CHAPTER XXX.

Splendid Condition of the Army.—Gen. Hooker’s Programme.—A Forward Movement.—Battles of Chancellorsville and Vicinity.—Jackson turns Hooker’s Right Wing.—Operations below Fredericksburg.—Strategy.—Address from the Commanding General.—The Washington Estate.—Crossing the Rappahannock.

Winter had now passed, and the warm, genial days of April were fast drying up the roads, and rendering the resumption of operations practicable. Four months had rolled away since the bloody struggle under Burnside, during which the army had recuperated its energies, recovered its morale, and been reinforced by numerous accessions of troops. Believing, with Frederick the Great, that a soldier’s pluck lies in his stomach, Gen. Hooker had added fresh bread, potatoes and other esculents to the already substantial bill of fare, thereby putting his men in the best of fighting trim; and they, in turn, had come to cherish a certain regard for and confidence in him, shouting like the Portuguese under Crawford, “Long live the General who takes care of our bellies.”

The army was ripe for offensive movements. The long weeks of inactivity had afforded the General commanding ample time for reviewing the situation, deciding upon a plan of attack, and completing the necessary preparations.

About the middle of the month marching orders were issued to the troops, but were immediately rescinded, owing to a furious storm which arose and prevailed for two days. The elements again becoming propitious, on Monday and Tuesday, April 27th and 28th, the various Army Corps left their snug winter quarters and moved towards the Rappahannock. The programme decided upon was this: while a portion of the army crossed below Fredericksburg, and diverted the attention of the enemy, the remainder were to proceed up the river, and turning their left wing, occupy a position directly in the rear of the rebel works. At the same time Gen. Stoneman, taking nearly the entire body of our cavalry, was to make his way down through the State by the Culpepper route, and circling round to the railroad, destroy the bridges over the North and South Anna rivers, less than twenty miles from Richmond.

After the seventy-five thousand men thrown in the rear had attacked and defeated the enemy, the fifty thousand at Fredericksburg were to press forward likewise, engage them, and cut off the way of retreat towards Richmond. This comprehensive and masterly plan—substantially the same as Gen. Burnside’s last—must, if it had proven successful, have accomplished no less than its author intended, the total destruction of Gen. Lee’s army; but, alas! Jackson had not then received his death wound.

The Second Corps, Couch’s; Fifth, Meade’s; Eleventh, Howard’s; and Twelfth, Slocum’s; marched to the upper fords of the Rappahannock, and meeting with but little opposition, most of the force moved forward, and by Thursday night were massed in the vicinity of Chancellorsville, after having travelled a distance of thirty-six miles. On Friday, Gen. Hooker, who accompanied this wing of the army, formed the troops in a line of battle, of a triangular or Redan shape, resting with its wings respectively on the Rappahannock, between Banks’ and United States Fords and Hunting Creek—an affluent of the Rappahannock—and having its apex at Chancellorsville, in the rear of Fredericksburg. The events which followed we shall allude to briefly, reserving our main description for those operations in which the Thirty-third were concerned.

During the day reconnoitring forces were sent on the roads leading to Fredericksburg, to “feel” the enemy, and likewise learn the topography of the region. All night Friday, parties were engaged in felling trees, clearing away the tangled thickets, and constructing abatis. Saturday, Howard’s Corps was posted on the extreme right; then a Division of Sickles’ Corps (3), which had come up; then Slocum; then Couch; then Meade on the left; Humphrey’s Division of Meade’s Corps holding the extreme left. Several unsuccessful attempts were made by the enemy during the day to pierce the lines, but about four o’clock in the afternoon, Jackson suddenly hurled forty thousand men upon Howard’s Corps, which fell back in confusion. The Second Division of the Third Corps was immediately wheeled around to the rescue, and succeeded in recovering some of the lost ground, but the right of the line was completely turned. This success of the enemy placed Gen. Sickles, who had pushed forward in front with the remaining two Divisions of the Third Corps, in a very precarious condition, nearly severing his connection with the remainder of the army. Gen. Hooker now decided upon a night attack, which, though terrible and bloody, as the engagement through the afternoon had been, resulted in victory. The enemy were driven full half a mile, and the lines re-formed on the left, much in the same manner as they had been before.

