E" VRVEY SICKL&R, Hditor.
UNKHANNCCK, PA.
tcsday, Dec. 17.1862.
;c Wholesale Slaughter, and the
Reasons Assigned for it.
■>un's of the late terrible engagement
ickshurg, which we publish in to
er, leave no room for doubt as to the
Disguise and conceal it as they may,
ict that our brave troops were driv
vth a loss in killed and wounded of
. tenth of their nflmber, stares lis in
The abolition "On to Richmond"
labor to dttke the affair appear as
s necessary and inevitable steps to
i " crushing out of the rebellion."
ibnne says it was necessary in or
d out the position and strength of
army ; and congratulates the army
ountry that this information has
obtained. The Philadelphia In
j£'"cr, which has, under the influence lately
wrought fo'oPar upon it, (the appointment of
.*• editor to the collectorship of the internal
cvenucs of the first congressional district,)
ecome one of the most truculent nr.d syco
phantic of all this class of lickspittle journals.
In its issue of Tuesday last, four days after
phe battle, gives the following " six good and
'sufficient reasons for this movement," That
our readers may judge themselves of the suf
eiency of these reasons, we copy them, with
the introductory remarks, entire :
"There are some men who Cannot under
stand why Burnside crossed the Rappahan
nock. Let us try to enlighten them :
I. lo determine the positions, force and
purposes of the Rebels by actual contact ; the
only sure way in which it can be done. And
he has done it effectually. He now knows as
exactly what he has to do, and how to do it.
11. To keep them from running away se
cretly, and leaving him in the lurch, while
they were erecting new Gibralters, and laby
rinthine traps in the mazy Country about the
head waters of the Patnunkcy, It is only by
attacking that he can tell whether they are
there or not.
111. To aid any diversions which were be
ing made in his favor, and to hurry them up ;
making haste and energy necessary to useful
co-operation. As lie delayed subordinate
movements would drag. llis movement is the
torch to fire the whole train.
IV. To take advantage of this God-send
of good weather, in which men can fight
without freezing, and keep warm without Es
quimaux shelters. A few days, and the win
ter-wind god, frowning through murky shies
may bind, and nature hand and foot, and put
an end to attack or defence. Every day's fine
weather should be used vigorously, for its
continuance cannot be counted on.
V. To employ eager troops, who would be
disgusted at delay ; disheartened by w.-.nt of
system and energy ; demoralized by inaction.
Had they gone into winter quarters, with all
their work- still before them to be done, he
fore the sptfng that aimy might he more dan
gerous to itefclf, and, indirectly, to its cause,
than to the enemy. The way to make sol
diers good, is to put them under fire ; the
way to keep them so, is to keep them con
stantly fighting.
VI. To take Richmond or at least to do all
that can be done to that end. Yes, that was
the reason why lie crossed the Rappahannock,
and which he never could have done had he
remained on this bank. As simple as it may
Mem, there are some men who do not under
stand it yet.
These arc, in our judgment, sirt good and
■ufficivrit reasons for Burnside's movement.
To find them caused us little thought and no
trouble. If any of our readers are not satis
fled with them, we have six more still more
cegent in reserve. But if, as we hope, Burn
aide moves forward successfully and trium
phantly, no reasons will be needed. His
movement will transcend them all, and new
subjects for discussion."
We confess this attempt to 44 enlighten" us
hat failed. As the phrase goes, u wo don't
aee it."
First. 44 to determine the positions, s>rce
and purposes of the rebels." Was there no
gofer if not surer way than to sacrifice ten
t&ousand of our brave fathers, brothers and
sons? We think, with the editor of the In
quirer, that the information has been obtain
ed, "effectually," though we regard it as
rather expensive information, •' lie now
knows exactly what to do, and how to do u."
Yes, he knows that the best thing for him to
do is to retreat, and he has done it.
Second, 41 To keep them from running awny
•ecrctly and leaving him in the lurch, &c."
it had been better, by far, if the enemy had
44 riin away" secretly, before they forced our
arrttiy to adopt that disagreeable and humili
ating alternative. The thousands of the now
efiflplbd, maimed and dying would leap for
joy, arid thousands of widowed mothers end
otyhaned children would bless the day.
Third, 44 to aid diven-ions, to hurry up su
bordinate movements, &c." Is it necessary
to decimate an army, in order to infuse ener
gy into it ?
