New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-12-18
After the BatiIc-Thc Council Of War
L., Evacuation Of Fredericksburg resolved
upon-Condiiion of the Army--Arriva nj
of sigcI's Grand Division.
Ftom or specleI IoTFespohdent
HEADQUAKTBks RIGHT GRAsp DIVISION,


HEADQuAKrBks RIGHT GRAND DIVISION,
Dec. Is 1863 N. J
"All is quiet" on the Rappahanuock. Three shots
hsve been fired from the Rebel batteries at the pom.
,oon bridge on the right, and the same number re-
turned by BENJAMIN on the nights of Falmouth, from
his twenty-pounders.
Iwrote YOU at midnight last night, that the battle
would be renewed this morning, when the Grand
Division OF Sen. Sigel would be on hand and take
part in the action. Ny authority for that statement
was derived from the very highest source. The pom
toon bridges were kept open all night for Gen. Sgel,
but morning dAwned and he had not set crossed
them.
Late last evening council Of war wes held at the
Headquarters of Gen. Sumner consisting OF the
Commanding General and the Generals commanding
his Grand Divisions aud Corps. The session lasted
until an early hour in the morning. Without know
ing positively what took place, have reason to be-
eve that the plan Of the campaign has in IHrt been
changed-tlat after the removal Of our wounded
from the hospitals in Fredericksburg the entire army
vii evacuete the city. Among officers AMI nieli-
gent civilians there to be but one opinion con-
cernirg the wisdom of this movement.
IOD. ni.-Since writing the above have obtained
positive information with regard to the evacuation
OF fredericksburg The entire army VIII move to
this eide during the night The simple circulation Of
the report this morning seemed TO raise the spirits
Of the whole army. All day long the Rebels haze
been sheng the city from four batteries to the light
of the telegraph road q, intervals Of about an hour
and not being allowed TO return their FIRE, rather
having no batteries in position to command them,
our solders were excessively annoyed by it. Sol
der or civilian could not ride through the streets Of
Fredericksburg without being 10 danger from shell
OF round shot.
The dead Oh the battlefield Of Saturday still lie
unbured. The Rebels having possession Of the
ground, and being so constantly occupied in watch
ing us, and at work digging rihe-pts and throwing
up inlreuchHenis have not treated MS with tho
ordinary Christian eourteses and allow our dead 10
tester in the sun or freeze in the cold rot with the
chan cling elements. From the observatory Of the
Phillips House, tLey can be lying all over the
small field in which French and Hancock were 80
feariully cut up aud msDgled.
Ii is not using too strong AN expression to cay that
N this battle we were bqNheIed. The loss Of tue
enemy in comparison with our own must be insig-
nifcart. More then half Of the division Of Gen.
French were placed hors da combat before they had
fired a shot. Having orders 10 Withhold their lire,
charge bayonets and rush upon the intrenchmeots,
they anticipated obstacle until they should meet
in the hand-tohand fight for the crest Of the first
range Of lille But how little they knew the foe
they had to deal with.
Lying close upon the soft earth, behind low
stone wall aud haf-destroyed fence, which We had
not taken into our calculations mr. obstacles, tie
enemy watched the approach of Gen. French until
every man in the battle line under tie aim Of
tue best sharpshooters in the Rebel army. In an in
stant almost before the fence itself discovered
to be an obstacle, long, thick line Of flame and
smoke streamed above the fence and wall and at
the moment the first voley WAS fired, sixty pieces of
artillery, charged with grape and canister sent their
Internal contents strnigbt through our advancing
lines Iakng them in front and upon both TANKS.
Destruction 30 terrible never before has been seen
during this war.
Gen. Fench went into the action with 900 men.
Tonight two days after the battle, but 200 men
have reported 10 him. How many Of this number
were taken prisoners it is almost impossible to tell.
But hs dead and wounded present fearful list, as
you have already learned by the thousands OF names
sent over the wires tonight.
| Gen. Hancock who engaged the enemy later in
the day and fought upon nearly tho same ground,
| lost but little less than Gen. French. With u dyi-
zion quite as large, be s not able to call together
tonight more than 1900 men, aud it Is doubtful
whether he las that number. Gen. Howard, who
was ordered to the support OF Gen. Hancock, and
went into battle but short time before dark, lost
but l. 900, and now has in his division 5000 men
who are ft to go into action
| The entire loss, therefore, in the corps OF Gen.
Couch, consisting Of tue divisions of Gems. Howard
French aud Hancock, and which, on the morning
Of the battle, contained forty regiments, old aud
new. amounting TO at least 10000 men, is about
10 900. / think the official reports will not vary
from this estimate more than 800, above OF below
the number.
The losses in Gen. Rcynolds's corps OF Fankln'o
Grand Division, which were ut first supposed to be
but 900, are tonight considered by some Of Gen.
Franklins staff officers nearly 1900.
As am now writing, at 10 O'Clock, the army is
slowly moving to its position on this eide OF the
river. The night is intensely dark, and tie wind,
from the east, is blowing furously and portending
storm. The pontoon bridges swing with every gust,
and render it very difficult for the artillery 70 cross
Should the Rebels discover what are about, they
could annoy us terribly, having obtained nearly the
exact range from the past three days practice.
Franklin moves his Grand Division on the lower
bridge and encainps on the ground be occupied early
II IL h.