The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-05 00:00:00

me;
-- • ----- AM E R'' IC A.

LIVERPOOL, JAN. 4

The Royal mail steamship Arabia has arrived,
with the New York mail of the 23d, Boston of the
24th, and Halifax of the 26th ult., and 111,650
dole. in specie.

In the Senate, on the 23d, Mr. Lane, of Kansas,
gave notice of a bill to authorise the President to
raise 200 regiments of infantry composed of per-
sons of African descent.
In the House of Representatives on the 22d, Mr.
Vallandigham, of Ohio, offered the following reso-
lution which he proposed to debate :--
" That this house most earnestly desire that most
speedy and effectual measures be taken for the re-
storation of peace in Americe, and that no time be
lost in proposing an immediate cessation of hostili-
ties in order for a speedy and final settlement of the
unhappy controversies which brought about this
unnecessary and injurious civil war, by just and
adequate security against the return of like calami-
ties in time to come, and this house desire to offer
most earnest assurances to the country that they
will in due time cheerfully co-operate with the Exe-
cutive and States for the restoration of the Union,
to make such explicit and most solemn amendments
and provisions of the Constitution as may be found
necessary for securing the rights of the several
States and sections within the Union under the
Constitution."
Laid over. Mr. Pendleton, of Ohio, offered a reso-
lution that a protest and remonstrance of 36 mem-
bers of the House, submitted therewith against the
unconstitutionality and injustice of the bill recently
passed indemnifying the President and others for
suspending the writ of habeas corpus, be entered on
the journal. Mr. Stevens, of Pennsylvania, moved to
table it. Carried 75 against 40. On the 23d, Mr.
Pendleton, of Ohio, rising to a privilege question,
moved the protest he offered on the previous day to
be entered upon the journal, The Speaker stated
that the House had refused the entering of it on the
journal, and cited former precedents in support of
his decision. Mr. Penbleton appealed. The Speaker
was sustained-74 against 20. Mr. Stevens, of
Pennsylvania, from the Committee of Ways and
Means, reported the Legislative Judicial, and Exe-
cutive Appropriation Bill. It was made a special
order for the sth of January.
General Halleck had received the following re-
port of the affair at Fredericksburg :
" To MAJOR-GENERAL HALLECK, GENERAL-IN-CHIEF,
UNITED STATES ARMY, WASHINGTON.
" Head-quarters. Army of the Potomac,
Falmouth, Dec. 19, 1862.
" General,—l have the honour to offer the follow-
ing reasons for moving the army of the Potomac
across the Rappahannock sooner than was antici-
pated by the President, Secretary of War, and
yourself, and for crossing at a point different from
the one indicated to you at our last meeting at the
President's :
" During my preparations for crossing at the
place I had first selected, I discovered that the
enemy had thrown a large portion of his force down
the river and elsewhere, thus weakening his de-
fences in front, and also thought I discovered that
he did not anticipate the crossing of our whole force
at Fredericksburg, and I hoped, by rapidly throw-
ing the whole command over at that place, to sepa-
rate by a vigorous attack the forces of the enemy on
the river below from the forces behind and on the
crest in the rear of the town, in which case we could
fight him with great advantage in our favour. To
do this we had to gain a height on the extreme
right of the crest, which height commanded a new
road lately made by the enemy for the purpose of
more rapid communication along his lines, which
point gained his positions along the crest would
have been scarcely tenable, and he could have been
driven from them easily by an attack on his front,
in connexion with a movement in rear of the crest.
How near we came of accomplishing our object ; but
for the fog and unexpected and unavoidable delay
in building the bridges, which gave the enemy
24 hours more to concentrate hie forces in his
strong positions, we would almost certainly
have succeeded. In which case the battle would
have been, in my opinion, far more decisive than
if we had crossed at the places first selected.
As it was, we came very near DuCCCEW. Failing in
accomplishing the main object, we remained in
order of battle two days, long enough to decide that
the enemy would not come out of his strongholds
to fight us with his infantry, after which we re-
crossed to the side of the river unmolested and with-
out the loss of men or property. As the day broke
our long lines of troops were seen marching to their
different positions as if going on parade. Not
the least demoralisation or disorganisation existed.
" To the brave officers and soldiers who accom-
plished the feat of thus recrossing the river in the
face of the enemy I owe everything. For the
failure in attack I am responsible, as the extreme
gallantry, courage, and endurance shown by them
was never exceeded, and would have carried the
points had it been possible. To the families and
friends of the dead I can only offer my heartfelt
sympathy, but for the wounded I can offer my ear-
nest prayers for their comfort and final recovery.
" The fact that I decided to move from Warren-
ton on to this line rather against the opinion of the
President, Secretary of War, and yourself, and that
you left the whole movement in my hands, without
giving me orders, makes me responsible. I will
visit you very soon and give you more definite in-
formation, and finally I will send you my detailed
report, in which a special acknowledgment will be
made of the services of the different grand divi-
sions, corps, and my general and staff departments
of the Army of the Potomac, to whim I am so much
indebted for their support and hearty co-operation.
I will add here that the movement was made earlier
than you expected, and after the President, Secre-
tary of War, and yourself requested me not to be in
haste, for the reason that we were supplied much
sooner by the different staff departments than was
anticipated when I last saw you.
"Our killed amounts to 1,152, our wounded to
about 9,000, and our prisoners 700, which last have
been paroled and exchanged for about the same num-
ber taken by us. The wounded were all removed
to this side of the river, and are being well cared for,
and the dead were all buried under a flag of truce.
The surgeons report a much larger proportion of
slight wounds than usual, 1,632 only being treated
in hospital&
tc T ant glad to represent the army at the present
time in good condition.
"Thanking the Government for that entire sup-
port and confidence, which I have always received
from them, I remain, General, very respectfully,
1-

Your obedient servant,
" A. E. BURNSIDE, Major-General cora-
mandin Army
of Potomac."
An official report estimates the Federal loss at
1,128 killed, 9,105 wounded, and 2,078 missing,
making a total of 12,311.
President Lincoln had issued the following
to the Army of the Potomac
:
"Executive 'Mansion thanks
, Washington, Dec, 22.
"To the Army of the Potomac,—l have just re •
ceived your Commanding General's preliminary re-
port of the battle of Fredericksburg. Although you
were not successful, the attempt was not an error,
nor the failure other than an accident. The courage
with which you, iu an open field, maintained the
contest against an intrenched foe, and the con-
stimulate skill end success with which you crossed
and recrossed the river in the face of the enemy,
show that you possess all the qualities of a great
army, which will yet give victory to the cause of
the coun try and of popular government.
<< Condoling with the mourners for the dead, and
sympathising
with the severely wounded, I con-
gratulate you
that the number of both is compara-

Lively so anil!.
" I tender to you,
ofneerg and soldiers, the thanks
" ABRATTAM , , LINCOLN .
"
of the nation.
General Burnside tenderedresignation to the
President, but it was not accepted,
to his command on tho 22d. hisand he re turned
On the 16th the Republican members of the
Senate met in caucus, and after a sessiun of four
hours, during which several senators made
fierce
attacks upon Secretary Seward, making him re-
bponaible for the defeats, and declaring that the
country was tired of the present conduct of the
wikr, a MOW= was Oft recl by Senator Grimes of