The First Army Corps, which had arrived from Falmouth, and the Fifth, were posted as a new line, while the disorganized Eleventh was transferred to the left. About 5½ o’clock Sunday morning, the enemy came down the plank road leading from Chancellorsville, and made a furious onslaught. The engagement soon became general, and for five hours the roar of artillery and sharp rattle of musketry resounded through the forest. Our batteries were posted on commanding positions, and made great havoc among the enemy as they advanced to the conflict.

About ten o’clock the lines were contracted and re-formed in the vicinity of the clearing, which, together with a single house, constituted all of Chancellorsville. During the remainder of the day the enemy made several attempts to break them, but were each time repulsed. Here the army remained on the defensive, in a strongly entrenched position, until the following Tuesday evening, when it retreated, and safely re-crossed the Rappahannock.

Returning now to the other wing of the army, the First Corps, Gen. Reynolds, Third, Gen. Sickles, and Sixth, Gen. Sedgwick, proceeded, on the afternoon of the 28th, to the dense woods back of the point where Gen. Franklin crossed the river in December, and bivouacked for the night. The Thirty-third, which was on picket Tuesday, when the Sixth Corps broke camp, having gone out the day previous, was ordered in at two o’clock P. M., and in a half hour’s time completed their preparations for departure. The sick had previously been sent to the Corps Hospital, which had been established at Potomac Creek Bridge, and placed in charge of Surgeon Dickinson. All clothing and camp equipage, not absolutely necessary, were sent to Belle Plain, in charge of Quartermaster Alexander, and the haversacks and knapsacks, loaded down with rations, of which the troops were ordered to have eight days’ supply. The time for their departure northward was drawing rapidly near, and for days the men had been making themselves merry over the prospect of soon being with the loved ones at home, after two long years absence. Under such circumstances they could hardly have been expected to enter upon the new movement with much heart or spirit. Instead, however, of flinching from the fresh duties imposed upon them, they stepped with alacrity to their places when Col. Taylor, who had now resumed command of his Regiment, gave the order to “fall in,” eager to strike one more blow for their country—add one more laurel to the wreath of honor which encircled the name of the gallant Thirty-third.

Leaving the now grass-green crest, where so many pleasant weeks had been spent, the Regiment wended its way down the sloping sides, through the fields on the left, and crossing the main thoroughfare near White-Oak Church, entered the forest. An hour’s march brought them to a small clearing, where a halt for a few moments was ordered, and the men stretched themselves out on the green turf. Again entering the woods, they pursued a circuitous course, through dense thickets, across deep ravines and over treacherous bogs, until the Division was overtaken at dusk, close to the spot where the Regiment had encamped after re-crossing the river in the winter. Fires not being permitted, the men were obliged to dispense with coffee, and sup as best they could on “hard tack” and ham, after which the light shelter tents were spread and, they betook themselves to rest. The “Light Brigade” of the same Division was employed during the night in getting the pontoons down near to the river.

Instead of being drawn on noisy, rumbling trucks, as heretofore, they were quietly conveyed on the men’s shoulders, who tugged away lustily at them until between three and four o’clock in the morning, Wednesday, when they were launched in the river. So stealthily had the operations been conducted, that the enemy’s pickets did not sound the alarm, until they saw boat loads of armed men approaching. They had time to fire only two or three volleys, and then fled. Russell’s Brigade was the first to reach the opposite bank, and rapidly clambering up its sides, started in pursuit of the astonished rebels. The officer of the picket line was found fast asleep in bed, and on being brought over, entreated us not to exchange him, “for if you do,” he said, “I shall surely be shot for having been caught napping.” Col. Irwin, of the Forty-ninth Pennsylvania, and some eight or ten others, were wounded in the crossing. Two bridges were lain, in the identical positions occupied last year, and Brooks’ Division of the Sixth Corps thrown over.

