Mr. Bernard has been a large slaveholder. His estate is known in the county round by the name of Mansfield. His negroes live in humble homes,-in cabins near the railroad, out towards Hamilton"s. There, around the cabins, Jackson has placed twenty-one guns from Davidson"s, Raines"s, Caskie"s, and Braxton"s batteries. To the right of these, and between Bernard"s and the railroad, are twelve guns,-Wooding"s and Carpenter"s batteries.
The road from Fredericksburg to Port Royal runs parallel to the river, about half a mile distant from the stream.
General Stuart, with two brigades of cavalry and his batteries of light artillery, hold the road. The Louisiana Guards are sent down to aid him. His line runs nearly at right angles with Jackson"s infantry line, and extends from the railroad to the river. His batteries will have a cross-fire upon the First and Sixth Corps, whenever they attempt to move out from Bernard"s to gain possession of the railroad at Hamilton"s.
Such is the field,-a smooth plain, a mile wide and two miles long, around Bernard"s, reaching up to the town. Bernard"s farm is cut across by the Port Royal road, the old road to Richmond, and by the railroad. The Port Royal road is bordered by cedars, thick-set hedges, and a deep ditch. There are fences dividing the intervale into fields. Deep Run is fringed with alders. Maryee"s Hill is quite steep. The Rebel cannon sweep all the plain, the field at the base of Maryee"s, and the town itself. The Rebel troops have the protection of the sunken road, of the rifle-pits along the crests of the hills. They are sheltered by woods, by ravines, by the hedges and fences, but Burnside has no cover for his troops. They must march out upon the plain, charge up the hillsides, and receive the fire of a sheltered foe.
To win a victory, even with a superior force, under such circ.u.mstances, there must be not only great courage and self-possession, but a well-laid plan and harmonious action of all subordinate commanders.
Burnside"s plan was to make a vigorous movement with a large portion of his army to gain the railroad at Hamilton"s house, and at the same time rout Longstreet from his position on Maryee"s Hill. If he succeeded at Hamilton"s, even if he failed at Maryee"s, Lee would be compelled to evacuate the town, because Burnside would hold the railroad over which Lee received his supplies.
In the council of officers, held on the night of the 11th, General Franklin, who had about sixty thousand men, urged such a movement on the left. There was delay in issuing the orders, which gave Lee ample time to strengthen his position. The plan adopted was substantially that which Franklin had urged. These were Burnside"s directions to Franklin:-
"General Hardee will carry this despatch to you, and remain with you through the day. The general commanding directs that you keep your whole command in "position" for a rapid movement down the old Richmond road; and you will send out at once a division at least, to pa.s.s below Smithfield, to seize, if possible, the heights near Captain Hamilton"s, on this side of the Ma.s.saponax, taking care to keep it well supported and its line of retreat open. He has ordered another column of a division or more to be moved from General Sumner"s command, up the Plank-road to its intersection with the Telegraph road, where they will divide, with a view of seizing the heights on both those roads. Holding these heights, with the heights near Captain Hamilton"s, will, he hopes, compel the enemy to evacuate the whole ridge between these points."
In a letter to General Halleck, written on the 10th, a week after the battle, General Burnside explains his plan more fully.
"The enemy," he says, "had cut a road in rear of the line of heights where we made our attack, by means of which they connected the two wings of their army and avoided a long detour around through a bad country. I obtained from a colored man information in regard to this road, which proved to be correct. I wanted to obtain possession of this road, and that was my reason for making my attack on the extreme left. I did not intend to make an attack on the right till that position was taken, which I supposed would stagger the enemy, cutting their line in two; and then I proposed to make a direct attack in front and drive them out of their works."
The day (the 12th) pa.s.sed, and night came on before the army was in position to make the attack. At sunset the batteries along the lines opened fire, but the sh.e.l.ls for the most part burst harmlessly, and the soldiers, accustomed to danger, cooked their coffee by the glimmering bivouac fires, spread their blankets on the ground, and lay down to sleep, giving no heed to the cannon"s roar or the constant firing along the picket lines.
THE MORNING.
The morning of the 13th dawned. A thick fog hung over the river, so dense that it was hardly possible to distinguish objects a hundred yards distant. General Sumner"s head-quarters were by the house of Mr. Phillips, north of the river. General Burnside rode down from his own head-quarters, and met General Sumner and General Hooker, and other officers. He wore an anxious look, and justly, for it was the most responsible hour of his life. Up to that time all of his well-laid plans had failed. He had hoped to cross the river and surprise the Rebels, but two days had pa.s.sed since the beginning of the movement, giving Lee time to strengthen his defences. Now the fog hung over the river, and he was afraid of collision between different divisions of his troops. But a pa.s.sword was whispered along the lines, and orders were issued to go forward.
