The New York Herald Newspaper, December 12, 1862, Page 1

WHOLE NO. 9586. YA TRPORTAAT PROW VIRGINIA. The Great Battle Commenced on the Rappahannock. Bombardment and Partial Des- truction of Fredericksburg. : Capture and Occupation of the City by Gen. Burnside’s Forces. Heroic Dash of One Hundred Volunteers Across the River. | The River Bridged and Troops Thrown Over with Slight Loss. The Enemy Shelled by Our Gunboats. Names of Some of the Killed and Wounded. A General Engagement Ex- pected To-day. Sketch of Fredericksburg and dts Surroundings. ‘THE REBEL PLANS, &e., . &., - &e. The ball has opened on the Rappahannock. "et six o'clock yesterday morning on the de voted city of Fredericksburg, and up to the Satest moment the fring continued without in- terruption. Hs destraction appears certain. The enemy epened their fire at seven o'clock, bit thus far have done no serious injury. r . Gen. Franklin’s grand division was crossing the river three miles below the city, having eonstructed bridges there with but slight oppo- aition from the enemy. ‘The gunboats were shelling the enemy fifteen walles down the river. Brabquarrers, ARMY OF THE ee ae : Dec. 11—9 A. M. Bverything last night was bustle and activity, es to-day was the time fixed for the crossing of the river. During the night the pontoons were conveyed 40 the river, and the artilfery of one hundred end forty-three pieces placed in position oppo- ite the city. Atfive o’clock this morning the rebels fired two signal guns, and during the latter part of the night rockets were frequently seen to ascend within their lines. At five o’clock the construction of three bridges, in front of the city, was commenced. ‘When the bridges were about half conipleted the enemy opened a murderous fire of infantry from the houses on the river bank. Up to this time not @ shot had been fired from our side. ; ‘The engineers were driven from the bridges, and several killed aud wounded. At six o'clock General Burnside ordered all the guns to be opened on the city. ‘The cannonade, which has continued up to the present time, is terrible. . The city ie’ on fire. and its destruction ap- pears to be certain. ‘The ememy about seven o'clock this morning opened with their heavy guns from their works Dut so far have done no serious injury. General Franklin constricted his bridges about three miles below the city, mesting with but slight opposition. His troops are now oressing. The guaboats are ‘now shelling the enemy about fifteen miles down the river, where they have been concen- (eating their forces for the past two days. The concentrated fire of our batteries on the sity has had the effect of driving back the enemy's infantry, and the work on'the bridges ‘hes again been commenced. ‘The troops are all under arms near the river, prepared to rush over as soon as the bridges are completed. On the attempt being made to finish the {Wridges in front of the city the rebel infantry +agein opened their fire. The artillery in position again opened on the olty,,the result being that it was fired in several now places. ‘Tho enemy havo used very little artillery up to this time, as it would endanger their own mon, who are holdingsthe river front. % General Burnside has just issued an order to Y eoncentrate every available gun upon the city, One hundred and forty-three guns opencd | ander the cover of ihe fire of which it ts be- lieved that the bridges can be finished. The killed and wounded 60 far do not amount to more than fifty men. THE LATEST NEWS. Heapqvartors, ARMY ory THE POTOMAC, f Dec. 11—Bvening. But little firing took place between ene and three o’clock, during which time all the available batteries were placed in position. They then numbered oné hundred and seventy- six guns. At agiven signal all the batteries opened | on the city. The fire was terrible; but the rebel sharpshooters could not be dvivea from | their hiding places. The shot and shell went: crashing through the houses, in many cases setting them on fire, causing a dense smoke, which, together with the explosion of so large a quantity of powder, almost hid the city from view. a It soon became evident that the bridges could not'be built except’ by a bold dash. Volun- teers were called for to cross in small boats. | ‘The