arrive at Warrington that McClellan is removed again now Lee is back in Virginia, and the authorities feel safe. Well let them fire away; they will soon see where they will pull up. Burnside now takes command. I don't think there is a better man in the army than he, but of course we all think with himself that he is not capable of commanding the Army of the Potomac. The feeling in the army at this time is better imagined than described, and I do believe, if he only said the word, McClellan and his army would march on Washington, and chastise those who are intriguing against our noble commander, and doing their best to destroy our army. But no; he bows his head with resignation, and amid the tears of his comrades, 'takes a sad farewell, November 7th, in the following noble address. to his much cherished army.

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
Camp near Rectortown, Va., November 7.

OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC:

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An order of the President devolves upon Major General Burnside the command of this Army. In parting from you I cannot express the love and gratitude I bear to you. As an army you have grown up in my care. In you I have never found doubt or coldness. The battles you have fought under my command will probably live in our Nations' history. The glory you have achieved over mutual perils and fatigues, the graves of our comrades fallen in battle and by disease; the broken forms of those whom wounds and sickness have disabled; the strongest associations which can exist among men unite us by an indissoluble tie. We shall ever be comrades in supporting the Constitution of our country and the Nationality of its people.

GEO. B. MÜCLELLAN,

Major General U. S. A.

CHAPTER XXI.

A RACE FOR FREDRICKSBURGH-THE ENEMY IN SMALL FORCE
ACROSS THE RIVER-CAMP LIFE-ORDERS TO MARCH-
GALLANT FEAT OF THE 7TH MICH. INFANTRY-BATTLE
OF FREDRICKSBURG-THE DEFEAT AND RETREAT.

While Burnside is organizing and fixing things to suit him, we halt for a few days. The enemy is making towards Fredricksburg on the south side of the Blue Ridge, and if he gets there before us he will have the inside track to Richmond. Accordingly we strike tents and start for Fredricksburg, where we arrive after several forced marches. The enemy has taken up a position on the heights in the rear of the city. When we arrived there were only a small force before us, but we go quietly into camp and make ourselves comfortable. Here is the same routine of camp life; camp guard, picket duty, fatigue duty and drill. All of Lee's army now is encamped and in position in and around Fredricksburg. If McClellan had been in command when we first arrived here and lay idly by, what

cry of on to Richmond would be heard by his enemies ; but he is not in command, and what anyone else does is all right; they can take their time and no cry of on to Richmond is made.

Both armies are encamped in plain sight of each other, and their pickets are stationed along the Rappahannock, within a stone's throw of each other. There are no hostilties between them, and generally all is quiet along the lines. But our friendships are soon to be broken, for about Dec. 10th we get the order to be be ready to march with

three days rations in our haversacks, and accordingly, on the 11th of December we are up bright and early, ready for an onward move. The morning is clear, cold and frosty. About 7 A. M. a tremendous artillery fire from our batteries is opened on the city and rebel works. The reverberations of the sound, as it passes along the river, makes it seem to us as though there were five thousand dogs of war barking all at once. Our engineers are busy laying down pontoon bridges for the troops to cross over. It is plain to us now that a forward movement is going to be made. The enemy's sharp-shooters are making sad havoc among the pontoon builders, for they are firing from the houses in the city at our men. Something must be done to remedy this, and a detail is made from the gallant Seventh Mich. Infantry to cross and clean out the rebel sharpshooters. Those few who crossed in those open boats have earned for themselves a crown of glory, and that little party will be remembered as long as their country will last, for performing one of the most daring feats of the war. They push out from the shore, bearing the starry flag aloft. The enemy pour their deadly missles into the midst of them, and many a brave hero is tumbled into the turbid waters of the Rappahannock. Can it be possible that any of them can cross with their lives? They have a very poor way of defending themselves, but they still keep on, and are about to land, when the house skulkers pour their deadly lead among the devoted band. They strive to keep a foothold, and commence firing. Some more troops are crossing in boats to reinforce. They make a desperate charge on the buildings occupied by the enemy, whom they drag forth from their cover. We have a foothold now, and the bridges are quickly built. The army moves to the

front, and night ends the operations. During the night many cross, while our corps move to the left.

On the morning of Dec. 13, 1862, the battle of Fredericksburg commenced. Our men advance and dislodge the rebels from their front line of works. They open up a a tremendous fire on our men from their artillery, and we cross the river on the double-quick, the shells bursting like hail all around. The gallant Fifth are already engaged, and our regiment join them on the left. A fearful fight is now taking place all along the line, both armies holding their ground. A battery of artillery pull up in line with us and are soon making sad havoc in the enemies ranks. The rebel infantry don't like to have the canister poured in among them, so they form in the valley to charge and take the battery. They are four lines deep, and await the order to charge. Cease firing, is the order of the Captain commanding the battery, and double shot your pieces with canister. Lieutenant Colonel Ed. Peirce of the old Third gives the command to be ready. We feel sure if they take our glorious battery they will pay dearly for every piece. Ha, they are in motion, coming as cool as if on parade. Steady boys, don't fire yet, is heard in a firm voice from our brave Colonel. They set up a hideous yelling, and are close to us. Why don't we get the order to fire we ask ; but they are not near enough yet. The captain of the battery gives his order to fire, and six guns open with their double-shotted mouths into the advancing masses. that is enough for them. They break in confusion and fly to the rear, satisfied that they don't want that battery.

Ha,

The fight rages terribly along the lines for eight miles. The rebels try hard to drive us into the river and to break our lines in every available spot; first with a right flank

movement, then a left, and then a center, and each time get back behind their works with great loss. But they are not having all the losses, for our army is suffering fearfully too. We hear great cheering to our right, and can tell that it is a charge from our side, for we can always tell the difference between the hellish yells of the enemy and the manly cheering of the union men. The Irish brigade, under the great and brave General Meagher, are on the charge, with their sleeves rolled up, and they mean heavy business. They are trying to dislodge the enemy from behind a stone wall on the heights. For awhile the contestants on either side cease, and all look on the gallant brigade going forward on their forlorn hope. They charge up the hill, bearing aloft the green flag of Ireland and the stars and stripes. Thousands of the enemy are waiting behind the wall to cut them to pieces. I have heard it said by a rebel who was behind the wall at the time, that they were loth to fire on such brave men; but they were their enemies, and were forced to do so. Volley after volley is poured into the brave brigade. They close up the gaps in their ranks, forward on the double-quick with wild cheers, and soon have a hand to hand fight with the enemy. They do not get reinforced for some reason, and have to fall back against fearful odds. Surely such men ought to be remembered by all true Americans, for no greater supporters are in the country than the brave Irish volunteers. Let bigots grumble about the Irish, but this country is their country, and no power can gainsay it, for they fight for it, and do everything to make it a home for them and for the oppressed of every nation, who like themselves, have to flee from the land of their birth.

Our men try the enemy's lines in different places, and