The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-25 00:00:00

THE BATTL

IRICKSBURG.

The following is an extract from a private letter,
dated Washington, May 8 :
"You are no doubt anxious to hear in regard to the
great battle that has just been fought. I can only say,
the same practice heretofore observed by the Govern-
ment in all such cases is done in this, only to a much greater
extent, and that much more to their shame. We have it
announced this morning that the movement towards a new
base is ' only a failure, not a disaster.'
" It is known in Washington, and publicly admitted by
all parties connected with the army, that this is the most
terrible disaster which has yet happened to the Government.
The fact is, that not one-half of the army will ever get back,
and the loss of artillery and stores is enormous. It will all
come out in due time, but the Government wants to break
the blow by putting out such a despatch as that published
in the morning papers. Never before have such efforts been
made to keep the public from learning the true state of
affairs. Telegraphic offices have been seized, and even cor-
respondents of papers have been detained, when en route,
to carry in person despatches that were refused even in the
mails. The estimated loss of Hooker's army is not less than
25,000 killed and wounded, besides thousands of prisoners
and innumerable pieces of artillery. He was shelled by the
whole Confederate artillery at every point from the time he
started until he reached the other side, and the only artil-
lery saved was that sent over before he crossed. All that
left to protect his crossing and his rear fell into the bands
of the enemy. Whether er not he is being pursued, of
course no one here knows. For anything like particulars
we must await the letters of correspondents. When the
different advocates of the different generals get quarrelling
among themselves, then we will have it all brought out.
You may rest assured of one thing, there will be no further
spring campaign in the east. We are expecting hourly to
hear that Lee is either threatening Washington or has sent
his army to Tennessee to crush Rosecranz, and thus get
possession of Tennessee and Kentucky. The near approach
of the end of the term of enlistment of some 250,000 men is
now the great drawback of Government, and this battle was
fought in hopes of winning it with these very troops before
their term of enlistment expired."
The following is an extract of a letter from an
officer in the Army of the Potomac :
" Dear Brother,—Here we are back again to our old
camp at Falmouth after a raid with 150,000 men across the
Rappahannock—at least what are left of that number we
started with, for the reports this morning are that some
30,000 are missing from all the various corps d'armee.
Well, after six months' careful preparation, General
Hooker came to the conclusion that he had repaired all the
damages of the last defeat at Fredericksburg, re-inspected
the troops, and had, as he said, now got the finest army
on the planet,' and was determined to place it in Rich-
mond within a week at the latest, You are aware that the
term of some 40,000 men of this army expires in May, and,
of course, they could only be made use of by an early
attack upon the enemy. In last week the whole force was
suddenly and quietly put in motion to surprise the rebels,
who, it was said, had only some 30,000 troops atFredericks-
burg. To effect this, and doubly outflank them, our whole
army crossed in two places, one about twenty miles above
and one about eight miles below that town. The latter
seems to have, in fact, found but a small force of the enemy
at Fredericksburg (by some it is said not over 10,000 men),
because the heights so strongly and successfully defended
last time were carried without any very serious resistance.
It is probable that General Lee had due notice of the por-
tion of our army that crossed above, but not that below.
This we cannot know, but it is certain that he at once
massed an equal or greater force than ours at Chancellors-
vine; besides outflanking us by sending General Jackson
to our rear. A fierce and general battle ensued. General
Sigel's German division at the firstshock brokeand scattered
at once. The rebels rushed in with fury, and our army was
gradually forced back to the bank of the river. As soon as
we began to give way General Lee seems to have trans-
ferred a heavy force to Fredericksburg, which at once
retook the heights, and completely defeated that portion of
our army. So passed that eventful Sunday. Monday but
little fighting was done. Tuesday the same, but it
was evident that the enemy were receiving large
reinforcements. So about noon General Hooker
issued orders to recross the river to our old posi-
tion, and here we are after a complete defeat, which
shows General Lee to be the first General of the age if he
was surprised, and no mean one if he was not, and proves
that his troops are as fierce and brave in attack as resolute
in defence. The immediate results of this battle are diffi-
cult to learn. We have left the whole of our dead and

wounded in possession of the enemy. At the early part of
the first day we took about 2,020 prisoners. The rebels
boast to have taken 5,000. As both sides were at times the

attacking party the loss in killed and wounded may be abou

equal—say, 10,000 to 15,000 each; but, as the rebels w:

naturally take care of their wounded at first, we may expect

to lose a vast number who might have been saved. It is

said that about 30 guns are missing, while we have captured
five or six of the enemy's. As it is probable that many of
the troops whose time is so nearly out will desert, it is not
at all unlikely that the army of the Potomac will have lost
some 30,000 men by this stupendous raid across the Rappa-
hannock. The loss of prestige, both in this country and
Europe, by the defeat of an army drilled and prepared with

so much care no one can well estimate. Will France and

England now say that there must be no more of this awful

Fratricidal strife ? It will be galling to our pride, yet, per.

haps, may best satisfy both sides."