Later in the morning, five companies of the Fiftieth New York, Engineers, proceeded one mile and a quarter below, and commenced throwing two other bridges. Troops from Meredith’s (Iron) Brigade of Gen. Wads worth’s Division, First Corps, dashed over in boats, and charging up the bank, took nearly all of the enemy prisoners, who were firing from behind earthworks and rifle-pits. The Twenty-fourth Michigan, Col. Marrow, led this gallant charge, followed by the Sixth Wisconsin. Some of the rebels who escaped took refuge in a house close by, but our guns immediately being turned upon it, they scampered from the building as fast as their legs could carry them, provoking round after round of laughter from our boys. The whole of Wadsworth’s Division crossed, the General not waiting for the bridges to be completed, but fearlessly swimming his horse over. Troops now began to debouch at various points from the forest, and reaching the flats along the river, halted and stacked arms. The Thirty-third, together with the other Regiments of Howe’s Division, breakfasted early, and descending to the plain about nine o’clock, halted at the same spot where it had lain during the day preceding the crossing last year under Burnside. The sky was of a leaden, wintry gray, and a stiff breeze was blowing.

CROSSING THE RAPPAHANNOCK.

The Advance of the Sixth Corps.

The whole of the Sixth Corps, with the exception of Brooks’ Division, now over the river, were massed here, and the First Corps, with the exception of Wadsworth’s Division, near the two lower bridges, while the Third, Gen. Sickles, remained back on the hills and in the woods in the rear.

Can it be? was the question which trembled on every lip, that we are again to be recklessly hurled against that amphitheatre of hills, before which five thousand of our number fell last year? So it seemed. The three entire Corps could not be designed for a mere feint movement? But when no more troops were crossed over, and on the following day a series of marches and countermarches were ordered, all gloomy forebodings were dispelled, for we then knew that the appearance of the three Corps here was for a ruse, though on a large scale, to attract the attention of the enemy, while the force above moved to their rear. The appearance by noon of two heavy lines of the enemy on the old battle-field, now a beautiful carpet of green, proved that the strategy had been successful.

As fast as their numerous regiments arrived from above or below, they descended the hills and formed in line at the foot to receive us. There they remained in position for hours; but seeing no disposition to advance on our part, large numbers, dropping back in the woods, swarmed like bees in the tree-tops to scrutinize our movements, and ascertain, if possible, “what we were about that we did not come on.” Gen. Sedgwick, who had charge of this wing of the army, continued to march and counter-march the troops in view of the enemy. Forming on the crest of the hills, they would move down in solid columns to the bridges, as if to cross, but instead of crossing, quietly draw back through a gully, and in a half hour’s time be descending the hill again. This series of manœuvres led the enemy to suppose that our entire army was here. The disappearance, however, of most of the rebel infantry from our front, on Friday morning, indicated that they had divined our strategy—not, however, until it had accomplished the purpose intended, as the reading of the following order showed:

Headquarters Army of the Potomac, Near Falmouth, April 30, 1863.

It is with heartfelt satisfaction that the General Commanding announces to the army that the operations of the last three days have determined that our enemy must ingloriously fly, or come out from behind their defences and give us battle on our own ground, where certain destruction awaits them. The operations of the Fifth, Eleventh and Twelfth Corps have been a series of splendid successes.

By command of

MAJOR-GENERAL HOOKER.

S. Williams, Adjutant-General.

While the enemy had delayed in our front, our right wing had reached Chancellorsville.

The reading of these brief lines to the various Regiments occasioned the wildest enthusiasm, and cheer after cheer was given for “Fighting Joe.” While waiting orders on the flats, elegant swords were presented to Captains Cole and Gifford by their respective Companies. The Colonel made a brief address, urging them to wield these new weapons manfully in the coming strife.

Just at nightfall the enemy opened a heavy fire on the lower bridges and the infantry on the opposite bank, killing and wounding some thirty of them. Our guns replied with much spirit, until darkness put an end to the conflict. The rebels used one heavy Whitworth gun, which was planted four miles away, and fired with a most uncomfortable precision.

Friday was a day of comparative quiet, there being no infantry and but very little artillery firing. The enemy’s pickets were posted along the Bowling Green road, while heavy reinforcements from Richmond could be seen moving over the hills towards Chancellorsville. Gen. Sickles’ Corps moved up the river to reinforce Hooker.

During the afternoon, members of the Regiment improved the inactivity to visit the old Washington Estate, situated down the river, about a mile in the rear of the lower bridges. The story of little George cutting down his father’s apple tree with his new hatchet, is familiar to every one. The exact spot where the tree stood is pointed out, and the green on which the Father of his Country played and wantoned in his childhood. The Estate has descended to the Fitzhughs, who abandoned it on our appearance here last fall. Their son, a Captain in the Confederate service, was killed on Wednesday, when the Iron Brigade crossed the river.

