The Sun.
London, England, 1862-12-29 00:00:00

MONDAY EVENING DECEMBER 29, 1862.

the day. A portion of this division crossed on Thurs-
day evening, and the remainder crossed on Friday.
About half-past nine o'clock the order was given to
advance, and Doubleday pushed forward cautiously.
The skirmishers met on a cornfield, and the rebels
immediately opened with artillery in the field. The
enemy were making an effort to turn our left flank,
when our artillery on the left of Franklin's position
was speedily wheeled into position, and opened
upon the enemy. The cannonading was for a time
very severe on both sides, while the sharpshooters
were at work in a very lively manner in front. Our
artillery on the other side of the river also opened
upon them, and they were soon convinced of the
uselessness of their efforts.

A GENERAL ADVANCE ORDERED.

About 12 o'clock there was an order for a general
advance along the whole line. The enemy occupied
a line of elevated land, mostly wooded, but in some
places cleared and extended in a semicircular form,
near the river below, around to Fredericks-
burg above, giving him an enfilading fire on the
whole field, and making a line of battle at least
six miles in extent. The rebel batteries were
on the crest of the rising ground, well sup-
ported by infantry. Gen. Stoneman's corps were
at this time crossing the river to support the move-
ment on the left. The batteries on both sides now
blazed away with fearful fury. Doubleday, on the
left flank, close to the river, advanced his lines gra-
dually, meeting with little opposition. At 1 o'clock
the divisions of Generals Meade and Gibbons ad-
vanced under cover of our artillery. They went
forward in splendid style, with colours flying.
They soon became actively engaged in the works at
the foot of the range of hills,while from near where
their artillery was planted on the crest an addi-
tional infantry fire was poured into onr men. Both
divisions, however, advanced to the woods, and a
number of prisoners, 100 or more, were captured by
them. The fire of artiilery and musketry was in-
cessant at this time. Presently, however, a fresh
and more vigorous fire burst from the woods on the
the Pennsylvanian reserves, throwing nearly the
whole of that division into confusion and disorder.
This emboldened the rebels, and they continued to
advance, meeting with not much opposition from
those troops. The officers tried to rally them, but
without much success. Gen. Jackson, commanding
one of the brigades, was killed by a musket ball,
which struck him on the head while endeavouring
to rally his men. His body was left upon the field,
together with that of his adjutant, Capt. S werin-
gen. This unfortunate demoralisation of General
Meade's division caused partial success of Vie ene-
my's attempt to flank our forces. As they could
not be rallied Gen. Burney's division of veteran
braves was brought forward on a double quick, and
immediately pushed to the front to fill the gap.
They opened a sharp fire, driving the rebels back
to the woods from which they had come.
On the right of Franklin's line Smith's corps
was actively engaged. Gen. Howe's division and
the left of Gen. Brook's kept back the enemy in
their front. After this the fire slackened a little.
Towards sunset the enemy made a very vigorous
attack on severel parts of the line, so as to hold a
portion of our ground at dark, but he was speedily
driven back at every point. At dark the relative
position of the forces was the same as in the morn-
ing, except that we had gained half a mile or more
on the left.

General Burnside was at the Phillips-house nearly
position most of the time was on the
all day. His
upper baleony, where, with a powerful glass, he
was watching the movements across the river. He
had his Staff and couriers running to and fro, con-
veying orders and bringing reports of the progress
of the fight. He gave orders with promptitude,
and succinctly. "Lose no time" was the almost
universal inj unction to every courier. A smoky mist
obscured the view in the morning. It was the hazy
sky of an Indian summer day, and the same genial
warmth of the sun, made more remarkable by its
contrast to the recent intense cold.

During last night and this afternoon the Confede-
rates have considerably extended their works and
strengthened their position. Large bodies of troops
are now to be seen where but few were to be found
yesterday.
Our dead which were killed yesterday while
charging in front of the enemy's works still remain
where they fell. When attempting their removal
last night the rebels would open fire with infantry,
but the wounded have all been removed from the
field, and all the dead obtained are now being
buried.