order was no sooner given than hundreds of braves stepped forward; but all conld not go. About one hundred men were selected. They were soon on their way, while the artillery threw a perfect storm of iron hail on the.oppo- ; site bank. They reached the opposiie shore, but not withont loss. With fixed bayonets they rushed upon. the enemy, killing several and taking one hundred and one prisoners, who were safely landed on this side. At half-past four two bridges were finished Opposite the city, when the teoops immediahly began to cross-over. The enemy were soondriven from the cily bacle to their line of works. The two bridges in front of General Frantdin | were successfully laid early in the day: but his troops did not cross until the two upper ones | were ready. A sufficient force is now on the opposite side to be made. The rebels fired but few guns in the morn- ing, and none in the afternoon, althongh their The rebels burnt the railroad bridge just outside the city. mostly in the business part of the city. our artille Everything is qniet to-night. The indications are that a battle will be fought to-morrow. DETAILS OF THE BATTLE. Fran anrens, 1x Tae Freto, 3 Orveste FaDMUCKEMDRL, Dec. TSP. A f Between four and five o'clock this morning the pontoon fain, in charge of the Seventventh and Filtieth New York Fugivecrs, and under commun! of General Wood bury, proceeded to the river bank, where, with infantry supports, an atiempt was made te throw three bridges across the river—one at the point where the railroad bridge formerly croseed, aud two more opposite the but nearer Jalmouth, P time it discovered ‘The ponteoniers had snececded im partially constructing the bridgos when the rebels suddenly opened a very brisk and dead!y tlre of musketry from along the bankg of the river and the windows of the houses, compelling a cessa was not the rebel pic! by tion of the work. Some of our men were shot midway in the stream, and falling overBoant from the boats floated down the river. Returning te the cover of the surrounding hills, the men were again formed to bridge the river was renewed , but the rebels had now been thoroughly aroused toa sense of what was going forward, and with reinforcements of sharpshooters @warmed the opposite banke and houses, Nothing daunted by the hot fire which they poured wm at the reappeardnoe of our troops, the pontooniers ‘went gallantly to work. Bytin vain. A storm of bullets enveloped them. The air was alive with the leaden mes. sengers of dest every voliey. Once more they were compelled to withdraw, and they fell bock to the cover of the ridge of hills running paralle with tbe river, AS it was evident that the rebelel were determined to ase the houses of the city fora de- fence, contrary to an implied agreement in the correspon. dence which recently passed by fag of trace, or- ders were given © our fre upon the ity, Accordingly, Benianin’s, | Edwards’, Mublenburg’s amd other batterioe of the Ninth corps, tageiner with the batteries of the corps to the right and left of the eity, commenced an almost simultaneous bombardment. The fog was so The planks and boats were riddled by dense that it was impossible to seo but a short distance | Deyond the edge of the river. The bouses, however, in which the rede! sharpshooters bad eoscomed themselves were plainly visible, and to them the fire was fore time particularly directed, The effect was their partist demo. lition ima short timo. After the first fire they became untenable by the rebel riflemen, who retreated to the | rear of the town, where they took shelter behind the as yet unharmed bulidings. By seven o'clock the bombardment bad become gene” ral, and from that time anti! one o'clock the roar of artillery was incessant, while the shot and shell fell fast and thick into the doomed city, From the viciaity of the Lacy Hougs, a brick building | overlooking the centre of the city, the batteries of the Ninth eorps raked the sireets with shel!, schrapucl and grape, Though the fog still continued to obscure in a Measure tho results of these discharges, yet the walle could be heard erumbling and the timbors crashing. The rebels, with the greatest stubbornness, still kept within the city, and at tines parties of them” coulu be seen