Fourth, "To take advantage of the God
send of good weather, &c." Is it taking any
"advantage" of the weather, or any thing else
MMfc—ißtogibfrni) to ;4! ~
ing them constantly fighting, &c." This fifth
| good and sufficient reason, in addition to the
inhumanity and brutality in it. contains a base
libel upon our citizen soldiery.
Sixth, "To take Richmond, or at least to
do all that can be done to that end." This
latter clause is the only intimation, even by
implication, that we have seen from these
journals that Richmond may not he taken.
We have been told by them from d3 r to day
that that doomed city was just ready to fall
info our grasp, an easy conquest. The silliest
higi T cr-head that reads the Tribune has been
able, since McClell in's removal, to predict its
fall with almost absolute certainty as to time.
It sccihs that tne Inquirer , with all its "good
and sufficient reasons" for the late movement,
with nil the "advantages" derived from it,
has still a lurking doubt on this subject.
The sixth's reason however for this bloodiest
<.f battle', this loss of ten thousand men, this
secret and precipitate retreat of the army to
the north side of the Rappahannockj was " to
take Richmond."
"To find these reasons cost the editor but
little thought and t ouble." We should not
think it would ! We await wiih some
anxiety the si* still more cogent reasons, in
reserve.
The profound statement That "he never
could have crossed the river had he remained
on this bank" sounds very Lincolnish ; and
induces us to believe that "old Abe,,' assists
in the editorials of that sheet.
If the battle of Fredericksburg was only art
" experiment." a " trial trip," a "splendid re
connoissance in force," we hope for the sake
of our troops, who fought as bravely as men
ever fought, that one such will suffice for all
time ; and for humanity's sake that we tnav
never be called upon to publish a repetition of
its heart-sickening details.
Washington's Will*
Mr. George H. Moore, Librarian of the New
York Historical Societ}', has made the start
ling statement that the original will of Gen.
Washington is now in the british museum, the
authorities of which bought it from parties who
ate said to have stolen it from Fairfax C<<urt
Ilouse V irginia, after the Rebels were driven
from there, last year. If this is true,inqui
r}- should and doubtless will be made by our
Government, as to the circumstances of the
purchase. The museum can tell who sold it,
and with this to start from the thief may he
discovered and punished, We presume that
the British Government, on learning the facts
of the case, would restore the relic, our Gov
ernment paying all expenses they have incur
red. It is not likely that a great nation
would consent to be a receiver of stolen
goods.
4.fc
Shinplastefs.
Of all tlie Shinplaster eras with which our
c untry has hitherto been cursed—and good
n -ss knows they have been frequent and se
vere enough-the present caps the climax. Tie
general Government taking the lead, they are
now issued by the basketttf! by corporations
and individuals, until such a thing as a silver
coin—not even a half dime—is no longer met
with in a day's travel. And all this is a plain
and direct violation of State and Congression
al statutes, providing for the infliction of
heavy penalties for that. It is only the
poor—and not the rich—who are to suffer.
Our Government is growing strong—and the
people weak—and this is the sort of " better
tinirs" so confidently promised by those now
at the head of our Statu and National Gov
ernments.—Clearfield Republican.
Death of a Political Prisonor.
Mr. A. L. Fessenden, of Wisconsin, was
ordered to he released from tho military pris
on rn St. Louis, unconditionally, on the 10th
instant, " the charges against htm not hav
ing been sustained." The order for his re
!eae arrived at the prison hospital on the
same day of, but a few hours subsequent to,
his death.
Another victim to the arbitrary system of
the Administratian. On whose head does
the blood of this martyr itest ? It cries to
Heaven for vengeance.
The Public Debt.
The Secretary of the Treasury, in his re
port to Congress estimates the public debt
on the Ist of July, 18G3, at $1,122,297,403,-
21, and on the supposition that the war may
last until the Ist of July, 18G1. $1,744 685,-
580,80. The amount yet to be provided for
by Congress, for the fiscal years 1863 and
1864, beyond resources available under ex
isting laws, he states at $899,300,701,22.
The delay fn the issue of our pa
per this week is ow*ng entirely to the
negligence, or tneanne'Sfr, or both, of cer
tain men connected with the express com
panies. We tnav ventilate the conduct of
these " high officials," hereatter. We forbear
for poeuiinf reasons, to say more on this sub
ject at present. Certain it is, there is a big
screw loose," in the machine, and some
one should take the trouble to tighten it.
