The Sun.
London, England, 1863-10-29 00:00:00

successful, as General Meade anticipated the rebels
by falling rapidly back to the coveted spot, thus
effectually checking a movement which would have
endangered both the Army of the Potomac and the
Capitol.

Some of the rebel prisoners stated that they
marched from Hanover Junction, near Richmond,

since Saturday.
It was thought that there would soon be a battle
on the old Bull Run grounds, the rebels apparently
waiting for their supplies to come up from the
Rapidan, some 40 miles distant, the Federals having
effectually destroyed the railroad in their rear, on
their retreat.

IVASINGTON, Oct. 16 (Evening).
The army of the Potomac has thus far re-
treated, closely followed by Lee. A battle would
probably have been fought on the old Ball Run
ground had Meade accepted it. Lee moved
heavily on his flank, and Meade fell still further
back.

Yesterday A. P. Hill's corps moved towards
Leesburg, as if intending to cross into Maryland at
Ewart's Ferry; a reconnaissance, however, showed
that nothing of the kind had resulted. From the
information at hand, it is thought that Lee will
not leave the protection of the Bull Run Moun-
tains until the severe storm now prevailing abates.
Lee holds the old Bull Run battle-ground.
A despatch to the .New York World says "There
was some skirmishing yesterday all along the lines,
but no general engagement. Our army was in
position last night. All baggage and transporta-
tion trains were sent to the rear, and sutlers were
ordered to Alexandria. Our army is in a safe
position, and prepared for any attack."
It was believed in Washington yesterday (16th),
that no general engagement would take place for a
day or two, in consequence of the prevailing storm.
The World asserts that Meade's retreat is caused
by the depletion of his army, by sending Republi-
can soldiers home to vote, and says : —" The simple
truth is that Meade held his position until the
Administration weakened his army to carry the
Stat© elections, and he was then compelled to fly
before his pursuing foe."
Despatches from Chattanooga to the 10th state
that no attack had been made by the enemy since
the 7th inst., that their batteries on Lookout
Mountain had been removed, and that the Federal
batteries had opened fire on Missionary Ridge, and
compelled Bragg to remove his headquarters there-
from. Deserters from Bragg's army report that
the mysterious engagement within the rebel lines
on the 6th was a fight between a brigade of
Georgian's militia and the regular troops. The
former refused to cross the State line, and the,

refusal brought on the collision.
The damage done to the Nashville and Stevenson
Railroad has been repaired, and trains are running
regularly. Wheeler's cavalry was closely followed,
in their late raid, by the Federals, and several times
defeated. They are now scattered in the region
between Duck and Elk Rivers.

TLe rebels are said to be very actively building
pontoons. This indicates an attempt to dislodge
Rosencranz from his position, by a flanking move-
ment, across the river. All of which will be prod
vided for by General Rosencranz.

There has been no communication for several
days with General Burnside. The public has been
wrongly impressed as to the strategic relations of
his command with the army of Rosencranz. It is
serving a good purpose, but not in the manner
generally supposed at the North.
The following congratulatory order has been

issued by General Rosencranz :
"Army of the Cumberland.—You have made a
grand and successful campaign; you have driven the
rebels from Middle Tennessee. Von crossed a great
mountain range, placed yourselves on the banks of a
broad river, crossed it in the face of a powerful
opposing army, and crossed two other great moun-
tain ranges at the only practicable passes, some

forty miles between the extremes. You concen-
trated in the face of superior numbers; fought the
combined army of Bragg, which you drove from
Shelbyville to Tullahoma, of Johnston's army of the
Mississippi, and the tried veterans of Longstreet's
corps, and for two days held them at bay, giving
them blow for blow with heavy interest. When
the day closed you held the field from which you
withdrew in the face of overwhelming numbers, to
occupy the point which you set out for—Chatta-
nooga.

" You have accomplished the great work of the
campaign; you hold the key of East Tennessee, of
Northern Gcorgia, and of the enemy's mines of coal

and nitre.

" Let these achievements console you for the re-
gret you experience that arrivals of fresh hostile
troops forbade you to remain on the field to renew
the battle ; for the right of burying your gallant
dead, and caring for your brave companions who
lay wounded on the field. The losses you have sus-
tained, though heavy, are slight, considering the
odds against you and the stake you have won.
"You kold in your hands the substantial fruits of
a victory, and deserve, and will receive, the honours
and rlaudits of a grateful nation, which asks
nothing of even those who have been fighting us
but obedience to the Constitution and laws estab-
lished for our common benefit.

"The General commanding earnestly begs every
officer and soldier of this army to unite with him
in thanking Almighty God for His favours to us.
He presents his hearty thanks and congratulations
to all the officers and soldiers of this command for
their energy, patience, and perseverance, and the
undaunted courage displayed by those who fought
with such unflinching resolution.

Neither the history of this war, nor probably
the annals of any battle, furnish a loftier example
of obstinate bravery and enduring resistance to su-
perior numbers—when troops, having exhausted
their ammunition, resorted to the bayonet, many
times, to hold their positions against such odds—
as did our left and centre, comprising troops from
all the corps, on the afternoon of the 20th Septem•
ber at the battle of Chickamauga.
(Signed) " W. S. ROSENCRANZ,
Major-General Commanding."

SOUTHAMPTON, OCT. 29.
The Hamburg and American Company's steamer
Saxonia from New York on the 17th inst. arrived
off the Needles at 10.40 a.m. to-day.

•
DEATHS FROM STARVATION IN
ec uL
LON-
DON !—The Registrar-General rhave died of at Th
ove
starvation in our midst. How many
oOrdPsdEeNfrom
The shadows of men,
want lately the coroner can n
y way
Street Ragged) school to this (Albert
women, and children
looked like dried mummies endowed
with motion—huni passed
elol
schoolk
°atoms, so bent and wasted, and
beaten by hard
hufat,, that
,
passed them wondering oannddersitnilgl
hheolliv
much morethe
raanf I
form
could
the soul within it. To think of the tens of thousands of
London folk who live idle and luxurious at the West End ;
to think of snug Clapham and haughty Eaton Square ;
nay, to think of little Baffles, of the Post-Office, going
home to his tea and muffins, or of Mrs. Grundy's very
humblest relation, and 'hen to look upon these pictures of
skeleton want, framed in London fog, and beaten upon by
a north-east wind I Men and women are thoughtle,s in
the happy west, dancing, eating, and dreaming behind the
splendours of Mr. Cubitt's stucco town, or many a dainty
foot would press Brick Lane, and many of the sighs with
which the atmosphere of Spitalfields is weighted would
give way to laughter.—Blanchard Jerrold's 15?"gitals of
.Distress.