While the troops were waiting for the advance the mails arrived. How eagerly were the letters and papers grasped by the soldiers! It was affecting to see them, as they read the words of love from home, dash the tears from their eyes. Home was dear to them just then.
The fog began to drift along the valley. It was like the drawing aside of a curtain. The entire battle-field was in view. Two signal-guns were fired in quick succession by the Rebels far down on the left in front of Franklin. There was a quick mounting of horses at Burnside"s head-quarters. The officers had received their final orders, and dashed away to carry them into execution.
The main attack was to be led by Franklin. He had his own two corps, numbering forty thousand; Stoneman was moving to his support with twenty thousand, and b.u.t.terfield, with the Fifth Corps, could be called to aid him if needed.
Standing where General Tyler had planted his guns, I had a fair view of the entire battle-field. The position was below the town, near the lower bridge, on the Washington farm. Rebel officers were riding to and fro around Maryee"s house. The gunners of the Washington Artillery were leaning upon their pieces, watching the movements in the town. The Second Corps had moved out from the streets past the old burying-ground, and was near the gas-works. The right of the line extended north of the Plank-road to the monument erected to the memory of Washington"s mother.
General French"s division of the Second Corps was on the right; General Hanc.o.c.k"s was next in the line, with Howard"s division, as reserve, in the rear. The Second Corps batteries were standing in the streets of the town, the officers vainly seeking positions where they could fire upon the Rebel batteries which looked down upon them from Maryee"s Hill.
The Ninth Corps under Wilc.o.x was joined to the Second Corps, and occupied the lower end of the town. General Sturgis"s division was in front, with Whipple"s, forming the second line. Burns"s division was in reserve, near Deep Run. The Rebel ammunition trains were in sight far up Hazel Run, and on the distant hill there was a group of Rebel officers around Longstreet"s head-quarters. Troops and teams were pa.s.sing to and fro between Hood"s and Pickett"s divisions. Wilc.o.x"s troops were taking position, marching and countermarching, closing in solid ma.s.s under the shelter of the banks of Hazel Run. The right of the Sixth Corps, under General Smith, rested on Deep Run, Brooks"s division joining Burns"s west of the run, almost up to the railroad. Howe"s division was next in line, where the Rebel batteries had full sweep of the broad intervale. The ground is a dead level east of the run, extending from the river to the wooded hill, where Lee had established his head-quarters. Howe"s troops were lying along the old Richmond road, where, beneath the cedars and sodded fences, the soldiers found shelter from the sh.e.l.ls of the enemy. General Newton"s division was on the left of Howe"s, also lying under cover.
General Gibbon"s division of Reynolds"s corps, the First, was next in line. Meade stood next, directly in front of the railroad-crossing at Hamilton"s,-the vital point, which, if seized and held, would force Lee out of his intrenchments. Meade had crossed the old Richmond road, and was facing south; Doubleday"s division was on the extreme left, extending from Meade"s left to the river, facing east, and standing nearly at right angles with Meade"s division.
The battle was begun by General Meade, his divisions having been selected to lead the advance towards the railroad-crossing. The Bucktails, who had been in nearly all the engagements on the Peninsula, who first exhibited their valor at Drainsville, who were under Hooker at Antietam, were first engaged. They moved over the open field beyond Bernard"s, and drove the enemy"s skirmishers. The Rebel batteries-Latham"s, Johnson"s, McIntosh"s, Pegram"s, and Crenshaw"s-opened a heavy fire. Jackson knew the importance of holding the position at Hamilton"s, and had ma.s.sed these batteries, which gave a concentrated fire upon the advancing force. Reynolds"s batteries galloped into position and replied; and so for an hour the pounding of the batteries went on along the left.
Meade"s division was composed of three brigades. The First was commanded by Colonel Sinclair, and was composed of the First Rifles (Bucktails), the First, Second, and Sixth regiments of the Pennsylvania Reserves. The Second Brigade was commanded by Colonel Magilton, and consisted of the Third, Fourth, Seventh, and Eighth regiments of the Pennsylvania Reserves, and the One Hundred and Forty-Second Pennsylvania Volunteers. The Third Brigade was commanded by General C. F. Jackson, and was composed of the Fifth, Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh, and Twelfth regiments of the Reserves. Attached to this division were four batteries of four guns each, Captain Ransom"s Third United States artillery, Lieutenant Simpson"s, Captain Amsden"s, and Captain Cooper"s of the First Pennsylvania regiment of artillery. Captain Ransom and Lieutenant Simpson had twelve-pounders, the others were three-inch rifled guns.
Sinclair"s brigade was in the front line, and Magilton"s three hundred paces in rear of it. Jackson"s was in rear of the left of the two lines, with his men in column of regiments, about one hundred paces in rear of Magilton"s line. These three brigades numbered about six thousand men.