Saturday morning found our troops posted in about the same position as the day previous, the Thirty-third still remaining encamped on the flats. About half-past seven a rebel battery, planted during the night in front of the ruins of the Bernard House, tossed a couple of shells among the pickets, who were playing ball. This was immediately followed by their ten-pound Parrots, planted on the crest, three-quarters of a mile below, which again concentrated a rapid fire on the lower bridges and Wadsworth’s Division. They were, however, soon silenced by our heavy guns. Occasional skirmishing continued through the day. Towards evening, Gen. Brooks discovered bodies of the enemy moving along the hills, as if to fall upon our right. When, however, he perceived, a few moments later, that the head of the column was directed towards Chancellorsville, he became satisfied that Gen. Lee was withdrawing all his infantry from our front, and immediately ordered the skirmish line forward. The “Light Brigade,” which was then in front, advanced, flanked the enemy’s pickets and drove them in fine style half a mile beyond the Bowling Green road. Scattered along the turnpike were found knapsacks, canteens and several “dummeys,” or pickets of straw.

The lower crossing had now been abandoned, and Gen. Sedgwick sent the First Corps likewise up the river to reinforce Hooker, leaving only the Sixth Corps below Fredericksburg. Immediately on our obtaining possession of the Bowling Green turnpike, Howe’s and Newton’s, the two remaining Divisions of the Corps, passed over the bridges.

CHAPTER XXXI.
THE STORMING OF FREDERICKSBURG HEIGHTS.
SUNDAY, MAY 3, 1863.

Sunday, May 3d, was a proud day for the Union arms—the boasted Heights of Fredericksburg were stormed by our brave boys, and the Stars and Stripes planted triumphantly over that “Gibraltar of America.” Whatever the result of the fighting in the rear, that in front crowned our arms with imperishable renown. “This crest of hills,” wrote the London Times’ correspondent, after the battle under Burnside, “constitute one of the strongest positions in the world—impregnable to any attack from the front.” The achievements of that memorable day again demonstrated that what is impossible with John Bull becomes possible with Jonathan. The members of the Thirty-third can ever point with pride to the conspicuous part which they bore in this brilliant achievement—the crowning glory of their two years’ career.

FREDERICKSBURG HEIGHTS.

Stormed by the Sixth Army Corps.

Though Gen. Lee had withdrawn his infantry from the ridge below the city, he left, as he supposed, a sufficient force to hold the hills immediately in the rear. Here was planted the best of his artillery, supported by the flower of his infantry, under command of the haughty and supercilious Barksdale, who a few weeks later breathed his life away on the crimson fields of Gettysburg—abandoned by his own men, without a slave even to bring him a cup of cold water.

About one o’clock Sunday morning, a courier arrived at Gen. Sedgwick’s headquarters, with orders from Gen. Hooker to storm the Heights, and pushing on beyond, join him at Chancellorsville. After crossing below Fredericksburg Saturday evening, Howe’s Division had advanced up towards the city on the Bowling Green road, as far as Hazel Creek, the Thirty-third and Forty-ninth New York being deployed as skirmishers. When Hooker’s orders arrived, Gen. Newton’s Division passed to the right, and later, Howe’s also moved further on, connecting with him. Brooks likewise came up from below, and formed on to Howe’s left. The positions of the various Divisions became then as follows: Gen. Brooks, extreme left; Gen. Howe, centre; and Gen. Newton, right; connecting on with Newton’s was Gibbon’s Division of the Second Corps, extending above the city.

The Regiments for the assault were selected from Howe’s, Newton’s and Gibbon’s commands. The following comprised all, or nearly all, the number: 31st, 33d, 36th, 43d, 49th, 59th, 61st and 77th New York; 23d, 61st, 82d, 93d, 98th, 122d, 127th and 139th Pennsylvania; 7th, 19th and 20th Massachusetts; 5th Wisconsin, 6th and 7th Maine, 21st New Jersey and 1st Long Island.

