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| Place of Franklin's passage of the Rappahannock. |
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was made to finish the bridges; but, strange to say, the sharp-shooters were there yet, and the effort failed.
These must be dislodged.
Volunteers were called for to cross the river in the open pontoon-boats, and drive them from their hiding-places, which cannon on the heights could not reach.
The Seventh Michigan and Nineteenth and Twentieth Massachusetts, of Howard's division, offered their services for the perilous undertaking.
These dashed across as rapidly as possible, and as soon as a sufficient number had landed, they rushed up the bank, drove the Mississippians from their shelter, captured nearly one hundred of them, and took possession of the riverfront of the town.1 The pontoon-bridges were soon completed; but at the loss at this point and at Franklin's crossing-place, nearly two miles below , of three hundred men.2
That evening Howard's division of Couch's corps crossed the river, drove the Confederates (Seventeenth and Eighteenth Mississippi and Eighth Florida) out of Fredericksburg , and occupied the battered and smoking city.3 Fortunately for the Nationals, there was another thick fog the next morning, and under its cover, and the wild firing in the mist from the Stafford Hills, the remainder of Sumner's Right Grand Division crossed to the city side of the Rappahannock.
A large portion of Franklin's Left Grand Division crossed at the same time, while the Center Grand Division, under Hooker,4 remaine d on the Falmouth side, in readiness,
1 In this gallant exploit a drummer-boy of the Seventh Michigan, named Robert H. Hendershot, distinguished himself. It was his twelfth birthday, having been born on t he 11th day of December, 1850. He volunteered to go, and with his drum slung to his back he jumped into one of the boats. His captain ordered him out, telling him he was too small for such business. “May I help push off the boat, Captain?” said the boy. “Yes,” was the reply. He purposely let the boat drag him into the river, and, clinging to it, he so crossed the stream. A large number of the men in t he boat were killed, and a s the boy climbed up the bank his drum was torn in pieces by the fragment of a shell. He seized a musket belonging to one of his slain companions, and fought gallantly with the rest. His bravery was brought to the notice of Burnside,who warmly commended it. It was published abroad. The Tribune Association of New York presented him with an elegant new drum, and the proprietor of the Eastman Business College, at Poughkeepsie, offered to give him a home, a full support, and a thorough education, without charge; which generous offer the boy accepted, and he at once entered that institution.
2 Franklin was opposed by sharp-shooters in rifle-pits in front of his bridges, near the mouth of Deep Run. These he soon dislodged, and by noon his bridges were ready for use. The above view of the place where Franklin's pontoons were laid is from a sketch made by the author in June, 1866, from the right bank of the river, and nearly opposite the site of the residence of Washington, when he was a boy. For a picture of that residence, see Lossing's Field Book of the Revolution, II. 219. The river here is much wider than in front of the city.
3 Eye-witnesses describe the scene in Fredericksburg after the bombardment on the 11th as sad in the extreme. Several buildings which had been set on fire were yet smoking, and very few had escaped wounds from the missiles. The streets were filled with furniture, carried out to be saved from the flames only to be destroyed by other causes. Fortunately, the few inhabitants who remained took refuge in cellars, and not one was killed. The picture in the text on the next page is from a sketch by Henry Lovie, made on the morning after the bombardment.
4 See note 3, page 485.
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