going from one point to another on the double quick, ‘Tho carnage cannot but be fearful amongst them, Te Js somewhat singitlar that the rebel batteries did not return the fire of our guos. Up to the present time they have not oponed In rexponse, of the river to resist any attack that is likely | i works were in easy range during the forenoon. | Betweeu thirty and forty houses were burned, ; During the day between eight and nine | thousand rounds of ammunition were fired by | Se more the column, with this reinforcement, started aown | $ dott have so obscured tue movement that soe) i nd about six o'clock the attempt | artillerymen to open | y <tr A NEW YORK, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1862. Map of the City and Its Vi cinity---The Route to Richmond. e Pot About ten o'clock the engincers were formed for a third | j atteript to construct the bridge. The Eighth Connecticut, i under Major Ward, was lying at this time near the river | bank, in support of one of our batteries. After the pre- } | vious ineffectual atvempts on the part of the engineers to | cross, party of cighty men the regiv ment, under Captain Marsb to assis, | in this new endeavor to nist laying the bridge, and onc® a trom volunteered to the river. { Under thevdifection of General Weodbury, they seized | tothe end of the | d earried out some doze | the planks string of boats, placed a part of them, ond were then com- | Dell ! yebei sharvshooters, whe were eusconved seeurely in rite to retire, under a very galing fire frem the | pits below the range of the artillery and within fifteen or | twenty foot ofthe river's edge. Two of the Fighth Cour | necticnt were wounded in this attempt, and the eng? | peor suffered severely. {- ghe movement having been thus interrupted, the w L naek to their original position k it was discovered that one of the At elev houses was on fire. westerly part of the city, soon spread, and I'tederichs | wury is now enveloped in fire and smoke, ‘The flames, which commenced in the | Amenfiialing fre bas been opened pon the robel ritte pits from our batteries up the river. It has beem success | ful go far in driving the sharpshooters from the vieinity | at thé railroad depot The engineers are now constructing the bridges without interruption. in this work they have bedn earnestly aud gallantly supported by the Kighty-winth New York, Cat Fairchild The rebels still maintain their ground opposite the upper bridges. ‘Phe cavalry are now passing. Sumner’s headquarters aw route to make @ charge ther at one of the fords. Reporte from the left state that Framlin'’e wing haa H crossed the river below @#, whore their passage was cover” 0d by the ganbORts, sa Cuan, Deo. 12—Midnight, Intelligence trom the front to-night states that ou, forces have cronacd the river, and are now in possession | of Fredericksburg. | ‘The enfilading fire from oat batteries on tho right suc | coated in driving the rebels from the rifle pits on the river's edge, thereby permitting an easy and rapid cov. struction of the poatoon bridges. THE CASUALTIES. ‘Wounded. . FIFTIETH NEW YORK REGIMENT, amiED. Captain Perkina, Co, T, #hot through the hoad. Lowis Wileox, Co. C, shot through the abdomen. Wm. Blakesley, Co. C, shot through b | Philip Comfort, Co. F, abdomen. —— Deawiek, Co. F, cheat. WoUNDRD. Captain Wesley Brainard, Oo. ©, lett arm. Captain James MeDovald, Co, K, left arn. Corporal 8. Wieks, Co. K, leg. Franklin Shepard , Co. ©, face, | John &, Tattle, Co. F, thigh. ‘Warren K. Watson, €0. ©, wriet. - P. Duntap, Co. C, shot in shoulder. . James Smith, Co. F, thigh. William Bessby, Co. F, thigh. teaag J. Bradehaw, Co. ¥, hip, J. K, Adame, tnigh, Captain Robert Patti, Co. F, knee, Luthor Rood, Co. H, ehoulder, William Jordan, Co, H, ankle, G, Fowler, Co, F, bip. KIGHTY-NINTH NEW YORK REGIMENT, WOURNED. J... Tose, Co, A, arm. nt MoKee, Go. €, leg C.D, Constant, Co, A, thigh, J.D, Walk joo KIGHTIT CONNECTICUD ABGLMENP, WOUNDED. Robert Co. C, in the abdomen, mortally. Sylvester Godfrey, Co. H, in shoulder, stightly The Reports from Washington, Wasaveton, Dec, 11, 1862. that the be! burg bad bour this m ¢ of Frederic bere at an early begun * reached and has produced much excitement and anxiety ‘The whole population has been waiting