The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-01 00:00:00

nity for slaughter by the rebels would have been
far greater than previously. Our soldiers, it may
be repeated, behaved with the greatest gallantry,
inc the worldourage,bravery, awndstand such a concentrated
determination,butnotroops
fire of heavy ordnance and musketry, under cover
of fortifications, forthofbythtehe
Potomac,rebels.
, a,t Head-quarters,
-aqsu wasart e sentrs, Army
Wednesday, Dec. 17.
t, The weather is cold, with a north-east wind.
enas
Last night the enemy increased their intrenchments
on the terraces in the rear of Fredericksburg, and
threw up rifle-pits near the river, on the left of the
city. To-day their battalion drills were visible to
the naked eye on the plain. No movement of im-
portance has taken place to-day. Our troops are in
excellent condition, and as enthusiastic as previous
to the late engagements."
" Head-quarters, Thursday Evening,
Dec. 18.
" Yesterday the rebels sent under a flag of truce,
a request that we would bury our dead. A bury-
ing party accordingly went over, and continued
their labours to-day. During the truce Colonel
Walton, chief of Longstreet's artillery, informed
some of our officers that the rebel infantry force en-
gaged on Sumner's front on Saturday was only two
brigades, but that they had a large reserve near by.
He said that our men exhibited the greatest bra-
very, but he considered the rebel position impreg-
nable, and that a force of 500,000 would find it im-
possible to carry the heights in the face of their
batteries. The rebel loss was small compared with
ours, from the fact that they were protected by
stone walls and rifle-pits. Oar losses, as heretofore
reported, have been considerably decreased by arri-
vals of stragglers in camp. The enemy took
nearly 800 prisoners from us—a considerable por-
tion of whom were absent from their camps when
we evacuated the south side of the river. The pri-
soners taken on both sides have been paroled. It
is stated that Lee and Longstreet came down to-
day and held a conversation with some of our offi-
cers. The flag of truce was withdrawn tonight,
after all our dead were buried."
" Headquarters, Army of the Potomac,
Friday, Dec. 19, Evening.
" All has been quiet to-day, excepting two shots
fired from our hillside batteries to disperse the
gathering bands of rebels on the plain opposite. The
enemy strongly picket the river along our front,
and maintain a peaceful condition with our men on
this side. Several members of the Committee on
the Conduct of the War of the Senate and House
of Representatives were here to-day, examining
into the causes of the recent repulse and evacuation
of the southern side of the Rappahannock. They
are guests of General Sumner to-night. Official
reports of our losses in the late battle make the
number less than has been reported, being less than
1,400 killed and 8,000 wounded. A large portion of
the wounded were only slightly hurt. We lost
800 prisoners, and took about as many."
The Confederate General Evans, who was in
command at Kingston, telegraphed as follows to
Richmond :

" Kingston, North Carolina, Dec. 14.

" General Foster attacked Kingston, North
Carolina, yesterday, with 15,000 men and nine gun-
boats.

" I fought him 10 hours, and have driven him
back to his gunboats.
" His army is still in my front.
" N. G. EVANs, Major-General, Commanding.
" To General Cooper, Adjutant-General,
&c., Richmond."
The Richmond Dispatch of the 16th contains a
despatch from Goldsboro', North Carolina, as fol-

LOWS :-

" Eight thousand rebels fought the Abolitionists
at Kingston yesterday from 8 a.m to 1 p.m. After
driving back the Abolitionists once, the rebel Gene-
ral Evans was compelled to retire, leaving the
Vandals to occupy the town. No report of loss is
given. The town was greatly injured by the Union
bombardment."

Advices from Yorktown report a Federal recon-
noissance of Gloucester County, Virginia, recently
made by General Naglee with four regiments of
infantry and 150 cavalry. He captured a guerilla
captain and a number of other prisoners, dispersed
a company of Confederate cavalry and captured
their horses, secured nearly 1,000 head of cattle,
and destroyed a tannery which was engaged in
manufacturing leather for the Confederate army.
Net a man was lost on the Federal side during the
expedition.