Horrible Tragedy in New Zealand.

The Wellington Independent reports a terrible tragedy in
the Canterbury provinces :—" On Friday last some rumours
' of a series of murders at Amuri, near Kai Boras, were
bruited abroad, but we were unable to obtain full and re-
, liable particulars until Saturday morning, when Captain
Davidson, of the schooner Randolph, who had recently ar-
rived from the Kai Boras, furnished us with full details of
the horrible occurrence. The following are the particulars,
as prepared from the captain's statement. The schooner
Randolph left Kai Koras about 10 days ago, and just before
her departure the tragedy took place. About 70 persons in
all were collected at Amuri, in expectation of the arrival of
a steamer from Lyttelton, which was to take away 500 bales
of wool. Some of the party were Europeans, and the rest
were mainly Maories belonging to the neighbourhood.
The first news of the event was brought to Mr. Fyffs'
station on Friday morning, the 27th of February, by a chief
named Saul, who had galloped from Amuri, a distance of
18 miles, without drawing bridle. From his statement it
would appear that seven of the natives slept in a hut
together, and on that morning about two o'clock, when
all were hushed in sleep, a Maori, named Duff, arose softly
from beside his companions, and creeping stealthily in the
darkness, emerged from the hut, reached the cook's fire-
place and possessed himself of a spade. Armed with this
weapon, which was worn sharp at the edges by use, he crept
cautiously back to where his unconscious countrymen lay,
and, fearful to relate, contrived, before they could defend
themselves, to kill two of them. It is almost incredible, but
nevertheless perfectly true, that he literally severed the
heads from the bodies of his victims. The spade was sharp,
the objects of his attack lay prostrate—and the foal deed
was accomplished in a style which would have done credit
to an English headsman of the olden time, or a modern
Chinese executioner in constant practice. The next victim
was partially awake ere attacked, and instinctively, blanket
in hand, uplifed his arms to ward off the blow I Crash I it
came down on his temple, inflicting a fearful cut, and
driving the blanket deep into the wound. Stunned and
bleeding, the unfortunate man fell, so seriously injured,
that he is not expected to recover. This triple immolation
seemed but to add fresh fury to the human butcher. Like
a Malay running a-muck, the blood of his victims only
seemed to whet his appetite for more. The previous events
had occurred amidst perfect silence. The murderer never
spoke—the night was pitch dark, and, beyond the dull,
crunching sounds of the blows, each of which may almost
be said sent a human being into eternity, nought had oc-
curred to break the stillness of the night or arouse the
sleepers to a sense of their impending danger. But as he
attacked a fourth of their number the noise roused the
others; bur, ere the assassin was secured, he had inflicted
some ghastly wounds on the man's shoulder and thigh. A
rpe a n s
hasty council of war was held; Duff was lashed to a tree,
and the chief, Kai Kora, decided to inflict summary punish-
ment,byspearin
effectghim butat
foronce.the
ThisEu decisiono , would have
been carried into
who by this
time had assembled, and insisted that the prisoner should
be given up to the nearest magistrate. A message was ac-
cordingly despatched for G. Keane, Esq., J.P., who shortly
afterwards arrived, and the latest intelligence at the time
of the Randolph's departure was, that Duff was kept
in
custody."

WILLS —The will of the late Lord Henry Sey-
mour was only proved in the London Court on the
29th ult. It contains many peculiarities. The will, bearing
date June 19th, has accompanying it no less than 19 other
testamentary documents, the whole written in the French
language. There are executors appointed separately for
England and for France, those for England being Richard
Wallace and Edgar Disney. The personalty in England
was sworn under £BO,OOO. After making bequests of several
legacies and annuities, he leaves a certain reversionary inte-
rest to the London Lunatic Asylum. The residue of his per-
sow, l estate he bequeaths to the hospitals of Paris and London
--and such part of his succession as may fall to the hospitals
at Paris is to be untransferatle. The testator directs that
his favourite horses are to be kept free from work and
well fed. His chief groom, he states, will be able to carry
out his intentions ; and ample funds are provided for that
purpose. The will and codicil of Sir Tatton Sykes were
aithindesdyakecsod.
proved in London by the Rev. Sir Henry Foulis, Bart., and
the testator's son, C. Sykes, the executors. The personalty
Tatton sues
was sworn under £120,000. The testator died on the 218 t of
in 1823.
March last, having executed his will on the 6th July, 1847,
ielilhoenptheresoanalOthe4f October, 1861. The late Sir
the
title
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tbiasreolndeetsetysoann:ththe epSrelseednratesreireTstaatth-
Re attained the age of 91, and is succeeded in
has made heirloo—mexec,eaPnd some complimentary
le
ehgae tecisetsaatonrd a
sum
of
£lO,OOO
Sykes--he has bet certain parts which
among hla younger children.—
to the present Sir Tatton
Illustrated News.