figure, in front of his colors, leading his men, with his long glittering sword raised high in the air. As I looked he fell, pierced through the groin with a mortal wound. A noble man indeed, and a glorious and inspiring actor in the bloody drama of that day!

The entire loss in our army in the battle was 12,321 in killed, wounded, missing, and prisoners; of whom 1,339 were killed on the spot, 9,060 wounded, and 1,922 missing and prisoners. A large proportion of the missing were mere stragglers and skulkers.

The rebel loss, as given in their official reports, was 5,309 in killed, wounded, and missing. The official reports show that considerably more than two thirds of the entire rebel loss was suffered in repulsing the attack made by Franklin's men on their right, as on that part of the field most of the fighting was done outside their intrenchments; while on the Union side more than two thirds of the entire loss was suffered by the troops who assaulted the fortifications of the rebel left (on Marye's hill and vicinity).

December 17th. A large detail from the regiments of our brigade was sent over the river under a flag of truce, to bury our dead, who, stripped of their clothing by our brutal foe, now whitened the front of the rebel intrenchments. Our burial party were well treated by the enemy, and even a little assisted by their rebel guard, in the sad and weary task.

As our poor fellows had been paid off so recently, many of them had large sums of money upon their persons when killed, and the 21st men on the detail found plenty of rebels flush with greenbacks, anxious to buy their gray overcoats. It was bad enough for the Massachusetts regiments to carry white flags, but far worse to clothe the earlier ones in rebel colored overcoats; and several of our men were wise enough to give "aid and comfort" to the enemy by selling them old gray

1 We can't help regarding it as brutal to strip the clothing from the bodies of the dead, but if we had been dressed in the scanty and ragged attire of the rebels I have no doubt that we should have done as they did in this respect. — ED.

overcoats for more than enough to buy new regulation blue

ones.

December 18th. A dozen or twenty of our prisoners at Chantilly returned, and reported for duty.

On the 19th of December, General Ferrero issued the following congratulatory address to the brigade:

Headquarters 2d Brigade, 2D DIVISION, 9TH ARMY CORPS.
NEAR FALMOUTH, VA., December 19, 1862.

To the soldiers of the second brigade, the general commanding extends his congratulations and thanks for their gallant conduct and faithful services while under his command.

The patience, steadiness, and courage displayed in desperate battles and wearisome marches, exhibit a spirit that never can fail, a determination that will in the end triumph over all foes. The hardships endured, the difficulties overcome, the perils faced by this our valiant brigade, will live in history. Long after you, the heroes, shall have gone down to the grave, your career will be pointed to by those who follow you, with admiration and praise, and a grateful country will bless ancestors that could endure such toils, that could perform such noble deeds, and so cheerfully sacrifice all that is dear on earth for the sake of their country and their sacred cause. To the new troops

who fought so nobly on the 13th, on their first battle-field, thanks are especially due; they have every way proved themselves worthy to stand side by side with the veterans of the second brigade. That in the coming campaign of 1863, we may all stand by each other as faithfully as heretofore, that we may fight as bravely and successfully for our loved country, and that God's blessing may always rest on you and your exertions, is the earnest prayer of your General,

E. FERRERO, Brig. Genl. Comd. 2d Brig. 2d Div. 9th A. C.

The following piece of poetry, published in one of the New York papers at the time, seems to me a fitting conclusion to my narrative of this bloody and disastrous battle, — both as being a pretty good account of the battle, and as showing the common feeling at the time.

FREDERICKSBURG.

BY W. F. W.

DECEMBER 17, 1862.

Eighteen hundred and sixty-two,

That is the number of wounded men Who, if the telegraph's tale be true,

Reached Washington city but yester e'en.

And it is but a handful, the telegrams add,
To those who are coming by boats and by cars;
Weary and wounded, dying and sad,

Covered - but only in front with scars.

Some are wounded by minie shot,

Others are torn by the hissing shell
As it burst upon them, as fierce and as hot
As a demon spawned in a traitor's hell.

Some are pierced by the sharp bayonet,

Others are crushed by the horse's hoof; Or fell 'neath the shower of iron which met Them as hail beats down on an open roof.

Shall I tell what they did to meet this fate?
Why was this living death their doom?

Why did they fall to this piteous state

'Neath the rifle's crack and the cannon's boom?

Orders arrived, and the river they crossed;
Built the bridge in the enemy's face;

No matter how many were shot and lost,
And floated-sad corpses

- away from the place.

Orders they heard, and they scaled the height,

Climbing right" into the jaws of death;"

Each man grasping his rifle-piece tight,

Scarcely pausing to draw his breath.

Sudden flashed on them a sheet of flame
From hidden fence and from ambuscade;
A moment more (they say this is fame)
A thousand dead men on the grass were laid.

Fifteen thousand in wounded and killed,

At least, is "our loss," the newspapers say. This loss to our army must surely be filled Against another great battle day.

"Our loss!"

Whose loss? Let demagogues say
That the Cabinet, President, all are in wrong:
What do the widows and orphans pray?
What is the burden of their sad song?

"Tis their loss! But the tears in their weeping eyes

Hide Cabinet, President, Generals, — all;

And they only can see a cold form that lies
On the hill-side slope, by that fatal wall.

They cannot discriminate men or means,
They only demand that this blundering cease.
In their frenzied grief they would end such scenes,
Though that end be even with traitors

Is thy face from thy people turned, O God?

peace.

Is thy arm for the Nation no longer strong? We cry from our homes - the dead cry from the sod— How long, O our righteous God! how long?

CHAPTER XIII.

DECEMBER 22, 1862- AUGUST 13, 1863.

OPPOSITE

FREDERICKSBURG AFTER THE BATTLE. THE MUD CAMPAIGN." GENERAL HOOKER IN COMMAND OF THE ARMY. THE NINTH CORPS DETACHED FROM THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC. ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF NEWBERN. TRANSFER OF THE NINTH CORPS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF THE OHIO. — SERVICE IN KENTUCKY.

DECEMBER 22, 1862. The 21st were detailed for twentyfour hours' picket duty along the river, and had a cold, uncomfortable time. There was no firing, and officers and men on each side showed themselves freely along the banks.

December 23d. General Sumner reviewed the corps; and the tired 21st, just off picket, had to turn out with the rest, but their military enthusiasm on that occasion was at rather a low ebb.

December 24th. The 21st had another cold twenty-four hours' tour of picket duty along the river. One interesting feature of it was in hearing and seeing the merry revelry with which the rebels celebrated the advent of Christmas; there was a great firing of guns among them, and lots of glorious camp-fires. Quite a number of Union troops, on invitation of the rebels, crossed the river on Christmas Eve, by the rocky ford just above Falmouth, and helped them celebrate. A few evenings afterwards some fifty rebels returned the visit, coming over at the same place, and were made prisoners by order of the Officer of the Day, who on making his rounds came upon them, smoking and joking around the fires with our pickets. However, as soon as it was known at headquarters