army of the Potomac rests here to-night, after a series of operations which are certainly among the most extraordinary of the war. To those who retired to rest, uninformed of what night was destined to bring forth, the spectacle this morning must have seemed strange enough to be the improvisation of the magician's art. One hundred and fifty pieces of cannon covered the circular sweep of the heights of Fredericksburgh; one hundred and fifty thousand men in battle array had sprang from the earth, and lay, ready for the advance, behind those heights. But to the initiated, who spent the night in vigils and knew what work crowded its busy hours, it was all intelligible enough. All night artillery came, and came with its ceaseless, heavy rumble, and as each battery arrived from the rear it was posted in the place selected for it by the Chief of Artillery. All night the perpetual tramp of men moving to the front filled the air. Pontoon trains unwound their long, snake-like forms, and were drawn, each boat by its team, down to the river's brink. It had been determined, in council of war, held on Wednesday, that, instead of extending our lines of operations along the river from Falmouth to Port Conway, the entire army should be crossed at or near Fredericksburgh. Five pontoon-bridges were to be thrown across the river-the first at the Lacey House, which lies directly opposite the end of the main street of Fredericksburgh, half a mile below Falmouth; the second and third within a few hundred yards from the first. The remaining two were to be thrown over a mile and a half or two miles further down the stream, and on these the grand division of Gen. Franklin-the left-would cross, while Sumner's and Hooker's grand divisions-right and centre-would use the three upper ones. It was about three o'clock this morning when the boats were unshipped from the teams at the river's brink. Swiftly and silently the Engineer Corps proceeded to their work. A dense fog filled the valleys and water margin, through which the bridge-builders appeared as spectral forms. The recital of the Times special correspondent with the left will inform you of the details of the construction of the two lower-Franklin's-bridges. Work there was performed with perfect successthe engineers being allowed to complete the first without any interruption whatever, while the construction of the other was but slightly interrupted by the fire of the rebel sharp-shooters. We were not so fortunate with the upper bridges. The artificers had but got fairly to work, when at five o'clock the firing of two guns from one of the enemy's batteries announced that we were discovered. They were signal-guns. Rapid volleys of musketry, discharged at our bridge-builders, immediately followed. This was promptly responded to on our side, by the opening of several batteries. The fog, however, still hung densely over the river. It was still quite dark, and the practice of the artillerists was necessarily very much at random. The Engineer Corps suffered severely from the fire of the sharp-shooters concealed in the town. The little band was being murderously thinned, and presently the work on the bridges slackened, and then ceased. Meanwhile the firing from our batteries, posted about a mile from the river, was kept up vigorously. The effect was singular enough, and it was difficult to believe that the whole affair was not a phantasmagoria. It was still quite dark, the horizon around being lit up only by the flash of projectiles, which reappeared in explosive flame on the other side of the river. Daylight came, but with it came not clearness of vision for on-lookers. The mist and smoke not only did not lighten, but grew more opaque and heavy, hugging the ground closely. Our gunners, however, still continued to launch their missiles at a venture. The rebel batteries hardly returned our fire, and this chariness of their ammunition they preserved all day-not a dozen rounds being fired during the whole forenoon. Toward eight o'clock a large party of general officers, among them General Burnside, the corps commanders, and many others of high rank, had congregated in front of and on the balcony of Gen. Sumner's headquarters, Phillips's House, situated about a mile directly back of the Lacey House. The performance could be heard but not seen— the stage was obstinately hidden from view, and all were impatient that the curtain should rise. Aids and couriers came and went with messages to and from the batteries and bridges. At half-past nine o'clock official notification was received that the two bridges on the extreme left were completed, and Gen. Franklin sent to General Burnside to know if he should cross his force at once. The reply was, that he should wait until the upper bridges also were completed. Meantime, with the latter but little progress was made. During the next couple of hours half a dozen attempts were made