1862 December 19 Chapel Hill, N.C.

[from the diary of Eliza Oswald Hill, refugee from Wilmington, N.C.]

Friday the good news has reached us that the Battle of Fredericks
-burg has been fought & won, a letter written on the 16th P M
Tonight those of our victorious troops that escaped unharmed
from Battle bullet & disease, rest quietly & confidently on their well
earned Laurels.  Whilst nearby, if not quite all of our wounded are
in comfortable quarters in Hospitals in Richmond--Many a
brave spirit sealed his devotion to our cause by the sacrifice of
his life on this glorious but fatal field--Fredericksburg is a
gain in our possession the Yankees having evacuated it
Their departure giving unmistakeable evidence of panic & haste
About the tow was found large numbers of Guns-Knapsacks, haver
sacks, crackers, salt, pork, & at least one hundred thousand rounds of
good cartridges-They also left behind them in & about the town at
the very least, some six hundred of their dead-& 20 of their wounded
were left behind--Intelligent Citizens of Fredericksburg say that the
Yankees admit a great defeat & loss during the whole engagement
Beginning at the passage of the river & ending with Saturdays great
fight of 15000--It is also said on reliable authority that the Yankee
officers were anxious to renew the fight on Sunday but that the
men were demoralized & could not be gotten up to the mark--Some of the
prisoners confirm the report that bayonets & Sharp shooters were
used in forcing up the men to the terrible work on Saturday &
they further say they were threatened with the fire of their own Bat
-teries should they falter-& Whiskey rations were freely supplied the
Yankees previous to going into battle.  But all this was to no purpose.
The wanton destruction to preparatory in town can neither be imagined
or described--All that was edible has been devoured by the hungry
Yankees.  Whilst clothing has been stolen from every house Negroes
cattle & every thing carried off--Furniture broken up and burnt--

MSS 6960