The Sun.
London, England, 1862-12-04 00:00:00

THE WAR IN AMERICA.

CI:sIiEEN ST OWN, TUESDAY.
The Inman steessner City of Baltimore has arrived,
having left I`'sew York on the 22d of November.
She brinsrs, 41 cabin and 139 steerage passengers,
and 1,217,500 dols. in specis on freight.
Washington advices say it is believed that the
Co,sifederate President has resolved upon meeting
the Emancipation Proclamation with very severe
retaliatory measures. The report is thus stated:—
" A report is current here, and very generally
believed, that General Lee, of the rebel army, has
recently addressed a formal communication to Gen.
Raileck toirehing the proposed issue of an emanci-
pation proclamation on January 1. It will be re-
membered that after the exciting debates in the
rob al Congress as to the propriety of retaliation the
Whole matter was left to the discretion of the Pre-
eident of the Confederate States, with instructions
to take such measures as would compel the with-
dra.wal of the proclamation, or bring home to the
Northern troops some of the evils it threatens
against the Southern people. It is stated that Gen.
Lee's letter is exceedingly elaborate, and discusses
the question from every point of view. The
points it is said to contain are as follows :
Firsts the unwarrantable nature of the proclama-
tiors, so far as the recognised measures of military
warfare are concerned. The fact is pointed out that
in no work on military law is the instigation of a
servile war recommended, endorsed, or ever men-
tioned ; that, as General Balleck himself never
thought of it in din:lasing the various means that
might be used by 'belligerent enemies, the threat of
servile war and insurrection is clearly not a proper
military procedure ; that, being outside of military
law, tilt, Southern people are justified in regarding
it as Coming under the brutal and savage expedients
of a barbarous people, and resenting it as such ; that
the enemy that uses it does an act as unjustifiable
as the poisoning of wells or of food, the maiming
and murdering of prisoners, and the outraging of
women. On this round it is demanded that the pro-
clamation be withdrawn. Second, it is further urged
by General Lee that in case the proclamation is not
withdrawn the Confederate military authorities,
sorely against their will, hut strong in the justice of
their position, will be compelled to retaliate in the
sternest manner upon all the Union prisoners that
fall into their hands. It is not specified what
punishment will be inflicted, but it is distinctly in-
timated that if through the instigation of the Fede-
ral troops an-y women or children are murdered by
infuriated negroes an equal number of Union troops
will be promptly put to death. On this matter the
Confederate Government wishes the Federal Go-
ve-rnment to understand that it is very much in
earnest, and will do even more than it threatens.
Accompanying this document, and addressed to
other members of the Government, it is stated that
a letter from a high. member of the Confederate Go-
vernment is now in Washington for members of the
Cabinet, argils/2g the question as to the propriety of
rescindinc; the objectionable proclamation. In addi-
tion to, the military arguments urged by General
LeP,, an argument drawn from the recent elections
the North is made use of by the Confederate
statesmen. If the Union shall be restored, this
document urges, it will be better not to have this
gulf of blood between the North and South, and
even should the South succeed in their efforts there
would be fewer unpleasant memories to rankle.
Notwithstanding these communications, it is still
assertcsd here that Mr. Lincoln is determined to ad-
here to the proclamation, and to carry out the Ra-
dical programme to the bitter end."
The completeness of the knowledge of Federal
movements in the Southern army is a source of
bitter complaint. A communication in the World
says :

