From Fredericksburg.
[from our own correspondent.]
Want of men, I suppose, prevented the capture at least of Sedgwick's whole command. If we could have captured him, crossed the river at or below Banks's ford, or at Fredericksburg, whole Lee returned to harass Hooker in his retreat, and by the crossing captured Aquia, cut off and cut up Hooker, and got to Washington before him, then the Herald, even, would not say we had "nothing to show." All this would have been accomplished with anything like equal numbers with Hooker's. If every town in the Confederacy had done and given, not to say suffered, what Fredericksburg has, there would be no lack of men here or in the Southwest. Let them come forward, or be compelled to come. It is time each man should ask how he can aid the cause. It is not necessary to wear buttons or draw pay in order to render "service." The Confederacy demands the best service possible from each and all of her sons.
Yankee papers, with profane compliments to "Jackson's worth," extorted by his unselfish greatness even from their polluted, lying lips, boast that he alone was "equal to a brigade," and exult in the "irreparable loss" of this "brave defender of an accursed canes."--True, one blast upon his bugle horn were worth a thousand Southern men and ten thousand Yankees. True, his fall has made his battle scarred and outraged mother, Virginia, the Niobe of States. True, our grief at his loss and reverence for his dauntless heroism and victorious valor strikes eulogy dumb, and makes attempted praises almost disrespect to his memory. True, the Confederacy sorrowfully asks, as South Carolina did when Calhoun died, "who shall seize from the dead hand the standard of the South? " Yet his memory and example live for us to avenge and emulate. Lee and a score of great Generals are left us, and, above all, a God of truth and justice reigns. Woe to the foe when Jackson's followers again shall meet them. Jackson, at Alexandria, smiting the insulting despoiler of his household, struck the key-note of just retribution upon all invaders. We have two Jacksons to avenge. Let the polite, extra civilized warfare upon a cruel, dastard foe be now forever abandoned. If all Yankees could see in their wounded, neglected and forsaken, like those at Chancellorsville, and crouching from the fires, with slow and inevitable march, approaching to consume them — a doom as certain and universal as it is deserved — they would be driven in affright to their own dens, and never more "cross over" to receive the just penalty of invaders. Let the bitter, scorching, consuming wrath of this long-suffering land visit relentless justice upon the cruel cowards, murderers, and thieves who wage this savage war of tyranny and subjugation. Patience is exhausted and forbearance is not appreciated; sharp, fierce, decisive, real war should now begin. A wise cruelty may "show" the Yankees some things they have not seen before.
The late battle have left us this also to show — that our artillery is equal or superior to the Yankees. Stuart, succeeding Jackson, fought our guns at shorter range, I hear, than ever before, and hence the terrible execution. I have mentioned the batteries at Chancellorsville and on our extreme right, their accuracy, precision, and effect. On Lee's and Howison's hills, two Georgia batteries, of Cabell's artillery battalion, Capt. Frazier's and Capt. Carleton's, deserve especial mention, and did fearful work among the foe. Handled with surpassing skill and unrivalled courage, checking and mowing down Sedgwick's men, after firing all except the last round of ammunition, bringing off everything in safety, even the dead bodies of their comrades, and in retreat after Marye's Heights were taken, giving the enemy a parthian shot, they have won a proud name for distinguished service on that memorable day.
One incident deserves a record for imitation. A private in Carleton's battery (Sayre by name, I think,) seeing an enemy's shell with the fuse burning fall near his gun, pushed it off, to explode at the bottom of the redoubt, and thus doubtless saved the lives of several. Manly's North Carolina, and McCarthy's Richmond Howitzers, also did noble service in the various battles on our left.
Tardy justice I see has been done to the important labors of the cavalry between Spotsylvania Comt House and the Catherine Furnace, driving back the enemy's cavalry, and thus enabling Jackson to march undiscovered to the rear.
A private citizen, who is not in the army, aided Jackson with invaluable assistance, and thus contributed to the grand success.
But why call the roll when all were heroes? Circumstance gave some the opportunity to win laurels many others could and would gladly have achieved. After all, the consciousness of duty done is the best reward.--The old patriot and philosopher, when asked why his was not among the statues of his country's distinguished sons, replied he would rather have that question asked than have his statue there, because it was the highest proof that he deserved the honor. So many a gallant deed, if unrewarded, proves its desert and receives its reward in the inquiry of brave comrades, Why was it not mentioned?
My duties as your correspondent are doubtless about over. Conscious of omissions many and failures often, with no excuses to urge and no unpleasant memories, except that I could not better discharge the unaccustomed labors. Abstaining from censure, and regretting that I could not deal out to every soldier the full measure of deserved applause, I leave to some abler hand to collect the incidents and make up the record of the next brilliant victory which awaits our arms, assured that from the helmet of the future we shall yet draw the lot of independence won and peace achieved.
