aid, the Rebels were thoroughly beaten and driven away, leaving in
our hands one captain, two lieutenants, thirty-two privates, one stand
of colors, and several wagons and ambulances. Most of these were laden
with booty taken by White's guerillas in a recent raid into Poolesville,
Maryland. Sixty horses and fifty heads of cattle were also captured in
this gallant charge. With all their spoils the expedition returned, via
Leesburg, arriving at their camps in safety.

But all eyes were turned expectantly towards Fredericksburg, with its
two vast armies preparing for a grand encounter. Nearly all the
citizens of the city had left their homes and fled southward. While
General Burnside waited for his pontoons, General Lee was fortifying the
Heights in rear of the city, and concentrating his forces for the
anticipated onset. This state of things was greatly regretted.

_December 11._--The laying of the pontoons commenced in the night, but
the task was only partially performed when daylight made the sappers and
miners at work a fair mark for the sharpshooters, who were hidden among
the buildings which lined the opposite shore, and whose numbers had
largely increased within a few days. Battery after battery was opened on
Falmouth Heights, until not less than one hundred and fifty guns, at
good range, were belching fire and destruction upon the nearly
tenantless city, and still the sharpshooters prevented the completion of
the pontoons, and disputed our crossing. At this critical moment the
Seventh Michigan regiment of infantry immortalized their names. Failing,
after some entreaty, to secure the assistance of the engineer corps to
row them across, they undertook the perilous labor themselves, and amid
the rattling of bullets and the cheers and shouts of our own men, they
reached the opposite shore, with five of their number killed, and
sixteen wounded, including Lieutenant-Colonel Baxter. They immediately
dashed through the streets of the city, and being quickly reenforced by
other regiments, they soon cleared the rifle-pits and buildings adjacent
to the stream of all annoyance. Foremost among the noble men who
performed this heroic work was the Rev. Arthur B. Fuller, chaplain of
the Sixteenth Massachusetts infantry, who was killed by a rifle-shot.

Our pontoons were now laid in quietness to the city; and about three
miles below General Franklin laid his pontoons without opposition.
Several bridges were thus constructed, and