to complete the bridges, but each time the party was repulsed with severe loss. On the occasion of one essay, Capt. Brainard, of the Fiftieth New-York volunteer engineers, went out on the bridge with eleven men. Five immediately fell by the balls of the rebel sharp-shooters. Capt. Perkins led another party, and was shot through the neck, and the Sixty-sixth and Fifty-seventh New-York regiments, which were supporting the Fiftieth and Fifteenth New-York volunteer engineersGen. Woodbury's brigade-suffered severely. It was a hopeless task, and we made little or no progress. The rebel sharp-shooters, posted in the cellars of the houses of the front street, not fifty yards from the river, behind stone walls and in rifle-pits, were able to pick off with damnable accuracy any party of engineers venturing on the half-completed bridges. The case was perfectly clear. Nothing can be done till they are dislodged from their lurkingplaces. There is but one way of doing this effectually-shell the town. At ten o'clock Gen. Burnside gives the order: "Concentrate the fire of all your guns on the city, and batter it down!" You may believe, they were not loth to obey. The artillery of the right, eight batteries, was commanded by Col. Hays; Col. Tompkins, right centre, eleven batteries; Colonel Tyler, left centre, seven batteries; Capt. De Russy, left, nine batteries. In a few moments these thirty-five batteries, forming a total of one hundred and seventy-nine guns, ranging from ten-pounder Parrotts to four and a half inch siege-guns, posted along the convex side of the arc of the circle, formed by the bend of the river and land opposite Fredericksburgh, opened on the doomed city. The effect was, of course, terrific, and, regarded merely as a phenomenon, was among the most awfully grand conceivable. Perhaps what will give you the liveliest idea of its effect is a succession, absolutely without intermission, of the very loudest thunder-peals. It lasted thus for upward of an hour, fifty rounds being fired from each gun, and I know not how many hundred tons of iron were thrown into the town. The congregated generals were transfixed. Mingled satisfaction and awe was upon every face. But what was tantalizing, was, that though a great deal could be heard, nothing could be seen, the city being still enveloped in fog and mist. Only a denser pillar of smoke defining itself on the background of the fog, indicated where the town had been fired by our shells. Another and another column showed itself, and we presently saw that at least a dozen houses must be on fire. Toward noon the curtain rolled up, and we saw that it was indeed so. Fredericksburgh was in conflagration. Tremendous though this firing had been, and terrific though its effect obviously was on the town, it had not accomplished the object intended. It was found by our gunners almost impossible to obtain a sufficient depression of their pieces to shell the front part of the city, and the rebel sharp-shooters were still comparatively safe behind the thick stone walls of the houses. During the thick of the bombardment a fresh attempt had been made to complete the bridge. It failed, and evidently nothing could be done till a party could be thrown over to clean out the rebels and cover the bridge-head. For this mission General Burnside called for volunteers, and Col. Hall, of Fort Sumter fame, immediately responded that he had a brigade that would do the business. Accordingly, the Seventh Michigan and Nineteenth Massachusetts, two small regi. ments, numbering in all about four hundred men, were selected for the purpose. serving each other. In the mean time new and vigorous artillery firing was commenced on our part, and just as soon as this was fairly developed, the Seventh Michigan rose from their crouching places, rushed for the pontoon-boats, and pushing them into the water, rapidly filled them with twenty-five or thirty each. The first boat pushes off. Now, if ever, is the rebels' opportunity. Crack! crack! crack! from fifty lurking-places go rebel rifles at the gallant fellows, who, stooping low in the boat, seek to avoid the fire. The murderous work was well done. Lustily, however, pull the oarsmen, and presently, having passed the middle of the stream, the boat and its gallant freight come under cover of the opposite bluffs. Another and another boat follows. Now is their opportunity. Nothing could be more amusing in its way than the result. Instantly they see a new turn of affairs. The rebels pop up by the hundred, like so many rats, from every cellar, rifle-pit, and stone wall, and scamper off up the streets of the town. With all their fleetness, however, many of them were much too slow. With incredible rapidity the Michigan and Massachusetts boys sweep up the hill, making a rush for the lurking-places occupied by the rebels, and gaining them, each man capturing his two or three prisoners. The