Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-12-18
TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.
ASSOCIATED PRESS DIsPArcHEsl
FROM THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
Particulars ofthe Recrossing OF the Rapps.
hauuork.

! HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE PoroNAc.
; Dee. E.-fesrrday morning when daylight
I appeared, the enemy seemed 10 be, as they no
doubt were, perfectly astonished that our army
had succeeded In returning 10 THE side of the
Rappahannock We returned, as already
the rctrogradr movement.
lew soldiers who had struggled OF made
tnelr appearance on the river bank after the
pohteon bridges had been removed but they
were brought over in small boats, and q I. W
sa1airymtn, who were guarding a house in
nabitrd ny 2 private family, We're not during
oa n nisn. aWaie OF our crossing, but only be-
came aware OF IL in the morning and safely
swsm the river. '
The piclsets Of the eontending armies being
separated hy a few yards Of space only, rem.
dered II necessary that everything on our mari
should be conducted with the utmost caution
lhose OF our troops OIL the outposts were un .
SiN aware OF tbe movement until just before day.
nght, when an officer went 10 each individual
back. ~ ''
After they got sufficiently far 10 be out of
danger, they were ordered 10 ouickc. thaSr ~
pace and reach the bridges
htout" clock yesterday morning the enc
my advanced their skirmishers along the entire
line, and by noon had established thsir r,;rL,,s
near the river bank.
We had a large number oil dead on what WAS
rgaioed rs neutral ground, and as soon As il
was known that our forces had evacuated. the
eeidlers OF the enemy commenced robbiug the
hfeiess bodies. This was plainly seen through
a heid glass, as well as indistinctly with the
About 10 or II o'clock femaIe,, neatly srrssed
were seen walking the streets of Fredericks
nuIs. lhey had doubtless been concealed in
iheIr houses during the time the city wa Or
ruPt" by our troops, and had a,aiied them
selves OIL the first opportunity TO make their
reappearancp A0 '"eh
On Monday the pickets in front of the left
wing agreed upon an armistice among them
selves; ana fr'ly intprmingled, exchanging
th' Ir dead comrades, who Law upon their 5ans
tral ground. During this time a general OF onr
army iooe by and put an end TO these proceed
Ings The result was that both parties imme
diatAly commenced firing, khen nine eT our
meE were killed.
After the General had left the locality the
aiEhoiy intercourse OF the pickets was renewed,
and butte rnuts and blue uniforms freely min
gled About this time Gen FrankIin dis.
patched flag OF truce, which the enemy i'm.
ntdiately recognized, and the exchange OF the
completed. '
On Monday afternoon Gen. Lee sent a flag of
uuce 10 Gen burnside, asking him TO detail
fAen TO bury his dead in front of Summers
giayid division. This was done.
ne wounded, with the exception OF those
"hom the ems my obtained, have all been
olougni 10 this SIDE OF the kappahannock, and
as rapidly az possible are being Sch: to Wash
ington.
During the flag OF trucetien. Steuar:, of the
Ieoei army, stated that Banks's expedition had
gone South, bu he did not seem to know ex
actly where.
The entire army is now encamped on he
eaine ground which they previously occupi.d
ana arc As comfortable a. they can be made i'm
shelter tents.
Our army has been considerably reinforced
since The battle, and no danger whateyer nefd
De arpr' hrnded in their present position
III IL me opinion of military men that had we
uccerdrd M taking the first range of works
Inc opportunity OF slaughter by the enemy
would haze becn far grearsr than in asssnItinS
the greatest gallantry; but no troops in the
world could Withstand such 4 concentrated
fire OF heavy ordnance and mUsketry under
cover of foTii6cations.
The loss in Franklins grand division, which
included Two divisions of Stone mans corps, is,
in killed, 49, wounded, 3,3i3; missing, 800
There is reason 10 believe that the greater pof-
lion Of the wounded Were made prisoners
The loss i'll Gen. Summers and Hooker grand
div isions. which made the assault upon the
enc my's works, cannot be fully ascertained as
yet but sufficient il known 10 Justify the asser-
ton that our loes in killed and wounded will
reach ten TO twelve thousand in the battle of
Saturday.
The weather L. cold to-day, with q north
east wiId. Last night The enemy increased
their nlrenchments or the hills III the rear OF
Fredericksburg, and threw up rife pits near
the river on the left OF the city To-day their
battalion drills Were visible 10 the naked eve on
the plain. No movement OF importance has
taken place to-day.
Our troops are in excellent condition, and as
enthusiastic as previous 10 the last en- x agement