March 23, 1863, The Charleston Mercury
The long silence at Fredericksburg has at last been broken by the clash of arms. The enemy has begun his […..] movement,’ and made his first step by attempting to cross the river at Kelly’s Ford, above Fredericksburg. On last Tuesday morning, about 9 o’clock, a.m., the advance of the enemy, some 3000 strong, as estimated in the official despatch to General Lee, and supposed to be Averill’s division, appeared on the north bank of the Rappahannock, and succeeded in effecting a crossing. Accounts brought down by passengers put the enemy force a little higher – say some four or five thousand. They were here met by a portion of General Fitzhugh Lee’s command, about 1200 strong, according to the reports we get. A severe engagement ensued. The fighting is said to have been terrific, and the enemy are reported to have fought with great stubbornness. The battle wavered a long time, and the great bravery of our men alone won the victory. Our men dashed on the enemy with all the force of an avalanche, and for a long time the fight raged – hand to hand. The Yankees contested every inch of the ground, but finding the fire of our men too much they fell back in great disorder, and retired to the other side of the river. As soon as the retreat was ordered the Yankees fled in great dismay and confusion, leaving behind them their dead and wounded on the field, and a number of supplies. So rapid was the enemy’s flight across the river that his hospital, established in the rear for his wounded was abandoned, and his dead lay strewn over the ground – everything left behind in his panic.
Of the loss in the action we can get very little information. It is quite certain, however, that the enemy suffered severely. We can get no actual estimate of his loss, but from the accounts brought down by passengers last night, as well as from the official despatches, it is very plain that the fight was a hard and desperate one, and the loss severe. The Yankees would scarcely have been thrown into such confusion and disorder had not they have been terribly cut up.
So far as regards our own loss, we are without any definite information. It is to be hoped from the accounts we get that our men suffered not seriously. The despatches we have convey no idea as to the extent of our loss, beyond the mere fact that Major Pelham and Major Pullen are among our killed. Major Pullen was from Gloucester county, in this State, and was esteemed by all who knew him. He was a man of high character, and stood well as an officer. Major Pelham was from Alabama, and was a young officer of great promise. He graduated at West Point in the class of 1861 – just after the outbreak of the war – and on coming South entered the army. He had passed through all the battles in Virginia, and was mentioned for his gallantry by General Lee in his official report of the battle of Fredericksburg. He was comparatively a youth – scarcely over twenty-two years of age. He was killed, we understand, by being struck on the head by a piece of shell while in the act of cheering his men on in a charge. His body was brought down by the cars last night and was deposited in the Capitol under a military guard. His remains, we learn, will be taken to Alabama.
Unimportant as this action may appear, so far as the numbers engaged, it must be taken as a decided success for us. It was the advance guard of the enemy and it was his first step in his ON TO RICHMOND. The preparations he had made and his packed provisions show that he was prepared for a long march, and that it was no mere reconnoissance. Had they have been successful, there is no doubt that they would have been soon followed up by the whole of Hooker’s army. The affair is therefore important in its result, and will no doubt have an effect on the enemy’s plan in his meditated advance on Richmond. Foiled and driven back, he is now disconcerted in his plan and further from Richmond than ever.
Later. – From a despatch received from Gordonsville last night, we get some later news of the fight. It appears that the enemy crossed the Rappahannock in the morning at Kelly Ford, with both a cavalry and artillery force. They advanced within some six miles of Culpeper Court House, when our men made a stand. The fight was severe, and lasted several hours. The Yankees were finally repulsed, and fell back, in the real John Gilpin style – routed and panic-stricken. By some of the prisoners taken by us the enemy’s force is said to have been two divisions – but this is hardly so. It is thought that their force were two brigades, which have been confounded by the prisoners with […..].’ The prisoners confirm the great slaughter of their men, and confess that they were badly shipped. It is stated that we took a number of prisoners, but how many we are left to conjecture. A number of our men were also made prisoners, but it is thought that they will not exceed thirty or forty, among them was Major Breckinridge. Among our killed, we learn, was Lieut. Harris, of Powhatan county, Va. Col. Rosser, of New Orleans, is also mentioned as slightly wounded. From the accounts that have reached Gordonsville of the fight, and from the best estimate that can be made, our entire loss – killed, wounded and missing – is about 250. That of the enemy is said to be much greater.
The Latest. – Up to 11 o’clock last night nothing later had been received at the War Department. All is reported quiet along our lines – the enemy, nowhere appearing, having performed the famous feat of the forty thousand Frenchmen that marched up the hill and then – down again.
Richmond Examiner of Thursday.