To Gen. Neill’s Brigade was assigned the honor of leading the left one of the storming columns, and to the Thirty-third the honor of leading the Brigade. The reader will remember that the line of works to be taken was about one third of a mile in the rear of Fredericksburg, constructed on a natural bluff, extending above and below the city for some distance, and known as “Marye’s Heights.” Beneath ran the famous stone-wall, forming the western boundary of the plain over which the charging columns must pass. Along the lower edge of this plateau, close by the reservoir, which separates it from the city, the troops were massed, lying on the ground to avoid the enemy’s fire. The diagram on the opposite page represents the scene of action, with the relative positions occupied by the advance Regiments of the assaulting columns.

Heavy artillery firing was kept up during the morning, between the rebel batteries and our own, planted along the edge of the river. The siege guns posted on Stafford Heights fired repeatedly on the enemy’s works, doing good execution. One of the shells exploded a rebel caisson at the redoubt near the stone-wall, and killed ten horses. After blowing up the caisson it struck two directly behind, and hurled eight others down the steep precipice in the rear into the yawning chasm beneath. They presented a hideous spectacle as they lay at the bottom, dead and dying.

Diagram Showing Position of the Storming Column.

At length, as the City Hall clock struck eleven, came the order for the charge, and the lion-hearted men rose to their feet. The hundreds of spectators in the rear held their breath in terrible suspense, expecting to see them the next moment prostrate in the dust. “Forward!” cries Gen. Sedgwick, and they echelon up the open plain, regardless of the frowning batteries which vomit grape and cannister upon them. Col. Spear drops dead from his horse, and the Sixty-first Penn., at the right of the Chancellorsville road, momentarily recoils; but the Forty-third New York comes rapidly to the rescue, and the columns again press forward, delivering the battle cheer, which is heard above the roar of artillery and fierce roll of musketry. Three hundred yards are passed, one hundred more will bring them to the stone-wall. All the guns along the crest now concentrate their fire on the plain. Col. Johns falls, Col. Newman falls, Major Wheeler falls; Captains Gray, Ballinger, Irwin, Burke and Knickerbocker are dead; the ground comprised within the focus is strewn with the bodies of the slain. But there is no wavering, and in a moment more the “Slaughter-Pen” is ours. The Sixth Maine and Thirty-first New York scale the wall, bayonet the defenders, dash up the crest, and amid long continued shouts and cheers, turn their own guns upon the fleeing enemy. “What men are these,” inquires a terrified gunner, as our brave boys appear upon the ramparts. “We are Yankees, ——; do you think we will fight now?” is the response.

Neill’s Brigade, further to the left, has likewise swarmed over the wall, and now unfurls its banners on the Heights.

Only part of the work is, however, done. The guns on the right and left of the Chancellorsville road have been stormed, but there yet remains a heavy battery further to the left, which is now turned upon the portion of the works occupied by us. The Thirty-third tarries but a moment, and then starts for these guns, followed by the remaining Regiments of the Brigade. Quickly descending to the ravine at the left, they double-quick through underbrush and obstructions of every description, cheered on and led forward by the Colonel, Lieut.-Colonel, Major and Adjutant. The rebel gunners see them coming through the thicket, and depressing their guns, rain down a tempest of cannister. Captain Root falls, pierced through the thigh; Capt. Cole is prostrated by a minie; Lieut. Byrne lies by his side; seventy men are wounded or dead. The old flag, which waved in triumph at Williamsburg, Golden’s Farm and Antietam, goes down. A second color-bearer seizes the banner and raises it on high, but a bullet quickly lays him low. Another and another grasps the standard, until six have been shot down, when Sergeant Vandecar rushes forward, hoists the tattered banner on his musket, and the Regiment presses forward. As they emerge from the wood to the opening, they are saluted with a rapid fire from the rebel infantry supports, but unmindful of the deluge of iron hail, they push on, clamber up the green glacis, sweep over the parapet, and capture a thirty-two pounder at a bound. Oh! it was a splendid sight to see those gallant fellows rush boldly up to the cannon’s mouth, and snatch victory from the jaws of death.

The artillerists, with the exception of a few who fled, were captured or killed. The supports fell back and formed in line of battle. A squad of them, who lagged behind, were ordered to surrender. They refused to do so, when a ball from the musket of Sergeant Proudfoot brought one of them to the ground. Again they were ordered to halt, and again refusing, Sergeant Kane killed a second. A third and fourth were likewise shot down. Having formed in line, the infantry opened a heavy fire on the Thirty-third, also drawn up in line. The Seventh Maine soon came up to its support, being received with loud cheers, and formed on the left. The Twenty-first New Jersey not long after followed, and the rebels were put to flight.

