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

",THE IONDON, THURSDAY` 'EVENING JANUARY 1, 1863.

CKF-

could be had, cur sharpshooters were themselves
driven off, and the completion of the bridge was
effected about noon on the 11th.
"On the afternoon of that day the enemy's bat-
teries opened upon the city, an by dark had so
demolished the houses on the river bank as to de-
prive our skirmishers of shelter, and under cover of
his guns he effected a lodgment in the town. The
troops which had so gallantly held the position in
the city under the severe cannonade during the
day resisting the advance of the enemy at every
step, were withdrawn during the night, as were
also those who, with equal tenacity, had main-
tained their post at the lowest bridge.
",Under cover of darkness and a dense fog, on
the 12th a large force passed the river and took
position on the right bank, protected by their heavy
guns on the left. The morning of the 13th, his
arrangements for attack being completed, about 9
o'clock, the movement veiled by a fog, he advanced
boldly in large force against our right wing. Gen.
Jackson's corps occupiedofourl,i thene which
,
left,
rested on the railroad theGen.right
Longstreet's
extending along the heights to the Rappahannock,
above Fredericksburg ; Gen. Stuart, with two bri-
gades of cavalry, was posted on the extensive plain
on our extreme right. As soon as the advance of
the enemy was discovered through the fog, General
Stuart, with his accustomed promptness, moved up
a section of his horse artillery, which opened with
effect upon his flank, and drew upon the gallant
Pelham a heavy fire, which he sustained unflinch-
ingly for about two hours.
In the meantime the enemy was fiercely encoun-
tered by Gen. A. P. Hill's Division, forming Gen.
Jackson's right, and after an obstinate combat re-
pulsed. During this attack, which was pro-
tracted and hotly contested, two of Gen. Hill's
brigadiers were driven back upon our second
line. General Early, with part of his division,
being ordered to his support, drove the enemy back
from the point of woods he had seized, and pursued
him into the plain until arrested by his artillery.
The right of the enemy's column, extending beyond
Hill's front, encountered the right of Gen. Hood, of
Longstreet's corps. The enemy took possession of
a small copse in front of Hood, but were quickly
dispossessed, and repulsed with loss.
" During the attack on our right the enemy was
crossing troops over his bridges at Fredericksburg,
and massing them in front of Longstreet's line.
Soon after his repulse on our right he commenced a
series of attacks on our left, with a view of obtain-
ing possession of the heights immediately over-
looking the town. These repeated attacks were re-
pulsed in gallant style by the Washington Artillery,
under Colonel Walton, and a portion of M'Law's
division, which occupied these heights. The last
assault was made after dark, when Colonel Alex-
ander's battalion had relieved the Washington
Artillety, whose ammunition had been exhausted,
and ended the contest for the day. The enemy was
supported in his attacks by the fire of strong batte-
ries of artillery on the right bank of the river, as
well as by his numerous heavy batteries on the
Stafford heights.
" Our loss during the operations since the move-
ments of the enemy began amounts to about 1,800
killed and wounded. Among the former I regret
to report the death of the patriotic soldier and
statesman, Brigadier-General Thomas R. R. Cobb,
who fell upon our left; among the latter, that
brave soldier and accomplished gentleman,
Brigadier-General Maxey Gregg, who was very
seriously, and, it is feared, mortally wounded during
the attack on our right. The enemy to-day has been
apparently engaged:in caring for his wounded and
burying his dead.
"His troops are visible in their first position, in
line of battle, but with the exception of some desul-
tory cannonading and firing between skirmishers,
he bas not attempted to renew the attack. About
550 prisoners were taken during the engagement,
but the full extent of his loss is unknown.—l have
the honour to be, very respectfully, your obedient
servant, ".R. E. LEE, General.

" Official—CHAßLES MARSHALL, Major and
Aide-de-Camp."
The following are the latest despatches from the
Federal army of the Potomac :
" Headquarter, Army of the Potomac,
Dec. 16, 6 p.m.

" The Army of the Potomac was withdrawn to
this side of the Rappahannock River because I felt
fully convinced that the position in front could not
be carried, and it was a military necessity either to
attack the enemy or retire. A repulse would have
been disastrous to us under existing circumstances.
" The army was withdrawn at night without the
knowledge of the enemy, and without loss, either of
property or men.
" AMBROSE E. BURNSIDE,
Major-General Commanding.
"Major-Gen. Halleck, Commander-in-Chief."
" Headquarters of the Army of the Potomac,
Falmouth, Dec. 17.

