The Sun.
London, England, 1862-12-27 00:00:00

without much head, like General Burnside, leads
his faint-hearted troops into a great battle in tho
heart of Virginia, it is safe to predict that we shall
at la►st be in a fair way to see that " crowniag vic-
tory" gained by the Confederates which is prayel
for night and morning by so many weary, earnest
souls throughout the ConteL'eitey. Possibly the
resumpilcu of supreme command by General Burn-
side may gratify the ardent longing entertained
by the Confederates in favour o£ a large Federal
advance through Virginia; but I can hardly bring
myself to believe in it.

A long scouting ride yesterday,iin company with
General J. E. B. Stuart, in the direction of the
little village of Jiffersontown, lying about 15 miles
north of Culpepper Court-house, revealed to us the
rear of the Yankee army rapidly falling back and
fighting loosely es it retreated. The woods just be-.
yond Jeffersontown were for some time filled with
the enemy's sharpshooters, and it was difficult to
force them from their cover. Seldom has so much
powder been burnt with so little effect. On the
Confederate side not a man was wounded ; the only
animal that I saw touched was one horse, who got
a buckshot above his nostril. It may be presumed
that the Federals escaped with as little damage.
It is scarcely necessary to add that the normal
artillery duel in this instance, protracted for less
than a quarter of an hour, was as barren of results
as usual. One of the lessons of this war, in which
field artillery has been employed to an unpre-
cedented degree, is that while the moral effect of
artillery, especially upon undisciplined troops and
among trees, is very great, the actual results at-
tained thereby may be stated as nil. Of course I
am not speaking of artillery employed when the
fighting is at close quarters, and grace and canister
and shrapnel are used against masses of men. But
these artillery duels, which point many a corres-
pondent's letter and fill many a reader with awe,
seem usually to be as bloodless as though they
were conducted with blank cartridge. It is doubtful
swohheitghherabnya everyg et ha
so u
thesa n
dd e
ad
ti
hs c
oh
fa
or gn ee s
hf
ur omma cannobeingn
is attained. Some ingenious arointnli:ertiucpianto may
a3y2
amuse himself by computing, taking the price of
each shot and shell from a si,_p
pounder and determining the relative unravel:
employed, what this life has cost. As evening fell,
only a sraallFederal force remained to the south of
the Rappahannock, and night saw them all
encamped on its northward bank.

This morning we passed some 20-pounder Parrott
guns and one long Whitworth gun going to the
front, with a view to shelling a Federal camp some
two miles north of the river. The Whitworth gun
is spoken of as a great success, and commanding a
Far longer range than any othergun upon either side.

THIRD EDI no N.

SUN OFFICE, SIX O'CLOCK.

SPOR7ING INTELLIGENCE.

BETTING AT MANCHESTER.
TWO THOUSAND.
4to lon the field (offered)
9to 2 agst Saccharometer (taken)

THE Trimßy.
7to 1 agst Lord blifdeu (offered)
]0 to 1 agst Saccharometer (offered)
12 to 1 agst Hospodar (offered)
30 to 1 agst Carnival (taken)
33 to 1 agst Blue Mantle (taken)
20 to 1 agst Lord Derby's lot (taken and wanted)

PEDESTRIANIS3L

HACKNEY WICK.

RACE BETWEEN E. Mum, OF BETHNAL GrEEN, AND
DEERFOOT (THE INDIAN).—The race between these pedes-
trians, who, it will be recollected, are old opponents, took
place yesterday pursuant to announcement, on Mr. Baum's
Ground, when so great was the public interest, that there
could not have been less than 6,000 spectators. The dis-
tance to be run was six Miles, for £5O, and, as an additional
inducement to the backer of Deerfoot to make the match,
Mills agreed, if defeated, to give up the six-mile champion's
belt, which had become his own property after winning
the late race with J. White, of Gateshead. The present
makes the third time the pedestrians have con-
tended, Mills, the first time they met, having de-
feated his man in a spin of six miles, and afterwards,
in a race of eight, ran a dead heat with the Indian.
The distance required the runners to pass the referee 41
times; and, in order that there should be no mistake in
taking the sc re, the laps, as they were " worked off" by
the pedestrians, were distinctly called out by the referee.
The race had been fixed to be run at half-past three o'clock ,
and, with punctuality, W. Price, the M.C., had the men
on the course at the time named. The Indian was attended
by George Martin and J . White, of Gateshead ; while Sam
Barker waited on Mills. Teddy looked in blooming condi-
tion, but we cannot say the same for his swarthy opponent,
though his friends were extremely confident. The betting
was 6t04 on Mills. The start was made from that portion
of the course opposite the stand. The Indian, on this occa-
sion, wore the usual pedestrian outfit, presenting a very
different appearance to the popular sporting photographs.
Price having given the signal, the pedestrians went off at a
rattling pace, the lead being taken by Deerfoot, who, al-
though he had the body and head inclined a little too for-
ward, was unquestionably running in better " form" than in
the early part of his career. A finer or more graceful runner
than Mills never donned flannel for a footrace, and the per-
fection of his style was soon seen by those who are judges
of running. Deerfoot headed his little opponent by some
two or three yards, and at a rattling pace the pedestrians
ran to the finish of the first mile (4 minutes 41 seconds)
without the least change in position. The first two miles
were accomplished in gallant style, in 9 minutes 48 seconds,
the lead being still in favour of the Indian, who as at start-
ing, headed his opponent by some three 3 ards. It was ap-
parent there was at present no disposition on the part of
Mills to come to the front, he being contented thus far to
merely " feel" his man. When the competitors came down
the straight in the 20th lap, this being close on the finish of
the third mile, Mills closed on his man, and on passing the
referee for the commencement of the next round, was lead-
ing. On the completion of the third mile (14 minutes 55
seconds) Mills headed his man by some ten or a dozen yards.
The astonishing style in which Teddy had opened when he
passed his opponent had been quite sufficient to prove to his
friends that he was all there, and had the race, even thus
early, well in hand. Four miles were run in 20 minutes 15
seconds, five miles in 25 minutes 32 seconds ; Deerfoot, who
was unmistakably in difficulties, being at this point, some
40 or 50 yards in the rear, Throughout the last mile the
Indian (although the efforts he was making were hopeless)
struggled on in the most determined manner. On the finish
of the distance Mills went in a winner by full 100 yards ;
Deerfoot, in the last two laps, being completely used up,
and falling more and more in the rear at every stride. Mills
made an astonishing spurt for the last lap to prove how
little the pace had stung him, the six miles
being run by
the winner in 30 minutes 32 seconds. This is nearly 20
seconds slower than Mills ran the distance in the late splen-
did race between him and White of Gateshead. Deerfoot
dis-
tance ye eitnaanrahceoupre,nadnindgi
nwi
thist Ms
tirlul sg
loe rlui nteteh e
Teddy greatest w
ill be
sorely tried, as the superior physique of the Indian will
probably, in this long journey, tell in his favour.