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[239] artillery force, consisting of twenty-nine batteries of one hundred and forty-seven guns, destined to reply to the enemy's batteries, to control his movements on the plain, to command the town, and to protect and cover the crossing. At the same time, the troops were moved forward to positions immediately behind the ridge, and the ponton-trains were drawn down to the river's brink. It had been determined to span the stream by five ponton-bridges—three directly opposite the city, and two a couple of miles below. On the former, Sumner's and Hooker's Grand Divisions were to cross, while Franklin's Grand Division was to make the passage by the lower bridge. Before dawn of the morning of the 11th, the boats were unshipped from the teams at the river's brink; and, swiftly and silently, the engineer troops proceeded to their work, amid a dense fog that filled the valley and water-margins, and through which the moving bridge-builders appeared as spectral forms. But no sooner did the artificers attempt to begin the construction of the bridges than they were met by volleys of musketry at short range from the riflemen posted opposite, behind the stone houses and walls of the river-street of Fredericksburg; and instantly the double report of a piece of ordnance boomed out on the dawn. This was the signal-gun that summoned the scattered Confederate corps to assemble for the long-expected attack.1 Aware, from the configuration of the ground, that he could not hope to prevent the passage of the stream, Lee made his dispositions to resist the advance after crossing.2 He, however,
1 ‘The artificers had but got fairly to work when the firing of two guns from one of the enemy's batteries announced that we were discovered. They were, doubtless, signal-guns.’—W. Swinton: Correspondence of New York Times, December 13, 1862. General Longstreet says: ‘At three o'clock, our signalguns gave notice of the enemy's approach. The troops, being at their different camp-grounds, were formed immediately, and marched to their positions along the line.’—Confederate Reports of Fredericksburg, p. 428.
2 ‘The plain of Fredericksburg is so completely commanded by the Stafford Heights that no effectual opposition could be made to the construction of Bridges or the passage of the river. Our position was therefore selected with a view to resist the enemy's advance after crossing.’—Lee: Report of the Battle of Fredericksburg, p. 39.
1866.
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