pontoon-boats, on their return trip, took over more than a hundred of these fellows. You can imagine with what intense interest the crossing of the first boat-load of our men was watched by the numerous spectators on the shore, and with what enthusiastic shouts their landing on the opposite side was greeted. It was an authentic piece of human heroism, which moves men, as nothing else can. The problem was solved. This flash of bravery had done what scores of batteries and tons of metal had failed to accomplish. The country will not forget that little band. Their loss in the perilous enterprise was, so far as I could ascertain, as follows: Killed A. Wickson, company A; Corporal Jos. L. Rice, company C. Wounded-J. N. Basna, company G, mortally; Riley Faulkner, severely; Lieutenant Secore, company C; C. H. Hewson, company C, hand; Sergeant Thomas Galdwell, company F, severely wounded in shoulder; Jos. Crene, company F, arm. The party once across, and the rebels cleaned The plan was, that they should take the pon- out, it took the engineers but a brief period to toon-boats of the first bridge, of which there complete the bridge. They laid hold with a will, were ten lying on the bank of the river, waiting|plunging waist-deep into the water, and working to be added to the half-finished bridge, cross over in them, and landing, drive out the rebels. as men work who are under inspiration. In less than half an hour the bridge was completed, and the head of the coluinn of the right grand division, consisting of General Howard's command, was moving upon it over the Rappahannock. A feeble attempt from the rebel batteries was made to shell the troops in crossing, but it failed com Nothing could be more admirable or more gallant than the execution of this daring feat. Rushing down the steep banks of the river, the party found temporary shelter behind the pontoon-boats lying scattered on the bank, and behind the piles of planking destined for the cover-pletely. ing of the bridge, behind rocks, etc. In this situation they acted some fifteen or twenty minutes as sharp-shooters, they and the rebels ob Your correspondent found an opportunity to cross the river along with the party who first went over, in a boat, having been curious to take a closer view of the city which we have for near that among the ruses he employed was sending a month been observing over the river, not three down, day before yesterday, to Port Conway, hundred yards wide, without the power of visita- three hundred wagons, and bringing them back tion. As the rebels were in very considerable by a different road, for the sole purpose of makforce on the heights back of the city, one could ing the rebels believe that we were about to not extend his perambulations beyond the street cross the river at that point. To the same end, fronting on the river. Every one of the houses workmen were busily employed in laying causewhich I here entered, a dozen or more, is torn to ways for supposed pontoon-bridges there, while pieces by shot and shell, and the fire still hotly the gunboats were held as bugaboos at the same rages in a dozen parts of the city. A few citizens place. Completely deceived by these feints, the -a score or two, perhaps male and female, main rebel force, including Jackson's command, presently made their appearance, emerging out seems to have been, two or three days ago, transof the cellars, whither they had taken refuge dur- ferred twenty or twenty-five miles down the river. ing the bombardment. Three women-white- It must be remembered, however, that without whom we found in a cellar, told us that they, the utmost celerity on our part, they can readily with a majority of the inhabitants, had moved retrieve this blunder by a forced march or two. out of Fredericksburgh a fortnight or so pre- Signal-guns, at five o'clock this morning, gave viously, but that, growing reassured by our long them the cue to what was going on, and doubtdelay, they, with a good many others, had come less they have not been idle during the intervenback the evening before. The former inhabit- ing hours. To-morrow will disclose what unseen ants, they report as now living in various parts moves have been made on the chess-board. of the environs, some in negro huts, and others in tents made with bed-clothes, etc. During the afternoon of the bombardment we observed a couple of white handkerchiefs waved out of the windows in a house in the city. This was taken by some for a flag of truce, and the Chief of Artillery was on the point of causing the shelling to cease. General Burnside, however, decided that it was probably merely only the wonted rebel ruse, and ordered operations to be continued. We found out that the demonstrations were made by two of the women referred to, with the desire that we should send over a boat and convey them away from Fredericksburgh. Among other prominent objects during the bombardment was