r Falmouth. The battery moved on the new
ground.

_Wednesday, December 3._--A stable for the officers' horses in the course
of building.

_Monday, December 8._--Commenced to build a stable for the battery
horses.

_Wednesday, December 10._--New clothes were given out to-day. Everything
ready for an advance.

_Thursday, December 11._--Bombardment of Fredericksburg. Last night a
large part of the artillery was brought in position, close to the river,
and before daybreak, about one hundred and thirty guns were throwing shell
and shot in the city, without eliciting any reply, except from rebel
sharpshooters in the cellars on the river line, compelling the engineers
to give up the attempt of laying pontoons across the river. Fires broke
out in several places during the day. Towards evening, two companies, one
of the Seventy-first New York, (Tammany,) and one of the Seventh Michigan,
volunteered to cross the Rappahannock on scows, charged on the
sharpshooters, and took fifty prisoners, losing fifteen killed. The
pontoon bridge was completed shortly after, and three thousand men entered
the city before night. We remained this side of the Rappahannock. Our
battery was close to the river all day, but did not fire.

_Friday, December 12._--Troops are crossing over on the pontoons to
Fredericksburg. Our battery moved towards the river about eight o'clock A.
M. Near the bridge we were received by a tremendous fire from the enemy's
batteries on St. Mary's Heights, but, fortunately, sustained no loss. Not
so, Frank's New York battery, they having one man killed and several
wounded. One shot took effect in stopping one of their pieces. Without
delay we crossed the Rappahannock. Artillery, cavalry and infantry went
over all the morning. A new regiment crossed the bridge at four o'clock
P. M., their band playing the tune of "Bully for you." All of a sudden the
enemy's batteries opened on the regiment, which run back in bad order,
committing the mistake of running right in the enemy's fire. The troops
are committing depredations all over the town. The stores were completely
ransacked. Most every man had a lot of tobacco. In the evening, the
battery marched around the town, but returned again to our former place,
close to the river. The scenes in the streets were really picturesque.
Soldiers could be seen, sitting on splendid furniture, mixing dough for
flap-jacks. Most of our battery were cooking all night.

_Saturday, December 13