Head quarters, Army of the Potomac,
Dec. 15, 11 a.m.

There was considerable firing yesterday between
the advanced troops of the two armies. At one
time the rebels showed a disposition to move on
General Franklin's forces. Occasionally the rebels
would throw a few shell among our troops, just to
remind us that they were still there. With these
exceptions everything was quiet. There is some
skirmishing this morning with considerable artillery
firing, The body of General Bayard left for Wash-
ington to-day. He was to have been married next
Wednesday.
Head-quarters, Army of the Potomac,
Dec. 15, Noon.

The weather to day has been Clear and warm, with
a strong southerly wind. The roads arc in very
good condition. The position of the two armies
remains nearly the same. There was not much
artillery firing this afternoon by either party.
Those shots the rebels did fire were thrown
into the city. The enemy, who are in plain view,
are not idle, but busily employed in strengthening
their position. Most of the wounded to-day were
removed from the city to this side of the river, as on
the renewal of the battle the rebel guns would
likely cause its destruction. Over 700 prisoners
have been taken since our army crossed the river.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16.
The following has been received by the military
telegraph, dated

,g Falmouth, Dec. 16, 8.45 a.m.

"It is raining very fast, and the river is rising
rapidly. Our troops are On this side of the river.
The pontoons are up.

" Head-quarters, Army of the Potomac,
Falmouth, Dec. 16, 1.45 p.m.

"Daring last night the army of the Potomac
evacuated their positions on the opposite side of the
river. The last of the infantry brought up the rear
shortly after daylight. The enemy never discovered
the movement until it Was too late to do us any
harm. As soon as the last man had got safely across
the river the pontoon bridges were removed, thus
cutting off all communication between the two
shores. Our wounded are all safe and on this side
of the river. There was a heavy wind all last night,
accompanied with considerable rain, which assisted
us in our movements, as it prevented the rebels
from learning our intentions."

" Fredericksburg, Dec. 16, 3 p.m.

" I am told that a communication was received
on Sunday last under the flag of truce from the re-
bels, stating that they intended shelling the city,
and requesting us to remove our wounded."
" Washington, Dec. 16.
_ _

" From what is now known of the strength and
extent of the enemy's fortifications there seems to
be a general approval of General Burnside's course
in recrossing the Rappahannock. There is nothing
known here to show that the rebels were in-
clined to leave their strongholds to meet our
troops on an open field. All possible attention is
being bestowed upon the wounded, but compara-
tively few of them have as yet arrived in Washing-
ton. Although our loss is heavy, it is far below
some of the published statements, but the precise
number cannot for days to come be ascertained.
The reports in distant cities that apprehensions are
entertained for the safety of Baltimore and Wash-
ington are simply absurd."
The Richmond Examiner of Dec. 12 contains a
report of the preliminary operations at Fredericks-
burg eg follows :

" The following is an epitome of all the intelligence
received at the War Department in the shape of
official despatches up to a late hour last night. The
despatches of General Lee relate that the fight began
at Fredericksburg at 5 o'clock in the morning. At
that hour the enemy attempted the passage of the
Rappahannock at three different points by means
of pontoon bridges. At two points they were re-
pulsed. At the third it is presumed that they ef-

fected a passage, as the despatches stated that they
had got under cover of their guns, and could not
be interrupted in their construction of a bridge. At
last accounts, dated about noon, the fight was pro-
gressing on the southern side of the Rappahannock.
The general conclusions from what we learn up to
the hour of writing are that the enemy had effected
a passage of the Rappahannock, probably in con-
siderable force; that the action of yesterday was
without any important fruits, or prefatory to a more
important action now impending; and that to-day
will witness a large and important, but perhaps in-
decisive, battle on the disputed lines of Fredericks-
burg. As confirmatory of this prospect, an order
was received last night at the Medical Purveyor's
office for all the ambulances and stretchers that
could possibly be sent from this city. These are the
gloomy indications of the work to-day.

" LATER ACCOT;NTS.