with brexthless expectation (or further information. The brief despateh this evening, aunonuciug that Fro: dericksburg is ours and all is well, has afforded some relief! Dit the dotsils of the engagement are anxiously expected. The afternoon boat having beon taken of the line be- tween here and Aquia ereek within the last twe or three Jays, leaves no ppportunisy to obtain the details except over the military telegraph wires or by & xpocial steamer detailed by Geucral Bornsid THE PREPARATIONS FOR THE ATTA Our Army Correspondence. HeMycARiKRs, ARwY oF tix Porowac, Dec. 8, Mounting of the Siege Quns—Lnmense Supplies of Ammu- nition and Ordnance—Aciivi'y—The Enemy in Heavy Fores—Capture of General Pendleton’s AA—The Cause of the Recent Capture of Our Picktts—Sat—Health of General Hooker, de., dc. ‘There isno news of importance this morning, though the indications of stirring times are rapidly on the in- creaso, The rifed gege guns (Reven thirty-two pounder Dadigren guns) are being put in positing near this place, ‘aod commanding the oarthwarks beyond Fredericksburg. Immens® suppites of ordnance and ammunition are Larry ing through from Washington, and the artillery at the crossing, eight miles below, is in porfect readiness w ‘open the eogagement. ‘ At tho upper ford the toe is thick enough to aupport the weight of a regiment. Frasklla’s and Reynold’s corps are moving down to the lower crossing. The ground ia frozen solid and smooth, and everything is favorable for active operations immediately. The artillerists de tailod from the defences of Washington to aorve the siege guns wore detailed owly for teu days, several of which have already elapsed. Yoaterday General Tugatls weat to Washingtoa in a special steamer, returwing Iast wight, and iv all the de partments of the army the greatest activity prevaiis Stilt there is no’ tolling how much louger we shall be de layed. It 18 more than possible that we stall do nothing for several days to come. and, if past experience can be etablished as a criterion of future movements, another Sabbath will find ns shiver. ing opposite Frederickeburg. It hag been ascertained that the citizens down t were not implicated in the recent capture of our cavalry: but that a number Of rebel soldiers were at home oa Cur lough, and, returning to their regiments after out forces fiver got down, then gave the informetion that led to the dis aster. ‘We bave no wewe of interest from the front. The | enemy is #til! hore in heavy force, a8 indicated by his camp fires; but farther than thai fow, if any, have avy knowledge. Lieutenant Randolph, aid-de-camp to General Pendle. ton, the revel Chief of Artillery, was captured a (ew nights since while attempting to make bis way over the river to viait the honso of @ friend, Not boing aware that our pickets extended so far down tbe river, ho exsily foil into their hands, as have several otber enterprising socesh | His statements were | adyentorers during the past week. prineipally devoid of interest, thouglt some information was obtained of no litte importance. General Burnside 4 | The Genorai Buraside talks tike it, | and other officors questioned him concerning thelr old @equaintances now in t Jarmy, and miny pleasing reminiscences were stirred ip by news from fortavr oki mates and compau ions in arms In his ox tion before (he Provost Marshal Genera! the Livuten: ed that the Goorge county had nothing to do with the recent capture of our | cavalry, Dui that when our forces went down thore & number of Confederate soldiers were at their homes ov furlough, and that they, after getting sufficient inforina- | tion, went back and led over the party. The citizens dis- claim ail comp! the affair, and the rigid ip sation by General Patri 5 exonerated them from tie varges. John Irwin, some t gone a thorongl: ange, the ch: ns of Kin, v © captured as a ation, and will bo pa soinst him not Waving bev ished. Ow ing to the grea auts, dev. ha mires to allow on more reliable men to hh sait, &e., in limited ties, to the funaities known to be loyal, Applications a end upless som ‘ood | constantly being made for assistar means are devised for enabling citizens to procure from us utjer starvation nist ensue, ‘The smallpox has appeared afmong the contrabands