No. 295. Report of Brigadier General A. R. Wright, C. S. Army, commanding Wright's brigade.

HDQRS. WRIGHT'S BRIGADE, ANDERSON'S DIVISION, Camp near Fredericksburg, Va., December 24, 1862.

MAJOR: In compliance with circular issued from division headquarters, December 20, I herewith transmit a report of the part taken by my brigade in the action at Fredericksburg.

At early dawn on the morning of the 11th instant, my brigade was put under arms and marched to a position in the rear of our redoubts, on the left of the Plank road, and there formed in line of battle, my right resting on General Mahone's left and my left upon General Wilcox's right. In this position we remained until the morning of the 16th, when, the enemy having retired across the river, I fell back to my former and present camp.

On the morning of the 11th, when the enemy opened his batteries upon the town, preparatory to crossing the river, the Third Georgia Regiment was on picket duty on the river at the upper edge of the town. This regiment retained its position during the whole day, subjected to a most galling fire from the enemy's batteries.

At 5 o'clock in the evening of that day, I received a communication from Colonel E. J. Walker, commanding the regiment, informing me that the enemy had effected the building of one or more bridges, and had crossed a considerable force into the town on his right, compelling the Eighth Florida Regiment, which was on picket duty immediately on his right, to fall back, and that from the sound of musketry he was led to believe that General Barksdale's brigade, also on picket duty in the town, had retired to our line of battle, and inquiring what the [Colonel Walker] should do. I immediately sent him orders to hold his position at all hazards until morning, and if then he should become satisfied that General Barksdale's brigade had retired, and the enemy should show an imposing force on this side of the river, to fall back in order to my line, destroying the bridges over the canal.

At 8 o'clock next morning, Colonel [Walker] fell back to my line, having accomplished the complete destruction of the canal bridges, General Barksdale having, as he supposed the night before, previously fallen back to our line of batteries. Colonel [Walker's] loss during the day's bombardment was 1 man killed and 1 slightly wounded.

On Friday evening, the 12th instant, the Second Georgia Battalion, of my brigade, under command of Captain C. J. Moffett, was ordered on picket duty in front of the Stansbury house, where it remained until Saturday evening, when it was relieved by the Forty-eighth Georgia Regiment, Captain [M. R.] Hall commanding. During the fight of Saturday Captain Moffett lost 1 man killed and 1 wounded. No other casualties occurred in my command during the action.

While the officers and men of my brigade had no opportunity to display the courage and gallantry which has heretofore marked their conduct in all the battles in which they have been engaged, their patient and protracted "lying in wait" during the six days they were under arms, exposed to the rigors of the severe cold weather and the fire of the enemy's batteries, has given me increased confidence in their character as veteran soldiers, who are like equal to the trials of actual battle,