy artillery fire--The pontoon
bridge--Splendid defense of Mississippians--Enemy crosses--Preparing
for his assault--Sumner's attack on Marye's Hill--The deadly stone
wall--General Cobb killed--General Lee's position--Jackson in
uniform--His answer to Longstreet--Franklin's attack on Jackson--Enemy
escapes across the river--Strength and losses--Bursting of a gun--Old
Madeiras in Fredericksburg--An incident, "one touch of nature"--Enemy
not pursued.
But now it is time to sketch something of the remarkable battle that
the quiet waters of the Rappahannock were to see fiercely fought in
torrents of blood across the plain that bordered the stream. I attempt
no description, limiting myself to some stray observations.
The enemy had finally massed his great force (122,500 men) on Stafford
Heights and was to force the passage of the river. Franklin had wisely
advised Burnside to do the work with half the army against our right,
and Burnside, at first assenting, then resumed his original intention
to attack our center with Sumner's grand division. Well for us that he
did so!
On December 11 his movements began by attempting to set his pontoon
bridge opposite the city for the crossing.
It was opposed by General Barksdale's Mississippi Brigade of McLaws's
division, and stands as one of the finest acts of heroism and stubborn
resistance in our military annals.
Burnside first poured an artillery fire in the devoted town and
defending brigade--that was literally an "enfer."
There had been nothing like it before in this war. Every shot, all
kinds of missiles, were thrown at the Mississippians to dislodge them.
The brave fellows were there, however, to stay. They hid themselves in
cellars, wells, holes of any kind where they could get a little cover,
while their rifles picked off the pontooners pluckily trying to throw
their boats across the stream. The latter fell in great numbers and
this went on nearly all day. The Confederates would not budge, although
so stubborn a defense had been no part of our expectation. We knew the
town would be seized.
Quite late the bridge effort was abandoned by the Federal engineers.
Calling for volunteers to fill the boats and cross in mass, it
was gallantly answered. A number of them were quickly crowded,
and notwithstanding our fire their landing was soon made and the
town occupied, but not before Barksdale had safely withdrawn his
hard-fighting fellows.
They had the cheers of the army for their day's brave work.
Then began that night and all next day and night the movement of
Burnside's great army across the river. More brigades were added and
there were several in Franklin's possession. He had no trouble in
laying what he wanted in his front.
Thus stood Burnside, his army facing us with nothing between, on
December 13, and bitter cold, Franklin operating on his left against
Jackson. Sumner in the center and center-right against Longstreet, who
also guarded the lines extended considerably to our left. Hooker's
grand division was held on Stafford Heights during the night of the
12th.
But Marye's Hill was our strong point. Burnside wanted it and there
he threw his men in blind and impotent fury. It was held by T. R. R.
Cobb's brigade of Georgians behind a stone wall at first and another
brigade in support. The front here was quite narrow. Ransom's and
Cook's North Carolina brigades were in light trenches higher up the
hill, but in position to deliver deadly fire, and did so. The defense
at the stone wall was also kept carefully reinforced as needed.
There was some artillery in pits near the crest of the hill that did
effective service.
General Lee's position with his staff during the day was on a small
hill with a good plateau, from which he had a fair view of Sumner's
attack on Longstreet, as well as Franklin's on Jackson. Longstreet was
much of the time with him. Before the hot work began, "Stonewall" rode
up to have a word with Lee. As he dismounted we broke into astonished
smiles. He was in a spick and span new overcoat, new uniform with rank
marks, fine black felt hat, and a handsome sword. We had never seen
the like before, and gave him our congratulations on his really fine
appearance. He said he "believed it was some of his friend Stuart's
doings."
Franklin was in great masses before Jackson, and before mounting,
Longstreet called out, "Jackson, what are you going to do with all
those people over there?" "Sir," said Stonewall, with great fire and
spirit, "we will give them the bayonet."
There is really now but little more to be said in detail of the battle.
In front of us it was hammer and tongs all day from 11 a. m. until
finally Burnside had to desist in sheer weariness of slaughter. His
troops advanced to their assaults with the finest intrepidity, but it
was impossible for them to stand before our fire. I afterwards saw
that perhaps not more than half a dozen of their men had got within
sixty yards of our wall and dropped there. Not once was there any sign
of faltering or weakness among our troops; the solid bodies of troops
attacking might easily have made it otherwise with unseasoned soldiers.