"Yesterday morning when daylight appeared
the enemy seemed to be, as no doubt they were,
perfectly astonished that our army had succeeded
in returning to this side of the Rappahannock River.
We returned without losing a single man or a gun
in the retrograde movement. A few soldiers who
had straggled off made their appearance on the
river bank after the pontoon bridge had been re-
moved, but they were subsequently brought over
safely in small boats. A few privates who were
guarding a house inhabited by a private family
were not aware during the night of our recrossing
the river, but in the morning, becoming aware of
this fact, they safely swam over. The pickets of
the contending armies being separated by only a
few yards rendered it necessary that everything on
our front shoald be conducted with the utmost cau-
tion. The pickets on our outposts were unaware of
the movement we were making until just before
daylight, when an officer went to each individual
man and in a low tone of voice ordered him to fall
back. After they got sufficiently far away to be
out of danger they were ordered to quicken their
pace and to reach the bridges as quickly as possi-
ble. About 9 o'clock yesterday morning the enemy
advanced their skirmishers along the entire line, and
by
oftnhoeonrivhear. had
regarded
their pickets near the bank
W as
,neutral
We ha had large number g
grounds
u nodf dead on
what was s
soon as it was known our forces had revacu', and a
ated the
city, the soldiers of the enemy
commenced robbing
the lifeless bodies. This was pl ainl yseen through
a field glass, as well as indistinctly wi▪ th the naked
eye. About 10 or 11 o'clock ladies, very neatly
Fdrreesds
ee
rdi,e
kwere r
g. seenTh
Thep
walkingh a
had
1
ouabbtolents
beenth e streets
eonoea concealed
i n their
b houses
troops,duringand
the
time the ci▪ ty was occu-
pied y our doubtlesss availed them-
selves of the first opportunity to make their re-
appearance after our retreat. On Monday the
pickets of the contending armies fronting the le ft
wing mutually agreed upon an ' armistice among
themselves, and freely intermingled with each other
exchanging their dead friends and comrades who
lay on neutral ground.' During this time a Gene-
rode by and put an end to these
prarol
coefedoiunrinly
g:The result was that both parties
immediately commenced firing, when nine of our
men were killed. After the General had left, the
friendly demonstrations of our pickets were renewed,
and butternut and blue uniforms freely mixed.
About this time General Franklin despatched a flag
of truce, which the enemy
immediately recognised,
and the exchange of dead bodies was renewed and
continued until completed. Yesterday General Lee
sent a flag of truce to general Burnside, asking him
to detail men to bury his dead in front of General
s
umner's Grand Division. This was done. The
wounded, with the exception of those whom the
enemy obtained, have all been brought to this side
of the Rappahannock, and, as rap idly as possible,
are being sent to Washington. Daring
truce, General Stuart, of the rebel cave fialrayg, in
f
answer to a question, stated that General Banks'
expedition had gone South, but that he did not know
exactly where. Our entire army is now en-
camped on the same ground which they pre-
viously occupied. The soldiers are as com-
fortable for the present as
they
shelter tents. Our army has beenconseidaenrabbley inre-
inforced since the battle, and no danger whatever
attaches to our present position. It is the opinion
of military men that, if we had succeeded in tak-
the rebel works, the opportu-
ing the first ridge of

nity for slaughter by the rebels VW ild have been-
far greater than previously. Our 3( )ldiers, it may
be repeated, behaved with the gro .test gallantry,
courage, bravery, and determinatrof a, but no troops
in the world could withstand such a concentrated
fire of heavy ordnance and' musket ry, under cover
of fortifications, as was sent` forth by the rebels."
" Head-quarters, Array o f the Potomac,
Wednesday , Deo. 17.

-.Q.ast wind.
rh.trenchments
Last
Theg
hwt e
theath weather isenemy c oilndc, rwe
ai
st h 3 dat
haeoi
rr
on the terraces in the rear of Freder icksburg, and
threw up rifle-pits near the r iver, on the left of the
city. To-day their battalion drills were visible to
the naked eye on the plain. No me 'vement of im-
portance has taken place to- day. Ot it troops are in
excellent condition, and as enthusias tic as previous
to the late engagements."
" Head-quarters, Tivarsda y Evening,
Dec. 18.

