My Life in the Army

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. JREDERICKSBURG? BDRNSIDE's MDD-MARCH? CHANCEL- LORSVILLE?DETACHED DUTY. On November 15th General Burnside commenced his movement against Fredericksburg, contrary to his own previously proposed plans, the advice of the authorities at Washington, and of his own generals. The whole army marched...
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Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. JREDERICKSBURG? BDRNSIDE's MDD-MARCH? CHANCEL- LORSVILLE?DETACHED DUTY. On November 15th General Burnside commenced his movement against Fredericksburg, contrary to his own previously proposed plans, the advice of the authorities at Washington, and of his own generals. The whole army marched down the north bank of the Rappahannock. On the 21st the Fifth Corps moved to the Acquia Creek crossing on the Acquia Creek and Fredericksburg Railroad, and on the same day General Franklin summoned the city to surrender. Pontoons did not arrive until the 25th. No further move was made until the 9th of December, giving Lee ample time to make his preparations for defence. On the 11th the Corps broke camp and massed on a level plain in front of the city and in the rear of some batteries. Franklin's corps crossed on the 11th and 12th. The big battle was fought on the 13th. At 1.00 p.m. on that day, while Sumner's attack was in progress, the Fifth Corps crossed the river. General Griffin's division was ordered to the support of General Hayes. The First and Second Brigades took the positions assigned them on Marye's Heights; the Third following them, all but the Twelfth and Seventeenth New York who, from their position did not distinguish the bugle-call to advance, and did not do so until the other brigades had reached their positions. By the time these two regiments arrived it was dark. The troops were ordered to hold their respective positions until the next day. At daylight the enemy opened fire on the entire line, which was instructed not to reply if it could be avoided, and so lay exposed all day to a severe fire from the enemy's batteries and sharpshooters, their only protection being their knapsacks, which they stood up in front of their heads, the men lying flat down, a s...