On our right Franklin had been more successful. He managed to pierce
a salient that should have been corrected and worsted a considerable
number of Jackson's men. The line was retaken and restored, but with
some loss, among whom was Captain Edward Lawton, a young brother of
General Lawton, of Georgia. We also lost at Marye's Hill General Cobb
(T. R. R.), of Georgia, deeply mourned as one of the most promising
officers and whole-souled patriots of the South.
When darkness fell on this great tragedy, hostile movements ceased and
the two armies were caring for the "butcher's bill." Ours was small
comparatively, but the enemy had lost very heavily.
A thick fog or mist also arose and enveloped the enemy's movements in
strangeness and uncertainty. They were actually started on hastily
recrossing the river, but we don't appear to have known it. Most of
the day of the 14th it was thick and misty, veiling successfully the
enemy's movements, but all the time he was preparing for his retreat.
He was not attacked while in this exposed position. Why not? It is
generally thought it would have been fatal to the Federals and it is
indisputable that they were in hourly dread of it. Some say Jackson
proposed a night attack, but I doubt it, and am glad it was not made.
It is impossible to describe the confusion of such an attempt or to
anticipate what might happen. I was in one later on with three picked
brigades of the highest order and efficiency.
The roar of battle between Lookout Mountain and Brown's Ferry on the
Tennessee River words cannot express, and in the black darkness the
three brigades achieved worse than nothing.
But why did we not attack on the 14th in daylight? Not my part to
attempt this explanation, but it looks much as if we were "building a
bridge of gold for the flying enemy."
On the night of the 17th Burnside withdrew his army to his old camp in
the Falmouth Hills.
We lost in killed and wounded--Longstreet, 1,519; Jackson, 2,682;
total, 4,201. Jackson was also reported as having lost in missing 526.
These figures are also adopted by Ropes, and he gives Burnside's army
as 122,500, ours as 78,500. I do not think that more than half of our
forces were engaged on the 13th. The Federal losses, attacks on Marye's
Hill, 8,000; loss of whole army, Federal, 12,650 killed and wounded.
(Ropes figures.)
The hill referred to as affording General Lee at Fredericksburg a point
of view, had a light trench in which was mounted a 30-pounder Parrott
gun, made in Richmond. The 10-pounder guns of that make had done well,
but those of heavy caliber were treacherous. The one on "Lee's Hill,"
as it came to be called, burst after a few discharges. Happily it did
not send fragments flying about, and no one was hurt. The immense
breech just appeared to have split into a dozen pieces of various
sizes and then fallen heavily to the ground. We were rather glad to
have done with such a piece of metal.
The old wines of the good people of Fredericksburg have been referred
to. They suffered in the fortunes of war. A few nights before the
opening of the battle, which was then imminent, considerable quantities
of fine old Madeira and other varieties were taken out of cellars and
bins, and sent by the citizens to our fellows in camp, equally ready
for drink or for battle. It was known that the town would be shelled
and occupied by the Federals, probably looted and plundered; therefore
it was thought safest to see priceless old vintages passed around
campfires and quaffed in gulps from tincups. Of course the men would
have better liked whiskey, but they did not refuse the wine.
An incident on the river may bear telling. It was after the battle,
when the pickets had resumed their posts and had become friendly; more
given to trading than shooting each other at less than one hundred
yards. The authorities had to set their faces sternly against this
trading. It led to desertion. A fine Federal band came down to the
river bank one afternoon and began playing pretty airs, among them
the Northern patriotic chants and war songs. "Now give us some of
ours!" shouted our pickets, and at once the music swelled into Dixie,
My Maryland, and the Bonnie Blue Flag. Then, after a mighty cheer, a
slight pause, the band again began, all listening; this time it was
the tender, melting bars of Home, Sweet Home, and on both sides of the
river there were joyous shouts, and many wet eyes could be found among
those hardy warriors under the flags. "One touch of nature makes the
whole world kin."
Of course the enemy's powerful artillery on Stafford Heights would have
been an efficient aid in resisting an attack on his infantry before,
and while recrossing the river. But they were badly demoralized and
would probably not have stood long with that threatening river in
their rear and the triumphant Confederates in the front. There was
much private discussion then, and after, among the intelligent of
the Federals as to why they were not struck after their sanguinary
defeat. A general belief existed among them that we were deficient in
ammunition, the only explanation many of them were able to arrive at.
We had no want of it.