The New York herald., 1862-12-20
REBEL ACCOUNTS.

General Lees Official Report Of the Bat
tie Of fredericksburg.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10, 1eo2' .
The Richmond papers OF the 17h inst. announce ~dN
toriay the retreat Of the Union army rrederic
burg comments upon hsfoowing telegraphic despatch
OF General Lee-
FREpxRIcKsBURG, Dec. 10, 1854 /
Az far as can be ascertaned this stormy merning, th
enemy has disappeared in our immediate front, and
recr0ssed the Rappahannock presume he is meditA1o&
passage at some other point. Il. z. LEE. 1.
The Whig ridiculcs this retreat, saying
II is another s'On to Rclmondn come to grief BuypI
side has dragged the bruised body and broken bone6 &
his army across the Rappahannock, and gonewe know
not where
is evident from the the articles in the WAt
and the Dpach that the retrograde movement or thH
Union Army Of the Potomac Is not understood by the
rebel general.
The rebel loss at Fredericksburg is estimated at eo0S
and the Union loss at sooo but in the local columns
the paper arrival at Richmond Of two thousand AID
fifty rebel wounded is announced and also OF about 6n6
hundred wounded Union prisoners.
GENERAL LEES OFFICIAL REPORT OF TIE BATYLks
The following is General Lees official report Of the
battle Of fredericksburg
HEADQUARTERS, Army OF NonrnERN vmsSA,l L
The Honorable SECRETARY WAR; Richmond, Va. - ,S
sRon the night OF the 10th instant the enemy con4l
meneed to throw three bridges over tho Rappahahs
nock-two at Fredericksburg and the third about O.
miio and quarter below. near the mouth Of th4
Ieep run. Inc pam on winch FREDERICKSBURG BLRuu4
so completely commanded by the hills OF Sta6ord}
in possession, Of the enemy, that no eiieet1al
opposition could be offered to tire construction Of the
bridges the passage of the river without exposing
troops to the destructive fire Of his numerous battres
Positions were therefore sosced % oppose hs aasn:e
winding and deep bed afforded opportunity for the
construction Of bridges points beyond the reach q our
artillery, and the banks had to be watched by skirmef
The latter sheering themselves behind the houees
drove back the working parties Of the enemy at ths
crossing where no shelter could be had, our shaypt
shooters themselves driven off, and the ccmpleso4
| Of the bridge was elected about on the 11th.
In the afternoon OF that day the enemy's batteries
opened upon the city, and by dark had SO ne
houses the river bank TO deprive skrmishQs
shelter under Of his guns be effected lodsene
in the town. The troops which had so calamity noI6
ing the day, resisting the advance q me snsmy Al svg1
step were Withdrawn during the night, as were elsQ
those who, with equal tenacity had maintained tosis
Under Of darkness and dense fog, on the 1os
o Se
On the morning OF the 18th, his arrangements ~ eN
tack being completed about nine O'clock, the movsssas
asains. % o. our right wing Genera, JscEsons cors sses
pied the right Of line, which rested on ths .s
Gessss o he
General Stuart, with two brigadss o cavalsy. va
right As soon as the advance Of the enemy was dS0
yered through the fog General Stuart, with his acsu
sry which opened with effect upon his nank and drs
upon the gallant Pelham heavy Ore, which he sssain
In The meantime the enemy was ncrcely encountered
by General A. r His division, forming General JacA
sous right, and aftor obstinate combat repusc&
During this attack which proracted and hoty CON-
tested, two OF General Hills brigades were driven back
uron second line. General Early with part % bA
division being ordered 70 his support drove the epem&
back from the point ho had pursued
| him into tho plain until arrested BY his artillery
The right OF the enemy's colurn, extending beyond
Hills front, encountered tho right OF General Hood, q
Lngstrsets corps The enemy took possession Of small
copse in front Of Hood but were quickly dispossesse4
aud repulsed with loss.
During the attack right the enemy crossing
troops his bridges at fredericksburg and Assn&
them In front OF Longstreets line Soon after his repulsQ
right he commenced series Of atacke on our
left with view OF obtaining possession Of the heigh4
tacks were repused in gallant style by the Washyngso1
Artillery under Colonel Walton and portion Of Mclaw1
division, which occupied these heights
The last assault made after dark, when Colonel
Aexanders battalion had relieved the Washington Artii
| ery, whose ammunition had been exhausted, and ended
The enemy was supported In his attacks by the fire Of
strong batteries OF artillery the right bank Of the rvef
well by the numerous heavy batteries on the star
oar loss during the operations, since the movements qf
the enemy began, amounts 70 about eighteen hundred
port the death Of the patriotic soldier an statesman
Brgadisr General Thomas u. r. Cobb who fell upon our
left and among latter that brave soldier and acco
pishcd gentleman Brigader General NJ. Gregg who was
very seriously, and s feared mortaly wounded during
ihc enemy to-day has been apparently burying hiS
dead His troops visible in their first position in liq4
Of battle but with the exception OF despory ca
nonadipg aud firing between skirmshers, he has not a
tempted TO renew the attack. n
About live hundred and fifty prisoners taken dufs
ing the engagement but the full extent OF his loss s u
have the honor to be- very respectfully your obedens
servant, X r. LIE, ,st
Among the local items in tho Dispatch description
Of tho funeral OF General NJ. Gregg Of South Carolina
who was killed at Fredericksburg.