at Aquia ereok; but measures bave been taken to checis the | | disease immediately. the Rappahannock, at the upper fords, is frozem over, so that troops can me the ive, At Aquia and Bolle Plain landings the ice and the low water effectually prevent the discharge of cargoos of age, aud the teams are already suffering from want of The weather is getting warmer, and everything indi- a lengthy period favorable to military operation’. No news trom the enemy, and the utmost quiet pr along the lines. General Hooker has fully regained his health, and still works with untiring assiduity in the discharge of hi* numerous duties. i ‘The health of the men continues excel M | lont, and their duties on picket and other work appertain- | ing to an active vampaign ave discharged with wonted | | enthusiasm, Hrap@varrers, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, 7 vec. 10, 1862. f Destitution of ns of the Enemy's Po the Rebel Soliliers, de., Le. Yesterday a numbe ters from the enemy crossod the river below sburg upon a raft and came within our lines. ‘They report that the rebel Gene- ral Lee bas his heaiquarter ‘ht miles beyond Fredericksburg, on the Richmond telegraph road, near the Massaponax. Genetal Longatreet’s command has moved down the river, opposite King George Court House: Stonewall Jackson was at Grinness’ Station, on the rail- | road, a few days since, and is believed to be also upon | their right. General Hill is in command near Fredericks- | borg, and General stunrt is at Bowling Green. rebels are suffering terribly from cold, great numbers of them being entirely baretooted and almost destitute of clothing. The inhabitants throughout the South having been stripped of blankets, the troops are comparatively well supplied in that re spect. Rags are wrapped abont their fect in lien of tockinge, and beush buts are made to answer the pir- pose of tents, Five crackers coustitute the daily ration of each man. meat at proportionate rates. Reporte Pos ticipation ef its bombardient went most of them are liviux npgu the people Uaroughont the adjacent country. very Honse, church, barn and negro hut is crowded to moat vapaeity) Th the beltof that the « pose returning as ger bus passed, The rebels r i pation of this of Grecley’s ch the enemy within a few hours after their arrival here: but the means of emission have uot been ascertainail.git is presnmed that the papers are exchanged betveen the picket Afew of the inbabitants of Falmouth have returned, though the exodns has’ not yet extire!y censed. ‘the ice in the riyer still intgyeres with the discharge ot supplies at Aquia and Kelle Yliia, New wharves are deity built where deep water is found at all times and new roads are being upened to them through the woods. | fast returns the population numbered te Pork ells at fifty cents per pound, And { © A few of the inuabitants who lett Fredericksburg in an- | from oilicial soure Richmond; but the | that the rebel le: Considerable snow still retains, and the ground is froven quite hard: but the weather w much mild pt is reported tthit the enemy's cavalry haye made several ids npon the Alexundria and Steflord tnrnpike near Occoquan, capturing # ew sutler's wagous and stall squads of our own Wen. The telegraph line ie freouentiv interrupted by the secession residents, and, as the repairers must set ont from each terminns ‘© find the vreak, the supoyance and delay occasioned is considerable, Sketch of Fredericksburg. Fredericksburg, the city bombarded by the artillery of Genoral Bw the chief town of Spotsylvania snty, iy Virgiait, ands situated on the right bank of the Rappahannocs river,at the head of tide water, It y and sixty miles from Richmond by rait- w miles by the turapile, in a northerly direction connect it with Falmouth ant Newpe r by a ferry ucross the Rappa- { Lannock—and another turnpike leading tirongh Wilder. to Orange Conrt Hons, where 4 railroad connects it with Gordonsville. The town itself is pleasantly situ- road, and sixty ated ina fertile valley, amd has advantages Lor commerce and manuta The railrova from Washington, v Aquin creck, passes throngh it, and thereby @ large traffic | and trade was dous previons to the rebellion, As the | through trains generally stopped at Fredericksburg