Despatches from General Rosecrans's army de-
scribe a battle in progress at Corinth:—

" Head•quarters, Fourteenth Army Corps, Depart-
ment of the Cumberland, Nashville, Tennessee,
Thursday, Dec. 18.

" General Sullivan, at Jackson, Tennessee, tele-
graphs General Rosecrans that General Dodge
telegraphs him from Corinth to-day that his cavalry
have been fighting Forrest all day in that vicinity,
with 2,500 cavalry and five pieces of artillery, hav-
ing left Waynesboro on Tuesday. Colonel Napier,
. . __

with 2,000 or 3,000 cavalry and four cannon, crossed
the Tennessee River to Carrollsville, on Monday, to
join Forrest. It was reported that they would strike
Jackson first and Bethel next to stop Grant's sup-

plies."

" Nashville, Thursday, Dec. 18.
" Forrest and his 4,000 cavalry have turned up in
the vicinity of Corinth, Mississippi. A telegram
received at head quarters to-night reports fighting
with him going on in that vicinity all day to-day.
Morgan is reported moving northward to cut off
the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. It is re-
ported from Kentucky that Van Dorn, with 50,000
men from the army of the Mississippi, has arrived
at Stevenson, Alabama, to join Bragg. Our own
trustworthy advices contradict the report. The
move is too hazardous to be attempted. No im-
portant movements in our front to-day. Har-
dee's corps has moved to Triune. Kirby Smith is
reported moving towards Lebanon, supporting
Morgan. The whole force of rebels in Tennessee
is variously estimated at 70,000 to 80,000 men—
an exaggeration. Their old regiments are filled
with conscripts. The force at Murfreesboto' yes-
terday was 25,000 men. Rain's division is at Hol-
low Tree-gap. Rebel outposts were about 11 miles
from Nashville, on various roads."

All speculation in regard to the destination of the
Banks expedition was at an end, as it was ascer-
tained definitely that it was destined to operate in
the Department of the Gulf. An arrival from
Port Royal at New York gave information that no
less than five transports belonging to the expedi-
tion had put into that harbour, some for repairs and
some for supplies. As usual, the Government has
been terribly imposed upon in regard to some of the
vessels hired for transport service. A vessel from
New Weans reported having sighted off the coast
of Florida, on the 9th instant, six large steamers
heading south. The transport steamer Blackstone,
which arrived at New York on the 19th from Key
West, gave the following report, announcing the
wreck of the M. Sandford steamer, belonging to the
Banks expedition :
" The chartered steamer Blackstone, Captain W.
C. Berry, left the wharf, at the Brooklyn Navy-
yard, at 1 p.m., on Tuesday, the 25th of November,
1862, having as passengers Acting Rear-Admiral
Theodorus Bailey (who goes out to relieve Acting
Rear-Admiral Lardner, in command of the Eastern
Gulf squadron), and several officers, to join their
respective vessels in the North and South Atlantic
squadrons. She stopped at all the principal points
of blockade on the Atlantic coast, and supplied the
vessels with fresh provisions, mails, &c., and
reached Key West December 7, having made the
run in 12 days, which is considered rather a good
passage, taking into view the fact that she was
forced to remain overnight in some places, for the
reason that the vessels could not come out till morn-
ing, and Captain Berry did not wish to pass any
without communicating. She remainedose iofnditsbeehaprogritnogf
Key West three days, for the purp
her naval stores, which formed most of her cargo;
also supplying the fleet stationed there with pro-
visions, mails, &C. ; also leaving the mail for the
Western Gulf squadron. She left Key West at
6 on the morning of the 10th for Turtle Harbour,
the rendezvous of Admiral Wilkes's fleet, for the
purpose of supplying them with a few of the neces-
saries of life. Capt. Berry there found the steamer
M, Sandford laden with 800 troops and their sup-

-"'M YSUN, 't0N.13911,