第90章

"Have you any news for us?" he asked.

"Not yet, I have sent an officer down to inquire.The enemy have been trying to bridge the river.

"I suppose so," Jackson replied."I have ordered one of my brigades to come to the head of the bank as soon as they can be formed up, to help Barksdale if need be, but I don't want to take them down into the town.It is commanded by all the hills on the opposite side, and we know they have brought up also all their artillery there."In a few minutes Captain Lougmore returned.

"The enemy have thrown two pontoon bridges across, one above and one below the old railway bridge.The Mississippians have driven them back once, but they are pushing on the work and will soon get it finished; but General Barksdale bids me report that with the force at his command he can repulse any attempt to cross."The light was now breaking in the east, but the roar of musketry continued under the canopy of fog.General Lee, Longstreet, and others had now arrived upon the spot, and Vincent was surprised that no orders were issued for troops to reinforce those under General Barksdale.Presently the sun rose, and as it gained in power the fog slowly lifted, and it was seen that the two pontoon bridges were complete; but the fire of the Mississippians was so heavy that although the enemy several times attempted to cross they recoiled before it.Suddenly a gun was fired from the opposite height, and at the signal more than a hundred pieces of artillery opened fire upon the town.Many of the inhabitants had left as soon as the musketry fire began, but the slopes behind it soon presented a sad spectacle.Men, women, and chihlren poured out from the town, bewildered with the din and terrified by the storm of shot and shell that crashed into it.Higher and higher the crowd of fugitives made their way until they reached the crest;among them were weeping women and crying children, many of them in the scantiest attire and carrying such articles of dress and valuables as they had caught up when startled by the terrible rain of missiles.In a very few minutes smoke began to rise over the town, followed by tongues of flame, and in half an hour the place was on fire in a score of places.

All day the bombardment went on without cessation and Fredericksburg crumbled into ruins.Still, in spite of this terrible fire the Mississippians clung to the burning town amid crashing walls, falling chimneys, and shells exploding in every direction.

As night fell the enemy poured across the bridges, and Barksdale, contesting every foot of ground, fell back through the burning city and took up a position behind a stone wall in its rear.

Throughout the day not a single shot had been fired by the Confederate artillery, which was very inferior in power to that of the enemy.As General Lee had no wish finally to hinder the passage of the Federals, the stubborn resistance of Barksdale's force being only intended to give him time to concentrate all his army as soon as he knew for certain the point at which the enemy was going to cross; and he did not wish, therefore, to risk the destruction of any of his batteries by calling down the Federal fire upon them.

During the day the troops were all brought up into position.

Longstreet was on the left and Jackson on the right, while the guns, forty-seven in number, were in readiness to take up their post in the morning on the slopes in front of them.On the extreme right General Stuart was posted with his cavalry and horse artillery.The night passed quietly and by daybreak the troops were all drawn up in their positions.

As soon as the sun rose it was seen that during the night the enemy had thrown more bridges across and that the greater portion of the army was already over.They were, indeed, already in movement against the Confederate position, their attack being directed toward the portion of the line held by Jackson's division.General Stuart gave orders to Major Pelham, who commanded his horse artillery, and who immediately brought up the guns and began the battle by opening fire on the flank of the enemy.The guns of the Northern batteries at once replied, and for some hours the artillery duel continued, the Federal guns doing heavy execution.For a time attacks were threatened from various points, but about ten o'clock, when the fog lifted, a mass of some 55,000 troops advanced against Jack son.They were suffered to come within 800 yards before a gun was fired, and then fourteen guns opened upon then with such effect that they fell back in confusion.

At one o'clock another attempt was made, covered by a tremendous fire of artillery.For a time the columns of attack were kept at bay by the fire of the Confederate batteries, but they advanced with great resolution, pushed their way through Jackson's first line, and forced them to fall back.Jackson brought up his second line and drove the enemy back with great slaughter until his advance was checked by the fire of the Northern artillery.

All day the fight went on, the Federals attempting to crush the Confederate artillery by the weight of their fire in order that their infantry columns might again advance.But although outnumbered by more than two to one the Confederate guns were worked with great resolution, and the day passed and darkness begun to fall without their retiring from the positions they had taken up.' Just at sunset General Stuart ordered all the batteries on the right to advance.This they did and opened their fire on the Northern infantry with such effect that these fell back to the position near the town that they had occupied in the morning.

On the left an equally terrible battle had raged all day, but here the Northern troops were compelled to cross open ground between the town and the base of the hill, and suffered so terribly from the fire that they never succeeded in reaching the Confederate front.