Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 27.djvu/246

 238 Southern Historical Society Papers.

Lee had expected Burnside to renew the battle on the i4th, but this he did not do, and Jackson secured permission to attack the Federal left on the evening of the I4th. He and Stuart opened a fierce artillery fire on Franklin along the Richmond road, but Frank- lin's hundred field-cannon and heavy guns compelled an abandon- ment of the movement. Not satisfied with this, Jackson desired to make an assult with the bayonet after nightfall, but Lee would not permit this to be done. In a letter to President Davis on the i6th of December, Lee declared that he supposed Burnside was just com- mencing his attack and that he was saving his men for the conflict.

IN WINTER QUARTERS.

The Federal army went into winter quarters along the line of the railway from Fredericksburg to Aquia creek, with a base of supplies at that Potomac landing. Jackson established his headquarters at Moss Neck, near Fredericksburg, and Longstreet's corps occupied the vicinity of Banks's Ford, and the Second corps went into winter quarters in Caroline county.

Thus these two powerful contending armies, with their camp-fires in sight of each other, went into winter quarters and commenced the work of preparing for another trial of strength during the coming year.

Let us examine their respective conditions, opportunities, and advantages, as they lie inactive in their camps. One was fairly riot- ing in the luxuries of life, with the entire world from which they could gather their stores; with ample means to go into the markets of the world and purchase that which they needed, while the same money could, and did, purchase them new recruits, and caused the other not only to fight against the men of the North, but to meet face to face upon the battle-field an army composed of nearly every nationality under the sun; hunger to them was unknown; privations of any kind to them were rare, and there stood at their back a strong government ready, willing, and able to supply every demand made upon it.

THE OTHER PICTURE.

Examine the other picture. Want, in its most cruel shape, marched through and pervaded every tent upon that bivouac; hun- ger clustered around nearly every form; unshod, unclothed, and without cover, the Confederate soldiers faced the chilly blasts of that winter, while their only strength lay in their patriotic courage and