sta. { tion for about an hour ou cack trip, a not inconsidera ble chance trade wae caused thereby in the immediate lovality of the depot. It is distant from Aquia creek by raiiroad about fifteen miles, (rom witch point part of the Potomac river traffic awed to be carried to Fader. icksburg. A good canal lias also Boon constructed from the towa to a point on the pahannock river about forty miles above, by whicy large quantities of wheat, flour | co were former!y reeeived for exportation. The extensive water power, which how; has not beeu much used. ‘The hills in the neighborhood, varying in height from forty to one hundred feet, abound in fine granit® | andfreestoue, About thirty years since the prospect of Fredericksburg being a rapidly rising towa was very great; but it suddeuly stopped in ite prosperity, aud after, as it were, standing atill for about twenty years, it gradu. ally retrograded in its importance. fn 1849 its population numbered pearly Cour thousand souls, and in 1850, ten years after, it had only increased eighty eight persons— Jese than mine each year, and being about twy per cont in a decado—a romarkably small increase. uelore the rem beliion it contained five churtbes, one orptian asylum, two seminaries, four newspaper offices and two banks. The county iu which Fredericksburg te situated has an area of four hundred square wiles, or two lundred and fifty-six thousaud actos. The Rappalannock forms the southwest, and the Mattapony rises within its limite. ‘The surface is divoreifed by hill and date, The soi! is gevoraliy fertile m the viclaity of the strquns. ‘Two gold mines were worked within the county ia 1850, and, aw before stated, freestone and granite are abondaat, The canal ranuivg northwest carries the river tra‘fe far abo the falls, aud the country is intersected by the Richmond and Potomac Railroad. Spottsy!vania was organized in 1720, and named ip honor of Alexander Spottswood, at that time Governor of Virginia. The capital of the county is Spottsylvania Court House, a post village on the Po river, aad situated over sixty miles veurly duo vorth | front Ricbruond, with which it # counected by a turnpike toad, The iast return of the population gave over sixteou | forced Beauregard and won the battio of Bull rv mf tobac- | be so regardiess of all the rules of strateg: iver afurds | the boundary on the northeast, the North Annu river on | Lee ample ts PRICE THREE CENTS Statord county, have for nearly & mou'h been occupied by Gener urnside’s army Sketeh of Patmouth and Vicinity. Fain post village of Staflord county, Virgin and is situated on the opposite shore ef the Rappahan- nock river to Fredericksburg It is sixty-six raifes north, of Richmend, and is tho largest village in the county, The water power of the river ja employe two coston | fetories and two flour Tho river is navigable | tor vessels of light draught of water to thin yomt. ‘the ouuty has an area of 250 square miles, or £60,006 ! the surface of the Jand is hil TY county is Stuford Court importance in a commercial point sand, nearly one-half of whom ware slave ginia, and § Rap pahoanoek Fredericksburg. river, about It was, before the war » for steamboats, an » wer There w sre from the boats to the shor searcely reached a thonsind nty how na of 480 square miles, or 307,200 pahgunodke river forms its northera boundary and the Martapony ros throngh it. The surface is uneven, and the soll near the fertile. The I iekeburg aud Riciiaoast Voll. road passes through the county, which was organiccd 1 1727; capital, Bowling Gre Tn 1850 th popntation of the county was 18,456, of whom 10¢ ana in 1860 it had i ght pers and pew bored 18,464, of whom 10, 0 slaves. twouty-two prin lok gtgain 3 shipping arried. ers. ‘The Rappahannock River. s ‘The Rappahannock is a river situated in the eastern part of Virginia, and is formed at the esstern extremity of Culpepper county, by the confluence of the North aud Rapidan rivers. Flowing in a southeasterly oor, it falls over the primitive ledge and moet ite seca tides at Frodericksburg, where it aflords extensive water power. Itnow becomes a navigablo stream, and, after forming the boundary between several counties an each hand, enters Chesapeake Bay betwi Windmi!) and Strlogray Points. Its