a large British flag, flying over the house of the English Consul. This personage, however, was not found in his house when we entered the city, and the flag was taken possession of and brought away. A number of rebel dead were found in various parts of the city, some exhibiting frightful mutilations from shells, and I took as a trophy, a rifle, still loaded, out of the grasp of a hand belonging to a headless trunk. The infantry in the city appear to have been Mississippians, South-Carolinans, and Floridians. Those of them that we took prisoners were wretchedly clad, and mostly without blankets or overcoats, but they generally looked stout and healthy, and certainly in far better condition than they could have been were there any truth in the report of some deserters the other day, to the effect that for three weeks they had nothing to eat but the persimmons they were able to pick up. Although we are not yet fully informed of the present positions of the enemy, there seems to be good ground to claim that General Burnside has succeeded in outgeneralling and outwitting them. His decoys to make them believe that we were about to cross our main force at Port Conway, seem to have succeeded admirably. I suppose there is no harm now in my mentioning Doc. 69. W. S. RAID IN CRAWFORD COUNTY, MO. REPORT OF CAPTAIN REEVES. OSAGE, CRAWFORD COUNTY, Mo., December 9, 1862. Colonel J. M. Glover: A BAND of six guerrillas, headed by Charles Barnes, made a raid upon our part of the county, on the night of the twenty-fifth ultimo. Before night they passed down Huzza Creek unobserved, except by one person, whom they arrested. They commenced their business at the house of John S. Brickey, by taking two guns, a pistol, a negro man and negro girl. Barnes took a pair of handcuffs from his saddle-bags and fastened upon the negro man, but before they had gone far they took an alarm at cattle that ran near them, and the negro man made his escape. They went back up the Huzza Creek, which runs from a southern direction. They called at the house of Israel P. Brickey, and took a gun and pistol, and also compelled Brickey, to furnish them with supper. Next they broke into the house of Cornelius Brickey, calling for him and his son James, whom Barnes had previously threatened, neither of them being at home. They next went one mile to the house of Peter Brickey. There they arrested his son Jarret, who made his escape just as they left the house, and slipped in the dark. They took one negro, one horse, saddle, bridle, pants, hats, and blankets. Next they went to the house of James Sanders, Jr., the First Sergeant of my company. They rushed into the house before he was warned sufficiently to get out of bed, and called upon him to surrender, but he resisted by springing out of bed, snatching his revolver from under his pillow, and firing at the breast of Barnes, who, about the same time, fired upon Sanders, and at the same time ordered his comrades to "fire." Four balls struck Sanders and he fell to the floor. A fatal shot was now about to be made from a rifle, when Sanders's sister threw up the muzzle. They gathered his pis tol, and immediately left. You readily imagine the scene-all transpiring in the room where were a sister, a wife, and two children. The villains next went one and a half miles to the house of David Kilgore, who went with them as a pilot. Thence they went two miles to Henry Martin's, took one gun; thence haif a mile to the house of a widow, whose name is Skaggs; there they gathered blankets, quilts, one revolver, one gun, and one horse; thence four miles to Henry Bager's, where they took one gun. One mile further they came up to the house of Captain S. Mason, and attempted to rush in; the door being fastened, they ordered it opened, and cursed the Captain and bade him surrender. The Captain retreated to a dark part of the house with a preparation of eight loaded barrels, including guns and pistols. He caused his children to make a light in the room and open the door, bidding them to "walk in." Barnes ordered his men to charge," but it was no go. They all soon left without getting in range of the light. They continued in a southern direction, without committing other depredations worthy of mention. The negroes that were with them say that the militia could not get together and be ready to pursue them before ten o'clock of the following day, but they were mistaken; the citizens commenced collecting immediately after the shooting of Sanders, and started on the track, volunteers gathering and joining us on the way, until we numbered about thirty. We followed the trail in pursuit until about two P.M., when we came up within sight, upon the "dividing" ridge between the Current and Huzza Rivers, in Iron County. the information of the Commanding General the result of a scout commanded by me in Marion County, Arkansas. By permission from Captain Flagg, commanding