It was with the greatest difficulty that Col. Taylor could restrain his men from following. Many of them, unmindful of the orders of their Captains, did push forward in the pursuit, killing and wounding several of the fugitives. The Thirty-third’s banner was unfurled over the captured redoubt, and the men lay down to rest after their arduous labors. Two more guns were taken by the Regiments of the Brigade further to the left.

MARYES HEIGHTS.

Showing the Redoubt captured by the Thirty-third.

This part of the enemy’s line of fortifications consisted of four detached earthworks, very strong and inaccessible to infantry, as they supposed, on account of the steepness of the hill and dense underbrush, which intervened between it and the city. Lieut. Col. Corning’s horse—a magnificent animal—was shot from under him, as he was fearlessly charging up the hill with the Regiment. While passing through the woods below, Capt. Draime discovered a party of rebels a short way off, and taking a few of his men started after them. He returned after the redoubt was taken, bringing with him Col. Luce of the Eighteenth Mississippi, and one Captain, four Lieutenants and thirty-eight privates, belonging to the same regiment. Capt. Tyler narrowly escaped, having his clothing perforated eleven different times with bullets. It seemed almost a miracle that any of the officers or men could have passed through such a fiery ordeal unscathed.

CHAPTER XXXII.
BATTLES OF SALEM HEIGHTS.

After resting for a brief period on the summit of the Heights, the Corps pushed rapidly up the turnpike leading to Chancellorsville, no effort being made to take possession of the still higher ridge at the left, to which a portion of the enemy had retreated, and were now tossing an occasional shell at us. The country presented a beautiful appearance, with its green meadows and vast fields of cereals stretching out in every direction. Gen. Brooks’ Division, which now took the advance, moved rapidly forward, but instead of meeting with Hooker’s pickets, encountered a heavy force of the enemy, about four miles ahead, near Salem. They were concealed in a forest, into which our infantry were imprudently advanced before it was shelled. The rebels immediately rose from their masked position, and delivered a murderous fire. Gen. Brooks quickly formed his men in line, and soon became hotly engaged. While the conflict was at its height, a body of the enemy suddenly opened upon him from the left, and he changed front to meet them. The battle now became very sanguinary, the rebels rapidly thinning our ranks with their cross fire. Darkness came to our relief and the fighting ceased, not, however, before we had lost twelve hundred men. Seven hundred of this number belonged to Bartlett’s Brigade—consisting of the Twenty-seventh New York, among other Regiments,—who fell in twenty minutes time. The woods afterwards took fire from our shells, and many of the wounded belonging to both parties perished in the flames.

The little army slept soundly that night after the arduous duties of the day. But there were many officers as well as men who lay down to rest with serious apprehensions of the morrow. No troops had been thrown forward to occupy the higher ridge at our left. What should prevent the enemy from circling round under cover of night to this crest, and descending get between us and the captured but now abandoned Heights in the rear?

The dawn of Monday proved how well grounded had been these fears. At eight o’clock a heavy rebel column was observed streaming down the mountain side, and pushing rapidly for Marye’s Heights. Not a picket had been thrown out to give warning of their approach, or a single gun to sweep the gully through which they had to pass. A scene of utmost confusion now ensued. The road leading from the city out to the army was crowded with straggling soldiers, going on to rejoin their Regiments, supply wagons, ammunition trains and ambulances filled with wounded from the previous evening’s fight. The soldiers scattered through the fields in all directions. The teamsters and ambulance drivers dashed furiously into the city, or turned back to the army, thereby escaping. A few, losing presence of mind, cut their horses loose from the wagons, and, mounting them, rode away, in hot haste. Gen. Gibbon, in charge of the city, sent up one or two Regiments left with him as a patrol, to check the enemy. But it was useless for them to attempt doing so, and after firing three or four rounds, they fled out to the army. The rebels now pressed forward and re-occupied the Heights, delivering as they did so, one of their characteristic yells, so much resembling a wolf howl.

After resting for a moment they were deployed out to the right of the Heights, and forming an extended line, swept rapidly up after the Sixth Corps. A Union battery, planted on a bluff up the river, one mile from the city, immediately opened a hot fire on their backs, and so interfered with his plans that the commanding officer was content to draw in his forces and mass them around the Heights.

