.

There had been a more or less continuous artillery-fire, during the
entire morning, from our batteries stationed on either side of the
river. This was now redoubled to prepare for the assault. Newton's
batteries concentrated their fire on the stone wall, until our troops
had neared it, when they directed it upon the crest beyond; while like
action was effected to sustain Howe.

Instructions were issued to the latter, who at once proceeded to form
three storming columns under Gen. Neill, Col. Grant, and Col. Seaver,
and supported them by the fire of his division artillery.

Sedgwick at the same time ordered out from Newton's division two other
columns, one under Col. Spear, consisting of two regiments, supported by
two more under Gen. Shaler, and one under Col. Johns of equal size, to
move on the plank road, and to the right of it, flanked by a line under
Col. Burnham, with four regiments, on the left of the plank road. This
line advanced manfully at a double-quick against the rifle-pits, neither
halting nor firing a shot, despite the heavy fire they encountered,
until they had driven the enemy from their lower line of works, while
the columns pressed boldly forward to the crest, and carried the works
in their rear. All the guns and many prisoners were captured. This was a
mettlesome assault, and as successful as it was brief and determined.

Howe's columns, in whose front the Confederate skirmishers occupied
the railroad-cutting and embankment, while Hays and two regiments of
Barksdale were on Lee's and adjacent hills, as soon as the firing on his
right was heard, moved to the assault with the bayonet; Neill and Grant
pressing straight for Cemetery hill, which, though warmly received,
they carried without any check. They then faced to the right, and, with
Seaver sustaining their left, carried the works on Marye's heights,
capturing guns and prisoners wholesale.

A stand was subsequently attempted by the Confederates on several
successive crests, but without avail.

The loss of the Sixth Corps in the assault on the Fredericksburg heights
was not far from a thousand men, including Cols. Spear and Johns,
commanding two of the storming columns.

The assault of Howe falls in no wise behind the one made by Newton. The
speedy success of both stands out in curious contrast to the deadly work
of Dec. 13. "So rapid had been the final movement on Marye's hill, that
Hays and Wilcox, to whom application had been made for s