The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-23 00:00:00

AMERICA.

RETREAT OF GEN. HOOKER
SOUTHAMPTON, Friday:-
The North German Lloyd screw steamship New
York, Capt. G. Wenke, with mails of the 9th inst.,
has arrived off Cowes, and gone on to Bremen. She
brings 58 passengers for this port and Havre, and
177 for Bremen ; on freight 66,400 dols. for Eng-
land, 10,000 dols. for France, and 16,600 dols. for
Bremen. She has had heavy winds and swell from
the east throughout the passage.
The New Fork Times of the Bth says :—" Our
intelligence this morning puts beyond doubt the
fact that Gen. Hooker's army has again retired to
the north side of the Rappahannock. From various
sources we collect the following facts in regard to
the movement. There was no fighting on Tuesday
of any consequence, and the rumours to that effect
were founded on a misapprehension. The sharp-
shooters were quite active, and the artillery opened
occasionally ; but the results were unimportant.
The enemy had evidently massed his army on our
right. About five o'clock in the morning it com-
menced raining. The water fell in torrents over an
hour, deluging the roads, tearing up the corduroys,
sweeping away bridges, and threatening the de-
struction of the pontoons. The river rose with
great rapidity, and soon overflowed the ends of the
pontoons, rendering 'crossing impracticable. The
upper pontoon was taken up and used in lengthen-
ing out the others, and, after several hours of very
hard labour, the bridges were once more ready. It
was soon evident that Gen. Hooker, seeing his po-
sition was rendered temporarily untenable by the
storm, had determined to cross over again to this
side of the Rappahannock. On Tuesday the order
was 'given to retreat. New roads were cut, the
trains and reserve artillery were sent back, and the
evacuation was commenced. Pine boughs were
spread upon the pontoons to prevent the noise of
crossing, and at 10 o'clock on Tuesday night
the troops commenced falling back. The First
Corps (Coach's) was the first to cross. The
Fifth (Meade's) Corps remained in the intrench-
ments, to cover the retreat. The Sixth Corps
also recrossed the United States Ford, and are
marching back to Falmouth. At 3o'clock on Wed-
nesday morning waggon and mule trains and the
artillery had all passed, and the infantry was cross-
ing on two bridges at United States Ford. Couch's
corps was in the advance. The retreat was covered
by the Fifth (Meade's) Corps. By dark the waggons,
extra caissons, pack mules, &c,, were at Falmouth.
The wounded were hastily removed from the hospi-
tals and sent to Washington, leaving nothing on
our side except our infantry and artillery. After
fighting the severe battle of Sunday morning, Gen.
Hooker continued to strengthen his lines, throwing
up double lines of rifle pits, and constructing abattis
along the entire line of his camp. The enemy con-
tinued to make demonstrations along the works,
driving in the pickets, and delivering volleys of
musketry at men most exposed. Sedgwick, at
Fredericksburg, was overwhelmed by numbers,and
pressed hard on the front and rear, and was hardly
able to make good his escape near Bank's Ford.
Fredericksburg and the heights above have been re-
occupied by the enemy. Sedgwick has lost in killed
and wounded about 5,000 men. His artillery and
trains were safely brought over on Monday night.
Richmond papers of the sth state that Stoneman's
cavalry had completely severed all Lee's communi-
cations with Richmond, and that the only reports of
the fighting were received there from mounted mes-
sengers. These journals also state that General
Peck's forces were pressing after the rebel forces,
which had abandoned the siege of Suffolk, and that
Keyes's corps at Yorktown was also moving. Re-
ports are said to have been received in Washington
that, after cutting the railroad lines leading into
Richmond, Stoneman deployed his forces along the
road leading from Lee's army to Gordonsville. It
was also said that troops were arriving at the
latter point, en route to Lee's army, but
that they came from Lynchburg, and not
from Richmond. The most intelligent esti-
mates place our iUbtleb Outing this brief cam-
paign at not more than 15,000. The rebel army is
thought to have lost at least one-third more, as they
charged upon our batteries in masses and were fear-
fully slaughtered by our artillery."
The following semi-official otatement is from the
Washington National Intelligeneer of the Bth :
" Official information received last evening at the
War Department authorizes us to state that Gen.
Flooker, after waiting in vain near Chancellorsville
on Tuesday last for a renewal of the battle by the
enemy, recrossed the Rappahannock on the evening
of that day, influenced by prudential motives,
springing, doubtless, in part, from the great and
sudden rise of the Virginia rivers, in consequence of
the recent heavy rains. We do not learn that Gen.
Hooker was apprised, before making this retrogade
movement, of the success which is alleged to have
attended the operations of Gen. Stoneman in break-
ing the enemy's communications with Richmond.
If this fact had been known to him (assuming it to
be a fact), it may be doubted whether Gen. Hooker
would have deemed it necessary to take a step which
must tend to deprive him of some, at least, of the
advantages resulting from Gen. Stoneman's co-ope-
rative expedition. Among events which have not
transpired officially, but of which there are rumours
having the appearance of truth, it may be stated
that Gen. Sedgwick, in endeavouring, on Monday
last, with the greater part o 1 his command, to effect
a junction with Gen. Hooker's army near Chancel-
lorsville, encountered the enemy in force, and met
with a serious reverse, the particulars of which are
not yet known."
Governor Curtin, at Harrisburgh, Pennsylvania
had received the following despatch from the Secre.
tarp of 'War

44 To THE GOVERNOR. OF PENNSYLVANIA.
" Washington, May 8.
" The President and the General-in-Chief have
just returned from the Army of the Potomac.
" The principal operations of General Hooker
failed, but there has been no serious disaster to the
organisation and of of the army.
" It is now occupying its former position on the
Rappahannock, having recrossed tt.e river without
any loss in the movement.
"Not more than one-third of General Hooker's
fot ce was engaged.
" General Stoneman's operations have been a
brilliant success. Part of kis force advanced to
within two miles of Richmond, and the enemy's
communications have been cut in every direction.
" The Army of the Potomac will speedily resume
offensive operations.
"EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War."
The following was received at the headquarters
of the army on the afternoon of the Bth—
" Yorktown Virginia,"
" Col. K ilpatrick, with his r'egiment 4the 3HYair.ris
Light Cavalry, and the rest
of
just arrived at Glocester Point, theotp, 12th Illinois, has
opposite this past.
" They burnt the bridges over hi
te ki
n he a
a ht o m
rear
ne yr,
destroyed three large trains of provisions Cci
e
of Loe's army, drove in the rebel k
two miles of Richmond, and have losstto within
lieutenant and 30 men, having captured Only one
and paroled
over 300 prisoners.

"Among the prisoners was an aide of General
Winder, who was captured with his escort far
within the intrenchments outside of Richmond.
" This cavalry have marched nearly 200 mites
since the 3d of May. They were inside of the for-
tifications of Richmond on the 4th, burnt all the
stores at Aylett's Station, on the Mattapony on the
sth ; destroyed all the ferries over the Pamunky
and Muttapony, and a large depot of commis-
sary stores near and above Rappahannock, and
came in here in good condition.
"They deserve great credit for what they have
done It is one of the finest features of the war.
" RUFUS KING,
" Brigadier-General Commanding this Post.
" To Major-General Halleck."
Some additional particulars are given in the sub-
joined despatches from Washington :
" Washington, Thursday, May 7.
" It is ascertained from the front that the army
of the Potomac has arrived, with all its material, at
their old camps at Falmouth.
demoustrAtiCU General Hooker ha'