Fredericksburg, as well as Falmouth, was now perfectly defenceless, all the troops not with Sedgwick having been sent up to the support of Hooker, and a few siege guns planted on Stafford Heights, comprising almost our only artillery. The enemy, had they known it, could have passed down into the city with impunity, paroled our fifteen hundred wounded, and then, seizing our pontoon-boats, pushed over the river and captured Gen. Hooker’s headquarters and the immense supplies at the Falmouth depot. Why they did not at least descend to the city still remains a mystery. Perhaps they were intimidated by the show of resistance made by a few stragglers, whom some wounded officers collected about the streets and posted along the edge of the city. Capts. Root and Cole, and other officers in the hospital, sent their swords and equipments over the river, expecting to be made prisoners. As the day advanced, however, and the enemy did not come down, preparations were made for transferring the wounded to the opposite bank, and before night they were all taken over, together with the materiel of war, which had collected there.

The Sixth Corps was now placed in a most critical position by this coup-de-main of Gen. Lee, having the enemy in front, left and rear, and an unfordable river on the right. No wonder that Gen. Butterfield, Chief-of-Staff, when he rode down to the Falmouth side of the river and comprehended the situation, remarked to Gen. Fogliardi, the Swiss General who accompanied him, “Sedgwick has gone up.” That indomitable hero, however, had no idea of “going up,” but immediately set about rescuing his command from the dilemma in which Hooker and his Chief-of-Staff had placed it. Hooker and his Chief-of-Staff, we say, for it was in accordance with their orders that the Sixth Corps had been pushed on, regardless of the higher ridge at the left.

The diagram on the opposite page represents the positions of the different forces of both armies as they then were.

First on the west our main army, then Lee’s main army, then the Sixth Corps, then a rebel Corps, and then our siege guns, planted on the east side of the river—a most extraordinary sandwiching of opposing forces together.

Instead of attempting to cut his way through to Hooker in front, or Fredericksburg in the rear, Gen. Sedgwick drew back Brook’s Division, still in the advance, and arranging his army in the form of an arc, fronting towards the enemy, gradually contracted the lines until the wings extended nearly to the river. By this movement the rebels were thrown out of the rear to his left front. The lines continued to stretch out towards the river, until they enclosed Banks’ Ford, six miles above the city, over which communication was immediately established with Falmouth, and Gen. Sedgwick sent for supplies. The announcement of this fact dispelled much of the gloom prevailing at headquarters, for it was then known that if the Corps could hold out until night it would be able to draw back to the ford, under cover of darkness, and escape.

At daybreak, the Thirty-third, together with three other Regiments of Gen. Neill’s Brigade, had been sent out to attack a body of rebels who appeared on the higher ridge, some distance further on from the point where they finally descended. After a spirited fight, the enemy were put to flight. The Regiment had now returned, and was posted on the left curvature of the arc formed by Sedgwick, about one mile from the Heights, and near the road leading from the city. Occupying a commanding position, and being so near, they could perceive all the operations of the flanking force, which numbered twenty-five thousand. The reader can imagine their feelings at seeing the Heights which they had so gallantly stormed on the day previous, now reöccupied by the enemy. After being arranged in line of battle, the men amused themselves by firing at the rebel skirmishers, who crept up behind the trees and fences to reconnoitre our position. Several were killed in this manner. Lieutenant Carter, seizing a musket from the hands of one of his men, brought down a general officer, who persisted in recklessly riding out in front of the line.

As the morning advanced, members of the Regiment proceeded out on the road, and brought in one of the wagons abandoned by the teamsters, which proved to be well stocked with delicacies for a General and his Staff. This was a rich prize for the men, who, now having subsisted for six days on the scanty contents of their haversacks, were as eager for food as the famished Arab in the desert, who, discovering a bag of gold, mourned that it did not contain dates.

Towards noon a Brigade of rebels charged upon the earthworks thrown up in front of the Brigade, but were handsomely repulsed, and two hundred of them made prisoners, by a counter charge.