THE ATTACK ON THE LEFT.
It was just nine o"clock when Meade moved from his position near the Bernard House.
A ravine comes down from the hills and forms the dividing line between the Bernard and Smithfield estates. As soon as Meade crossed the ravine, he turned the head of his column to the south, and moved to the Bowling Green or old Richmond road, where he was obliged to stop while the pioneers could cut away the hedges, level the sod fences, and bridge the ditches, in order that his artillery could pa.s.s. While he was doing this, Stuart"s batteries opened fire. They were on Meade"s left flank and enfiladed his lines, throwing sh.e.l.ls directly up the road. Meade apprehended an immediate attack on his left flank, and swung his second brigade towards Stuart, facing east, while his first brigade was still facing south towards Hamilton"s crossing. His line thus made two sides of a square. There was a little knoll on the left of the first brigade.
"That is the place for you," said Meade to Cooper and Ransom. The batteries were quickly wheeled into the position indicated. The gunners had a fair view of the Rebel batteries over the level plain. Simpson brought his battery up and placed it in front of the Third Brigade, and replied to Pegram. Such was the opening of the battle.
Meanwhile, Doubleday was pushing down by the river. When the Rebel batteries opened fire, he brought his own into position and gave a cross-fire, which was so severe that Stuart"s Rockbridge battery was quickly silenced and the guns withdrawn. While this was going on, a body of Rebel sharpshooters crept up by the hedges and commenced firing; but two companies of marksmen were sent out by General Jackson"s brigade, which drove them back.
An hour pa.s.sed before Meade was ready to move again. Doubleday had advanced towards Stuart, but Gibbon was not yet upon Meade"s right.
Stonewall Jackson, seeing that Doubleday was moving down the river, thought that it was Franklin"s intention to turn his right flank. D. H. Hill"s division, which was close by Hamilton"s house, was sent upon the double-quick to help Stuart hold his line.[13] This weakened his centre. It was at this auspicious moment that Meade"s division advanced alone to pierce the Rebel line.
It was twelve o"clock, and Franklin"s force was in the following position: Doubleday on the left, well down towards Stuart, his batteries in full play; Meade thirty or forty rods beyond the Bowling Green road, in the open field; Gibbon and Newton just over the road; Howe up to it; Birney and Sickles filing out from the bridges, a mile in rear of Meade.
All of Franklin"s batteries which were in position, one hundred and sixteen guns, commenced a rapid fire upon the woods beyond the railroad, to protect Meade in his advance. De Russey opened with his sixty pieces from the hills north of the Rappahannock, throwing sh.e.l.ls over the heads of the advancing troops.
Jackson"s batteries were equally active. There were twenty-one guns by the negro cabins in front of Howe, twelve in front of Newton, fourteen in front of Meade, while other single batteries under Stuart were playing on the left. More than two hundred and fifty pieces were roaring as Meade advanced.
It was a magnificent spectacle; but it was a moment of anxiety to Burnside, who could only judge of the progress of the battle by the following despatches, received from time to time.
"Head-Quarters, Franklin"s Grand Division, December 13, 7.40 A. M.
General Burnside:
"General Meade"s division is to make the movement from our left; but it is just reported that the enemy"s skirmishers are advancing, indicating an attack upon our position on the left."
"9 o"clock A. M.
"General Meade just moved out. Doubleday supports him. Meade"s skirmishers engaged, however, at once with enemy"s skirmishers. Battery opening, on Meade probably, from position on old Richmond road."
"11 o"clock A. M.
"Meade advanced half a mile, and holds on. Infantry of enemy in woods in front of extreme left, also in front of Howe. No loss, so far of great importance. General Vinton badly, but not dangerously wounded.
"Later.-Reynolds has been forced to develop his whole line.
"An attack of some force of enemy"s troops on our left seems probable, as far as can now be judged. Stoneman has been directed to cross one division to support our left. Report of cavalry pickets from the other side of the river, that enemy"s troops were moving down the river on this side during the latter part of the night. Howe"s pickets reported movements in their front, same direction. Still they have a strong force well posted, with batteries, there."
"12 o"clock M.
"Birney"s division is now getting into position. That done, Reynolds will order Meade to advance. Batteries over the river are to sh.e.l.l the enemy"s position in the woods in front of Reynolds"s left. He thinks the effect will be to protect Meade"s advance. A column of the enemy"s infantry is pa.s.sing along the crest of the hills from right to left, as we look at it."
"12.5 P. M.
"General Meade"s line is advancing in the direction you prescribed this morning."
"1 o"clock P. M.
"Enemy opened a battery on Reynolds, enfilading Meade. Reynolds has opened all his batteries on it; no report yet. Reynolds hotly engaged at this moment. Will report in a few moments again."
"1.15 o"clock P. M.