general direction 1s southea#t, and its whole Jongth about one hundred and twenty-five unties. Acanal, forty-five miles tong, has, within a few years, been opened along the river, above the falls, to the mouth of Carter’s creek, THE REBEL PREPARATIONS. Our Baltimore Correspondence. Bartinory, 9, 1862 News from Richmond—Military Strength of the Reel Now They Have Been ableto Carry on the Way with Less than 400,000 Tvo0ps—The Principle of Conceniration to be Ad hered to in This Campaign—Change in Glneral Lav’s Plans Consequent on Burnside’s Advance to Hrethes whs- durg—Burnside Could Cross the Rappahannock Been Now—General Lee's Trap for Burnside—What the Re- dels Think of Our Plans, de. T have some news from Richmond to-day, through the same sources af indicated in my letter of November 21, and therefore perfectly retiabie. The plans of the rebeis, as described in that letter and in the one of November 255 are being vigoronsly proseouted. Tho intelligence whieh Lhave received to-day enables mo to contradiot in the most positive terms, and on authority wh mes diveot the statement made some days ago rs hid made overtures of peace Tt is literally true that the rebel forces in the field haye at no previous time exceeded four hundred and fitty thousand troops, and at this time they oan only muster four hundred and ninety-five thousand vombat ante. It is with this comparatively smaii force that they have sifceeded iri bafling and Keeping at bay the enor mous mihtary strength of the North, backed by the boundless wealth and limitless resources of the nation. Could there be a more striking commentary on the mode of,conducting the war on the part of the North, as com trasted with the military policy of the South? ‘The war on their part is conducted by soldiers, according to the rules of military science, The war on our part has been conducted and controlied by politicians, for politica! ends, and not by soldiers nor on military principles. Our gene- ralg have always been hampered and interfered with, and the plans of our generals have been constantly divar- ranged and broken up, by the politicians who contre! the administration; while at the Seuth the rebe) govern. ment lends tt hearty aid and its undivided rupyers to the generals who are leading tts armies. The rewalt ix, after twenty months of war, uot that we staud where we stood at the beginning of the contest; not that we are as far off now from a successful termination of the war as we were at the beginning of the struggle. ‘The rebels haye now nearly five hundred thousand oie- ciphned and well armed troops and a projusion of arti. jery. We baye eight bundred thousand men in arms But our troops are so scattered and cut up in detuc. ments, so divided into distant expeditions having ne rela- tion to each other or to any general plan of campaign, that we never bay ough on the decisive pomt nnd at the critical moment. ‘They, on the other hand, have mo arranged their syetem of warfare, that hitherto they have always suecceded in concentrating troops in supe. rior force on points where decisive battles were being fought; and thus, though inferior to us in total strength, they have always been superior to us on decisive told. It was in obedicuce this principle that Jobaston re t was in obed| to this principle that Beauregard, in aus turn, at Corinth, réintorced Jobnston at Richmond, and | by so doing sueceeded in repuising McClellan by shoer | force of superior numbers.® It was disobediepeo te this principle which prevented Lee from being sufliciently re inforeed at Antietam, and 86 caused his defeat there. it is this principle therefore which will govern the move monts oc the rebels in future, and particularly durimg the present campaign. ‘The military leaders of the rebels never expected that our troops would advance on Richmond by way of Fre- dericksburg. They knew that General Halleck had a military education, and they supposed that he would not y ws to under- » what they knew to be @ military impossibility. it was that in the first dispositions of General Lee's. army, and even up to the 17th of November, there were uo rebel troops between the mouth of the Rapidap and Fredericksburg, except @ corps of observation. Henee it wor that 0 iclgnond miner, of the 2ud of No- vember, said :—“ We cannot hope that the abolitionists will make their real advance on Richmond by the Fre- oricksburg route. Such au undertaking would be deed fortunate for us."’ aut, on the 17th of November, General Lee received positive intelligence from Washing- tou to the effect that “ the Union bed determined a week —which was oD wo march on Richmond by way of Fredericksburg, and that Burnside bad got bis orders from Halleck to that effect on the 12th.’ Un tie 17th, the head of Sumner’s columa appeared at Falmouth, and from that moment it necessary for the whole of General Leo's dispositions to be changed. From the 17th to the end of November, there wae every, tudication that the Union army would croes the Rappahannock at Fredericksburg. The Presi- dent's promise that the pontoons should be there (Ro 16th was known to Geueral Lee on the 17th. The failure of those pontoons to arrive until the 25th gave General to concentra.e the whole of bis forces, ox- ‘cept Jackson's forty thousand, at or whieh he accordingly did. Lev’s army occupies at Frodericksbarg is an e: strong one, and befis abje, if he cheeses, tv hoid the army at bay there, wo prevent their crossing. But’ Such, | am assured, is not bis intention. Ou the other band, it ,is @tatedgtbat whenever Geucral Buraside pon eg ob in force ede he no 3 only a feigned resistance, a! reel troops to the “south bank of the Matapony river, or branches. There {he great bate will be for the Rappahannock, ‘The reagon of this will'be io order that the Union troops may have the latter stream be- tween them and Washington; 90 that while General Lee, with his main body, atiacks them io front, a strong dev tachment from bis army will fall upou the rear of the Union troops, cut off their retreat and armihiate them. "This is the trap that was set by General Loe for Geceral - Burnside, and which ie still open, If General Bursaide thousand persons, about ope-balf of whom were slaves. ‘Tho adjoining counties of Stafford and King George run along on the opposite side of the “Rappahannock, and, | together, lave au area of four hundred aud twenty *ix square miles, or twe hundred aug sixty-eight thou. sand six hundred aud forty acres, The surface | of the soft is billy, partiatly fortile and partially arid, Their united population, at last returns, | amounted to 15,126, about one-hal of whom j were slaves. Granite, frecstowe and gold haye | also been found here—the two first in great quantities | The former is 4 very old county, having beon formed im 1675, and named aftor the Knglish county of the samo denomination. The water power and drainage of Staffed are very good, and, if properly used, woulu have been sources of wealth to the inhubitants of the ne ohberhsod. The before mentioned railrowd also lntersote Staiford county. Fauquier county adjo'us Stafford county on its wostern horder. There two last named counties, but more espovially oroases the Rappahanvock. therefore, he will have to com tend with one hundred and seventy-Ave thousand troops, not counting thope under Jackson, of thse ®t and near Richmond, Of these ho will find one hundred thousand in bis frout, on the Matapony, to oppose bis advance. He might work his way through them. But while he is thus eugaged eeventy-five thousam! mero wit fall upon bis Tear—nt loart they are detailed for that service. But by the Ist of ee bg a question with Tebel leadors whether or not the War Departinent a6 Feaniogeen had abandoned the idea of the Fredoricks- burg route, and whether or not the troops there were to be transported to the York or James tiver, Un these points the rebel leaders have come wo the followieg cou- clusiout:—First, that the Union government bag aban- doned the idea of « taerch to Richmond by way of Frede- riekaburg for the preset; second, that Burnside’s troops now there will fot be transporied ty the peninsula, but will go into winter qaerters where they are; third, that the Duion goverument has no other troops to ‘tore peninsula campaign, and therefore, fourth, wl will be uo attack on Richmond this winter ‘Tho idea which the rebel leaders have of the Vatom forces is ax follows: t thoys consist of 700, of wom 150,000 are in hospitals pd Bite! 9.) \WWONTINUED ON KIGHTH PAGS.)