" Yesterday the rebels sent under a flag of truce,
a request that we would b ury our dead. A bury-
ing party accordingly went over, and continued
their labours to-day. Dui inf; the truce Colonel
Walton, chief of Longstret:t's artillery, informed
some of our officers that the ret iel infantry force en-
gaged on Sumner's front on Saturday was only two
brigades, but that they had a I arge reserve near by.
He said that our men exhibit ?El the greatest bra-
very, but he considered the reb el position impreg-
nable, and that a force of 500,0100 would find it im-
possible to carry the heights i; a the face of their
batteries. The rebel loss was a' mall compared with
ours, from the fact that they were protected by
stone walls and rifle-pits. Our. 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 bcen 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 withdr awn to-night,
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
gives. 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 ba 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 Alurfreesboto' 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 ()deans 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
w c
p.m., on Tuesday, the 25th of November,
Theodo g
oe
s A
out Acting 1862, having as (
passengersh
utgo re
e
Rear- orus Bailey Admiral Lardner, in commandActing
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
ld not come out till morn-
reason that the vessel
ing, and Captain s cou
Berry did not wish to pass any
remained in
without communicating. She re the port of
Key West three days, for the purposeof discharging
her naval stores, which formed most of her cargo;
also supplying the fleet stationed there with pro-
visions, mails, &c. ; also leaving the mail
rest for
at the
Western Gulf squadron. She left Key II
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 trAnn., sind
their
f-ti r)-

plies for the great Banks expedition, ashore about
two miles to the southward of Carysfoot reef light,
and the United States' barque Gemsbok, Captain
Cavendy, engaged in removing the troops on board
his vessel. Captain Berry was requested by Capt.
Cavendy to stay by him during the night, in case
he wanted help. He did so, and at daylight on the
following morning Captain Berry received on board
his vessel some 250 of the troops ; also received a
hawser from the barque for the purpose of towing
her to Key West. At 1 p.m. of the 11th, having
every thing off the wreck that was deemed possible to
take, she again headed for Key West, with the
Gemsbok in tow. The following morning she ar-
rived for the second time at the above place. After
discharging the troops and handing them over to
the tender mercies of their colonel and the United
States quartermaster at that place, also getting ano-
ther supply of coal and water, she started at half-
past 2 p.m. of the 12th, direct for Port Royal,
thinking she would avoid Turtle Harbour, for
fear that perhaps she would have to perform an-
other trip to Key West. From Key West to Port
Royal she experienced some very bad weather, but
aside from that she made a fine run of 52 hours to
the entrance of the above harbour. She arrived at
the light-ship at 6 30 p.m. of the 14th, and, as the
pilot thought it unadvisable to run in during the
night, laid by till daylight the following morning,
at which time it was all hands up anchor, and at
7 30 a.m. she was safe at anchor under the stern of
the flagship Wabash. Left Port Royal at 11 a.m.,
and arrived off Charleston at 630 p.m. Received
mails, &c., from the fleet stationed there. Arrived
at Fortress Monroe at 5 p.m. on the 17th. Left
same evening at 7 30, and arrived here at 6 30 a.m.
on the 19th, having made the round trip in 23 days
and 19 hours."

General Halleck was reported to have left Wash-
ington on the 18th for the head-quarters of the
Army of the Potomac, for the purpose of consult-
ing with General Burnside and the corps com-
manders. Official reports of the Federal losses
during the late battle make the number less than
had previously been reported—less than 1,400 killed
and 8,000 wounded. They say they lost 800 pri-
soners, and captured about as many.
General Heintzelman, it was said, would imme-
diately take the field at the head of a new corps
d'arniee, and the command of the defences of Wash-
ington would be added to the duties of the Military
Governor.

ELECTION INTELLIGENCE.

TOTNES.

Mr. John Dent has issued an address to the
electors of Totnes. In compliance with the terms
of the requisition presented to him, and which he
states was signed by nearly half the constituency,
he is again a candidate for the honour of represent-
ing the borough of Parliament. Mr. Dent, with a
view to counteract the Duke of Somerset's influence,
has recently purchased an estate within the borough,
and to this circumstance allusion is made in his ad-
dress, where he speaks of having taken means for
the protection on the spot of electors who vote for
him. Mr. Dent is in London, and is prevented by
illness from visiting Totnes. Mr. Alfaed Seymour
addressed a meeting of the electors on Tuesday
evening, and a resolution declaring him a fit and
proper candidate to represent the borough was
adopted.