Our forces remained in two lines of battle, expecting every moment a fierce onslaught from various points. But the day wore away without an attack, and the men were beginning to think that none would be made, when suddenly, about four o’clock, a heavy column of reinforcements for the enemy were observed descending the upper ridge. This meant battle. Imagine a semi-circle within a semi-circle, and you have the relative positions of the opposing forces at that time.

An hour later, the rebel hordes rose quickly from the Heights where they had lain all day, and rushing forward with cheers and yells, precipitated themselves upon our line. At the same moment the siege guns at Falmouth opened a fire on their rear. Gen. Neill’s Brigade, being the nearest to them, bore the brunt of the attack, and though assaulted by overpowering numbers, maintained its position and repulsed the enemy. One Regiment, the same which broke at White-Oak Swamp, gave way, thereby bringing a destructive cross fire upon the Thirty-third. As the rebels fell back in disorder through the fields, it was only by the greatest exertions that Col. Taylor could restrain his men from following. A few squads did rush forward and secured several prisoners.

But unmindful of the havoc made in their ranks, the enemy again pressed on, determined to crush the Brigade. At the same time they attacked other points in the extended arc, and Gen. Neill, seeing that there was imminent danger of his position being turned, fell back, not, however, before having incurred a loss of one thousand men. Gen. Sedgwick now gave instructions for the entire lines to recede, in accordance with the plan which he had previously decided upon, viz: to slowly fall back fighting to the river, until darkness should come on. As the lines drew back, the enemy steadily pursued, a vigorous fire of musketry and artillery being kept up on both sides. Our batteries literally mowed the pursuers down, as they repeatedly charged upon them in solid columns. The gunners reserved their fire until the charging forces came within a few rods, and then poured the grape and cannister into them at a fearful rate. Having broken the columns, they would fall back to new positions, and again resist their approach.

In this manner the retreat was conducted most successfully, though not without great loss. The Thirty-third, which suffered severely at the outset, likewise lost many men in falling back, including Lieuts. Porter and Rossiter. While scaling a fence at one time, which through some culpable negligence had been left standing, several were killed and wounded. Gen. Neill being stunned by the falling of his wounded horse, Col. Taylor temporarily took command of the Brigade.

To assume command of a Brigade in the confusion of a retreat, when the enemy was pressing on all sides, was a most hazardous undertaking. Col. Taylor, however, did not shrink from the responsibility, and with the assistance of the Major of the Seventh Maine, who stepped forward when he called for volunteer Aids, soon arranged the Regiments in proper line.

SALEM HEIGHTS.

Charge of the Thirty-third.

Darkness closed upon the combatants and prevented further pursuit by the enemy, though skirmishing continued for hours afterwards. Never had men watched more eagerly for the going down of the sun, and now that night had spread her sable mantle over the scene, great was the sense of relief experienced.

But the joy at their deliverance is suddenly dispelled by a report that the bridges thrown over the river at Banks’ Ford have been destroyed, and thus the way of retreat cut off. During the afternoon the enemy between us and Hooker had succeeded in planting several guns near the ford, and kept pounding away at the bridges for hours. One of them was seriously injured, but before they could complete its destruction, batteries were got into position on the opposite side of the river, and drove them away. Happily, then, this rumor was without foundation.

The scenes of that night vividly recalled the memories of the seven days’ retreat on the Peninsula. Though no panic prevailed, there was the utmost confusion. Owing to the darkness and the large number of wounded, and immense amount of war materiel which had to be conveyed over, many of the wounded were left where they fell during the battle, it being impossible to bring them away. This was the case with most of those belonging to the Thirty-third. Lieut. Rossiter died in the hands of the enemy. By morning the entire Corps was safely over, and encamped along the flats on the opposite side. The Thirty-third crossed the bridge about 8 o’clock, A. M.

The next morning the rebels commenced shelling the troops from the west bank, which caused them to draw back immediately from the river. Brooks’ and Newton’s Divisions moved a few miles to the northward, Howe’s remaining in the vicinity. During the following night the main army re-crossed above, under cover of a fierce storm. Wednesday and Thursday were spent in getting back to Falmouth. Howe’s Division returned to White-Oak Church during Friday, now for the third time.

The Thirty-third encamped in a field about three-quarters of a mile from its former position. It was a sad sight, those thin and decimated ranks; of five hundred and fifty brave men, who two weeks before marched out to meet the enemy, less than three hundred now returned.