this post, I took command of forty men composed of detachments from companies D, F, G, and H, Second battalion, Fourteenth regiment cavalry Missouri State militia, and on the morning of the ninth instant marched for Lawrence's Mill, a distance of thirty-five miles. I arrived at the mill early in the night, and remained there till noon of the tenth, waiting for forage. During this time I held a consultation with the officers of my command and those of the enrolled militia stationed at the mill, in regard to the direction we should take. It had been my intention to make an expedition into the White River country below Dubuque, where it is said a band of marauders have a considerable number of horses. These marauders I wished to destroy or drive out, and to capture their horses; but having received information that a rebel captain by the name of Mooney, with seventy-five men, were encamped on Tolbert's Ferry on White River, sixty miles from us, I resolved, with the advice of the other officers, to go and capture them. I received a reenforcement of sixty men from the enrolled militia at the mill, and marched twenty miles in the direction of Tolbert's Ferry. The march was continued on the morning of the eleventh, but instead of keeping the road, I bore to the eastward and marched through the woods under the guidance of an excellent woodsman, by the name of Willoughby Hall. I arrived within eight miles of the Ferry by dusk, and stopped to feed and rest in the dense forest near an out of the way corn-field. During the time of our stay at this place I sent Lieut. John R. Kelso with eight men to capture some rebel pickets that I supposed would be at the house of a rebel by the name of Brixy. Lieut. Kelso soon returned, having found and captured two rebels with their guns and one horse; from the prisoners I learned that Captain Mooney's men had temporarily disbanded, and were not to assemble again for two days. I felt a little disappointed upon the reception of this intelligence, but I determined to proceed and make a dash upon a band of armed rebels that, I learned, were at the Saltpetre Cave, on the other side of White River, seven miles from Captain Mooney's house. At midnight my little band emerged from the dark woods where we had been resting, and silently wound among the hills in the direction of Captain Mooney's. Lieut. Kelso led the advance, and by the most excellent management succeeded in capturing seven or eight rebels who lived near the road, without giving any alarm to the country around. Just before day we captured a rebel recruiting officer by the name of Mings, formerly a Lieutenant-Colonel. At the break of day we reached Capt. Mooney's residence; we took him with one other man, together with fifteen stand of small arms, most of which we destroyed, not being able to carry them. We also recaptured eight horses which had been SIR: I have the honor of reporting to you for taken from the enrolled militia, stationed at Law When they saw us, they immediately threw down baggage, consisting of guns, blankets, etc. They soon also left the negroes and horses that they were leading. They scattered into the woods in several directions. Our company divided also in quick pursuit, firing upon them as they ran. Being upon fresh horses, three of them made their escape with a horse each. Another that was wounded in the shoulder, made his escape into a thicket by leaving his horse. We cap tured five horses, one holster-pistol, many guns, blankets, saddles, and saddle-bags, and succeeded in killing two of the band, one of whom was in Mr. Brickey's pants that they had taken the night previous. We take no pleasure in putting to death any one in human shape, but know of no other way of ridding our country of midnight assassins that have been our greatest annoyance connected with this inexcusable rebellion, but to hunt them down and kill them. NATHANIEL B. REEVES, Doc. 70. CAPTAIN BIRCH'S EXPEDITION OZARK, Mo., Dec. 18, 1862. Major James H. Steger, A.A. General. pany F, also deserves favorable notice. As to Lieut. Kelso, his reputation as an intrepid soldier and skilful officer is too well known to require any comment at this time. These, Major, I think, are all the facts worthy of notice. I am, very respectfully, your ob't servant, MILTON BIRCH, Captain Commanding Expedition. ST. LOUIS, Dec. 25, 1862. The conduct of the officers and soldiers who conducted and bore the privations of this expedition deserve my special commendation. This report will be entered fully on my "battle-book," and furnished the press for publicity, with this indorsement. S. R. CURTIS, Doc. 71. FIGHT AT ZUNI, VA. Major-General. SUFFOLK, VA., December 13, 1862. rence's Mill. I remained here to feed and to await the arrival of a party that I had sent out with orders to meet me at this point; they soon came in bringing several prisoners. I then sent Captain Green of the enrolled