THE BOMBARDMENT OE EREDERICEBBERG, DECEMBER 11, 186‘2.

SUMNER’S “RIGHT GRAND DIVISION.”

i>3

Nearer to the stone-wall than any who had gone before, except a few ofKimball’s men, and nearer than any brigade which followed them.

Without a clear idea of the state of affairs at the front, since the smoke and4?ht fog veiled everything, I sent word to French and Hancock to carry theene my’s works by storm. Then I climbed the steeple of the court-house, andfrom above the haze and smoke got a clear view of the field. Howard, who''vas with me, says I exclaimed, “ Oh, great (fod! see how our men, our poorfellows, are falling! ” I remember that the whole plain was covered with men,Pi'ostrate and dropping, the live men runniug here and there, and in frontclosing upon each other, and the wounded coming back. The commandsseemed to be mixed up. I had never before seen fighting like that, nothinga Pproaching it in terrible uproar and destruction. There was no cheering onffre part of the men, but a stubborn determination to obey orders and dotfieir duty. I don’t think there was much feeling of success. As theycharged the artillery fire would break their formation and they would getri "xed; then they would close up, go forward, receive the withering infantryand those who were able would run to the houses and fight as best theyC0l fid ; and then the next brigade coming up in succession would do its dutyail d melt like snow coming down on warm ground.

' I was in the steeple hardly ten seconds, for I saw at a glance how theyY ere being cut down, and was convinced that we could not be successful infr' 0l| t, and that our only chance lay by the right. I immediately orderedHoward to work in on the right with the brigades of Owen and Hall, anda ttaek the enemy behind the stone-wall in flank, which was done. Before hecould begin this movement both Hancock and French had notified me thatthey must have support or they would not be responsible for the maintenancetheir position. Sturgis, of Willeox’s corps, who had been supporting mye -t, sent the brigades of Ferrero and Nagle to the fruitless charge.

About 2 o’clock General Hooker, who was in command of the CenterHi'and Division (Stoneman’s and Butterfield’s corps), came upon the field.Kt an earlier hour Whipple’s division of Stoneman’s corps had crossed theHver and relieved Howard on the right, so that the latter might join in thea frack in the center, and Griffin’s division of Butterfield’s corps had come° v er to the support of Sturgis. Humphreys and Sykes, of the latter corps,Ca me to my support. Toward 3 o’clock I received the following dispatch:

GtEN;

in.

‘Hej

■vdquarters, Right Grand Division, Army of the Potomac, Deo. 13th, 1862. — 2:40 p.m.

*Ral Couch : Hooker has been ordered to put in everything. You must hold on until he comesby command of Brevet Major-General Sumner. W. G. Jones, Lieut., Aide-de-camp, etc.”

°Te to illustration. — The Artillery Reserve°sted on the eastern bank of the river comprisedUna oomina nds, as follows : the Right Division,Lieutenant-Colonel William Hays, extend-Falmouth down to the ravine, about 500si V; s below Falmouth (see map,' p. 74), and con-Un ^ rifled guns ; the Right Center Division,

„ ei ‘ Colonel C. H. Tompkins, consisted of 880 ^jf’ Left Center Division, under Colonel R.•bid f/ 61 '’ occu pyhig the crest of the ridge from thedie bridge southward to the wooded ravine

near the center of the ridge, and consisting of 27guns; the Left Division, under Captain G-. A. Deltussy, numbering 42 guns. When the order wasgiven to fire upon the town, only the guns of theRight Center and Left Center could be brought tobear effectually. Hays’s batteries delivered a fewshots. Tyler’s guns opened fire, doing but littleexecution. Colonel Tompkins reported that ids bat-teries opened at 12: 30 P. M. under orders to burnthe town, and ceased firing at 2:30 p. m., at whichtime several buildings were burning.— Editors.