" The public are doubtless not surprised to hear
almost daily of the perfectness of the rebel spy sys-
tem, and of the stupid, blundering one in force by
our authorities. But the rapidity with which the
enemy obtained information of General Burnside's
recent movement is somewhat surprising, to say the
least. It is now quite generally believed that one
week from Thursday last Generals Halleck and
Burnside resolved on the change of the army which
has just occurred. On Friday, the succeeding day,
General -Lee telegraplaed. from Gordonsville to Fre-
dericksburg, via Richmond, that the Federal army
would reach Fredericksburg about Sunday noon ;
and citizens of that place expressed surprise to the
officers of our advanced guard that they did not
reach there till Monday noon, for they had been
anticipating them for 12 hours, The intelligence
of the change was communicated to Lee from War-
renton by the hundreds of rebel emissaries there
who heard our officers discussing the change. It
is proper to add that but a single Northern news
paper
published the same news four days after
Lee's telegram, and one day after the army had
reached Fredericksburg."
Reports from General Burnside's army state that
General Sumner's corps had advanced to Falmouth,
on the Rappahannock, opposite Fredericksburg.
The march from Warrenton is thus described by the
special correspondent of the Inquirer :
" The Federal amry, under the immediate com-
mand of ix'eneral Sumner, arrived within a mile of
this place about noon yesterday, having made
the march from Warrenton, some 40 miles, in
two days and a half. Shortly after the army
got in motion yesterday morning, cannonad-
ing was heard some four miles in our ad-
vance. Parties were sent a-head to ascertain what
it meant, when it was ascertained that a body of
the enemy had crossed the Rappahannock as a re-
connoitering party, and while marching down to-
wards Falmouth the rebels opened on them, causing
some considerable consternation in their ranks.
About a dozen rounds were fired before it was ascer-
tained that they were firing on our own troops.'
The fact of the rebels firing on their own troops
proved to us that they had one or more batteries
Planted on the opposite shore, for the purpose of
sweeping the road as we advanced. Generals Sum-
ner and Couch soon came to the conclusion that these
batteries must be at once silenced, so that we might
have free access along the river road. The 57th
New York, Lieut.-Col. Chapman commanding, and
the 53d Pennsylvania, Col. Brooks, advanced as
skirmishers along the Falmouth road until within
a mile of the town. These two regiments were
followed by the remainder of the brigade to which
they belong, consisting of the 2d Delaware, Col.
Col. Pinckney , nod the
Bailey ; 66th New York,
52d New York, Col. Frank—the whole brigade
commanded by Col. Zook, of the 57th New York.
Capt. Pettit's battery, the Ist New York Artillery,
and Owens's and Tompkins's two Rhode Island
batteries followed. Instead of taking the main road,
as the enemy thought the Federals would, that they
might have a chance to pepper them, the con,mand-
ing ()Meer ordered them to make a detour around
Somehigh wooded hills into the valley, where a
branch runs into the river, across this, and np on a
very high and commanding elevation, directly in
the fear of Falmouth, Capt. Pettit's battery was at
once placed in position on the brow of this high hill,
swith 'Look's brigade directly in the rear, completely
e
ur.a by the natural position of the hill. At about
baat-past 3 the first
unw as sighted and brought to
be gar upon the eneray, which at once brought on a re-
joinder. The first shot froinra6 from
rebels burst directly
over our battery,
ar our battery became
very rapid and precise, which had the effect of driving
the rebels from their guns, thus
complete! y silencing
r e.e kurg
them. Just after the rebel guns were silenced,
two
trains of cars were observed leaving Fredericksburg;
our batteries opened on them, hurrying
tr
under a full head of steam Oar forcesal passed
away
through Warrenton in three columns, Gen. Hancock
on the right, Gen. French on the centre, andor",
Howard on the left. This constitutes Gen. Couch's
corps-
The ninth army corps, commanded by Gen.
, and Conch's corps, are under the command of
Gen. Sumner. The troops took the road direct to
Warrenton Junction early on Saturday morning,
rgh•
and encamped on the evening of that d'y in the
vicinity of the junction ,and again started early oil
the next camp near th
Sunday morning, making
Spotted Tavern, in Stafford . county,th ouFanquier being
the county we had been passing Nothing
of any great moment occurred during the march,
except that it was conducted with
great order—few j
Or no stragglers to be keen—anti wie h way the re,-

pidity of the march that the citizens of the very few
houses to be found were taken by surprise, not
dreaming of an advance of our forces. Gen. Lee
telegraphed to the citizens of Frederick burg yes-
terday that we were coming in two co umns. He
was mistaken, as we came in three, w,,h the artil-
lery on the road making the fourth."
A despatch to the Associated Press from the
head-quarters of the army, dated 11 p.m., the 21st,
says :

" Gen, Patrick, Provost-Marshal-General of the Army,
this morning crossed the river to Fredericksburg under a
flag of truce, conveying to the civil authorities of that city
the following letter, demanding its surrender :
" ' To the Mayor and Common Council of Fredericksburg.
" Head-quarters, Army of the Potomac, Friday, Nov. 21.
" Gentlemen,—Under cover of the houses of your city,
shots have been fired upon the troops of my command.
Your mills and manufactories are furnishing provisions
and the material for clothing for armed bodies in re-
bellion against the Government of the United States.
Your railroads and other means of transportation are
removing supplies to the depots of such troops. This con-
dition of things must terminate, and, by direction of General
Burnside, I accordingly demand the surrender of the city
into my hands, as the representative of the United States,
at or before 5 o'clock this afternoon. Failing an affirmative
reply to this demand by the hour indicated, 16 hours will
be permitted to elapse for the removal from the city of all
women and children, the sick and wounded, and aged, &c.;
which period having expired, I shall proceed to shell the
town. Upon obtaining possession of the city, every neces-
sary means will be taken to preserve order and secure the
protective operation of the laws and policy of the United
States' Government,

" I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
" E. V. SUMNER, Brevet Major-General, United
States' Army, Commanding Right Grand Division.'
"On arrival on the opposite side of the river, General
Patrick was conveyed to the guard-house by the military,
where he was detained until the reply was ready. In the
meantime, his communication was conveyed to General
Longstreet, whose troops are encamped a short distance out-
side of the city. As the demand was made upon the civil
authorities, the Mayor sent an answer, which was evi-
dently written at the dictation of General Longstreet, to the
effect that the complaints enumerated should be remedied
so far as firing on our pickets and furnishing supplies enti
material Gourech,late aiwy was concerned ; also that
the rebels would dispute the occupying the city by the
Government forces. He complained of the short space of
time allowed for the removal of the women, children, and
sick soldiers. The giving of any more time, as requested,
is now under consideration. Permission has been given the
citizens to run one train from the city, but only for the
conveying of women and children."

A special despatch to the New York. Tribune,
dated Acquia Creek, the 21st, says :

" The almost continuous rain of the last few days has
rendered the condition of the roads very precarious. A
large force is at work repairing the pier at this point and
the railroad to Falmouth, and the transportation by rail of
supplies of provisions and forage will be practicable within
a very short time. The rebels have still possession of Fre-
dericksburg. Their force, until yesterday, was small, but
it is believed to-day that they have been reinforced from
Richmond. Yesterday our artillery exchanged a number
of shots with theirs. The pickets are in sight of each other
on the banks of the river. No attempt to cross has as yet
been made by any portion of our army."