militia back with the prisoners, seventeen in number, and twentyfive men as an escort. I then divided the rest of my command into two divisions, sending one under command of Captain Salee, accompanied by Lieut. Bates, formerly of the Sixty-fourth Illinois, to march up the river on this side, and to await in concealment till I began the attack with the other division, which was to cross and approach from the other side. It was just noon when we arrived at the cave. The rebels were at their dinner, all unconscious of our approach. When at last they discovered us, they mistook us for a company of their own men, whom they were expecting, and they did not discover their error until we were in half-pistol shot of them. I ordered them to surrender, which they did without firing a gun. They numbered twenty-three, ON Thursday noon last, a column under the of whom three were left, being unable to travel. command of Brigadier-General Ferry, left here for Their guns were mostly shot-guns and rifles, the purpose of engaging the attention of the enewhich I ordered to be destroyed. We also cap-my at the Blackwater. The column consisted tured four mules and two wagons; the wagons, of cavalry, artillery, and eight regiments of inhowever, we could not bring away. Also, three fantry. A pontoon-train, made of old canal-boats, horses were taken. I then ordered the saltpetre taken from the canal which runs through the works to be destroyed, which was effectually Dismal Swamp, was also attached to the expedidone. These are gigantic works, having cost the tion. rebel government thirty thousand dollars. Capt. McNamar, who was in command, stated that in three days they could have had six thousand dollars' worth of saltpetre ready for use. These works, though reported as destroyed at the time of the burning of Yellville, had been unmolested since early last spring when they were slightly injured by a detachment from General Curtis's army. The works being destroyed, and learning that a party of Burris's command were hourly expected, I thought better to retire, as I was already encumbered with prisoners. I marched nearly all night through the dark woods, the rain pouring down upon us in torrents. On the next day we advanced as far as Little North Fork, which is not fordable. Here we remained till the morning of the thirteenth, when we crossed and reached Lawrence Mill. On the fifteenth we reached this place, having been absent seven days, travelled two hundred and twenty-five miles, captured forty-two prisoners, destroyed forty stand of small arms, also captured twelve horses and four mules, and destroyed thirty thousand dollars' worth of machinery, etc., and all without any loss whatever on my side. In conclusion, I must say a word in praise of the brave men under my command. Often with out any food except parched corn, and no shelter from the chilling rains, deprived of sleep, and weary from long night-marches, not a murmur was heard; every hardship was borne with cheerfulness, and every danger met with the utmost coolness. The enrolled militia officers, Captains Salee, Green, and Huffman, all did their duty well. Lieut. Bates, of the Sixty-fourth Illinois, showed himself a brave soldier. Lieut. Warren, of com The column proceeded on the South-Quay road, and halted for supper about six o'clock, having then advanced about ten miles. They next moved on toward the Blackwater, which they expected to reach about two o'clock next morning; but the wagons were laden so heavily with the pontoon-boats that a detention of several hours was caused by their sinking deep into the muddy cypress swamp, through which a portion of the road lay. It was deemed important that the column should reach the Blackwater before daylight, and the pontoon-train would have been left behind to enable it to do so; but the road being exceedingly narrow, with deep ditches on each side, it was found impossible for the cavalry and infantry, which were behind them, to pass, and in some cases a delay of two hours would ensue. Daylight, therefore, revealed the advancing force to the enemy, it not arriving at the Blackwater before six o'clock yesterday morning. This afterward proved to be of little account, as the rebels must have had timely warning of our approach at least two days previously. The passage of the river had been perfectly free of obstructions, while now piles of timber and chevaux de frise lay in it, and on the opposite side a heavy block-house and a large number of rifle. pits had been constructed to assist in repelling an invading enemy. To add to the difficulty of fording the river, the water, which two days previously had not been more than from two to three feet deep, had now risen to twice that depth, so that the cavalry, instead of walking across, were compelled to swim over to the opposite side in the face of a prepared enemy. But for these difficulties a plan, first suggested |