" Through passengers who arrived here last night
from Fredericksburg we learn that, simultaneously
with his attempt to throw his pontoon bridges across
the Rappahannock the enemy bombarded the town.
The few inhabitants still remaining there began to
leave immediately and made their way towards
Hamilton station on the railroad. A number of
houses in the town were struck, ani two of them,
Mr. John C. King's, near the depot, and a Mr.
Scott's, were burnt. One of the church steeples was
also struck, and some say knocked down. The num-
ber of casualties to citizens are variously stated.
Some accounts say that only one man, J. Grotz, was
killed, and another wounded. But persons who were
among the last to leave the town report that there
were six citizens killed, among whom were Mr. J.
Grotz and his brother George, and a woman and
her infant. Heavy cannonading, and the occasional
fire of skirmishers was heard at the depot from 5
o'clock a.m. until 11, when perfect silence ensued
all along the lines, and continued unbroken until
1 o'clock p.m., the hour of the departure of the train
for Richmond. Persons who came down on this
train knew nothing of the movements going on ex-
cept such as they obtained hom the flying inhabi-
tants of Fredericksburg, who knew nothing more
than that their town was being shelled over their
heads, and that their safety depended on a hasty
evacuation. The account, however, brought by them
does not differ in the main from that obtained from
more reliable sources. They say that at 5 o'clock
a.m. the enemy attempted to throw across pontoon
bridges at three points—the old railroad bridge
about the centre of the town, and above and below
Deep Run, a stream three miles lower down the
Rappahannock ; that at the first of these two points
the bridge-builders were driven from their work by
our sharpshooters, but that at the point below the
creek mentioned, the ground being low and open
for a considerable space on this side, his artillery,
posted on the opposite heights, had dispersed our
sharpshooters, and enabled his men to perfect the
bridge. At last accounts our artillery had been
brought into a position covering and completely com-
manding the open space upon which the enemy's
troops would deploy in crossing."

ELECTION INTELLIGENCE.

CAMBRIDGESHIRE,

The following address from Mr. Ball, M.P. for
the county of Cambridge, has been published in the
local papers :

" To the electors of the county of Cambridge and
Isle of Ely.—Gentlemen,---Some ten years since
you did me the honour to invite me to become a
candidate to represent you in Parliament. Urged
by the entreaty of some friends, and encouraged by
the promises of others, I presumed to solicit the
suffrages of the constituency of the county and isle.
At the election in 1852, you more than realised my
expectation, and triumphantly sect me to the
House of Commons. Circumstances impose on me
the necessity of resigning that situation. I have
now entered my threescore years and ten, and
although, by the blessing of God, I have an ordi-
nary share of health, I nevertheless have not the
vigour of body and freedom from pain which is
essential to the efficient discharge of the duties
of a county member. Permit me, therefore,
most respectfully and gratefully to resign to
your hands the high honour you conferred on me.
I assumed the position of one of your represen-
tatives with a profound sense of my unworthi-
ness, and I now relinquish that honour with
a deep recognition of your kindness and forbearance
throughout the whole period of my parliamentary
career.—l remain, &c., " EDWARD BALL.
" Burwell, Dec. 23, 1862."

The Cambridge Independent referring to this
document says:—" Though Mr. Ball says nothing
about the time of his resignation, we conclude from
the general tone of his address that he intends,
like Mr. Steuart, member for the town, to take the
steps necessary for such a proceeding immediately
on the opening of the session, and without taking
the chance of a dissolution of Parliament. What
steps will be taken to fill up the expected vacancy
we are not at present in a position to say. Until
to-day Mr. Bal.'s intention to resign has not been
made public, so there has been no time to concert
arrangements. We take it for granted, however,
that Lord George Manners will be in the field ; pro-
bably his lordship might have been made acquainted
with the intende 1 resignation of Mr. Ball, and
hence the paragraph inserted last week by way of
feeler in the London newspapers. In addition to
Lord George Manners, we have heard the follow-
ing gentlemen named as not unlikely, one or other
of them, to be candidates ;—Mr. C. Tow nley,
Major Fryer, and Mr. Young, the Mayor of Wis-
bech."