CROSSING ON PONTOONS BY MOONLIGHT. 289 The lower crossing had now been abandoned, and Gen. Sedgwick sent the First Corps likewise up the river to reinforce Hooker, leaving only the Sixth Corps below Fredericksburg. Immediately on our obtaining possession of the Bowling Green turnpike, Howe's and Newton's, the two remaining Divisions of the Corps, passed over the bridges. 290 À GLORIOUS SUCCESS. CHAPTER XXXI. THE STORMING OF FREDERICKSBURG HEIGHTS. arms SUNDAY, MAY 3, 1863. SUNDAY, May 3d, was a proud day for the Union -the boasted Heights of Fredericksburg were stormed by our brave boys, and the Stars and Stripes planted triumphantly over that "Gibraltar of America." Whatever the result of the fighting in the rear, that in front crowned our arms with imperishable renown. "This crest of hills," wrote the London Times' correspondent, after the battle under Burnside, "constitute one of the strongest positions in the world-impregnable to any attack from the front." The achievements of that memorable day again demonstrated that what is impossible with John Bull becomes possible with Jonathan. The members of the Thirty-third can ever point with pride to the conspicuous part which they bore in this brilliant achievement-the crowning glory of their two years' career. Though Gen. Lee had withdrawn his infantry from the ridge below the city, he left, as he supposed, a sufficient force to hold the hills immediately in the rear. Here was planted the best of his artil PREPARING TO STORM MARYE'S HEIGHTS. 293 lery, supported by the flower of his infantry, under command of the haughty and supercilious Barksdale, who a few weeks later breathed his life away on the crimson fields of Gettysburg-abandoned by his own men, without a slave even to bring him a cup of cold water. About one o'clock Sunday morning, a courier arrived at Gen. Sedgwick's headquarters, with orders from Gen. Hooker to storm the Heights, and pushing on beyond, join him at Chancellorsville. After crossing below Fredericksburg Saturday evening, Howe's Division had advanced up towards the city on the Bowling Green road, as far as Hazel Creek, the Thirty-third and Forty-ninth New York being deployed as skirmishers. When Hooker's orders arrived, Gen. Newton's Division passed to the right, and later, Howe's also moved further on, connecting with him. Brooks likewise came up from below, and formed on to Howe's left. The positions of the various Divisions became then as follows: Gen. Brooks, extreme left; Gen. Howe, centre; and Gen. Newton, right; connecting on with Newton's was Gibbon's Division of the Second Corps, extending above the city. The Regiments for the assault were selected from Howe's, Newton's and Gibbon's commands. The following comprised all, or nearly all, the number : 31st, 33d, 36th, 43d, 49th, 59th, 61st and 77th New York; 23d, 61st, 82d, 93d, 98th, 122d, 127th and 139th Pennsylvania; 7th, 19th and 20th Massachusetts; 5th Wisconsin, 6th and 7th Maine, 21st New Jersey and 1st Long Island. |