JZ?ST The loss in the late battle at
Fredncksburg, it is said by the Inst even
ings paper, will probably exceed 15 500 in
killed and wounded. The Tribune savs.
41 There is no reason for discootngement
'n this result, notwithstanding the attempts
of the semi secession journals to magnify
it into a defeat."
r-ar the order denying the use of
the mails to ceitain newspapers, who dar
ed to expose the corruption and folly of
cur rulers at Washington 1 , has been rccind
ed. Tiie tyrant are growing strangely
lenient since the fate elections.
The rebel cavalry made a raid in-
Orpheus C. Kerr on the I'resHeUt's Compeu
sate 1 Emancipation I'roject.
Orpheus C. Kerr, in a late letter from
Washington, takes off the President's silly
reasoning on the subject of compensated
emancipation in good style. Though the
writer deals entirely in the absurd and ri
diculous, he could not conjure up, from his
fertile imagination, anything more so, than
some of old Abe's talk. He therefore quotes
largely from the genuine message, as will be
seen by comparison. We hardly know
vjrliich is entitled to the greater credit for
this burlesque on common sense—Abe or
Orpheus. But as Abe is the author of tins
style of reasoning, as well as of most of the
reasoning itself, we are disposed to give him
the greater praise ; and also, for another rea
son ; he was in earnest ; while Orpheus, was
only, in Jun.
Here is the extract:
" Passing over the organization of Senate
and House, which suggested thoughts of an
cient Rome, about the time she was saved
by geese, I shall proceed to notice the mes
sage which our Honest Abe fired into Con
gress from bis intellectual, breastworks dur
ing the week.
You have undoubtedly read this Abe L.
paper, my be}', in the reliable morning jour
nals, making due allowance for the typograph
ical outrages committed by printers of oppo
site politics j hiit. there was one portion of it
gotten up for the Hum-si Abe by the Chap
lain of the Mackeral Brigade, and this por
tion is so mutilated in the publishing that 1
cannot refrain from giving you the true vet
sion. Speaking of the Coat to the country of
emancipation with compensation, the Chap
lain wrote
"Certainly it is not so easy to pay some
thing as it is to pay nothing 5 hut it is easier
to pay a small sum than it is to pay a large
sum ; and it is easier to pay any hill when
We have the money, than it is to pay a small
er hill when we have no money. Compensat
ed Emancipation requires 110 more money
than would he necessary to the progress of
Remunerated Enfranchisement, which would
not close before the end of five hundred years.
At that time, we shall undoubtedly have
five hundred times as many people as we
have now, provided that no one dies in the
meant'me ; and supposing the premium 011
gold to increase in the same ratio as it has
increased since our last census was taken,
the premium on the specie belonging to five
hundred tunes ofir present population will be
amply sufficient to pay fur all persons of Af
rican descent.
"T do not state this inconsiderately. At
the same ratio of increase as we n.w realize,
American gold will soon be worth more than
all Europe. We have ten millions nine hun
dred and sixty-three thousand miles, while
Europe has three millions eight hundred
thousand, and yet the average premium on
specie, in some of the States, is already above
that of Europe. Taking the brokers, in the
aggregate, I find that if ore gold dollar is
worth §1,30 in one year,
It will be worth §2,00 in 2 year's,
U 11 U It 3QQ a 3 t.
it 11 u 5,20 "-1 "
" " " 6,50 " 5 "
This shows a great increase. If a gold dol
lar is worth §0 50 in five years, it will, of
course, be worth $3,250, or five hundred
times as much, in five hundred years. Thus,
when our population is five hundred times
as great as at present, supposing each man to
have a single gold dollar, the premium of
$53 250, or five hundred times is much, in
five hundred years. Thus, when cur popula
tion is five hundred times as great as at pres
ent, supposirg each man to have a singie
gold dollar, the premium of $3,250 on his
gold dollar will enable such man to purchase
thirty-two and a half persons of African de
scent from the loyal slaveholders of our Bor
der States at SIOO a piece, though he would
he virtually expending hut one dollar himself.
"This scheme of emancipation W"uld cer
tainly make the war shorter than it now has
a prospect of being. In a word, it shows
that a dollar will be mflfch harder to pay for
the war than wdl be a' dollar for emancipa
tion on the proposed plan."
You will obserVS, my boy, that this same
great mathematical idea is advanced in the
message as it is printed; but our Honest Abe
has chosen td vary the tprrns somewhat. If
you have a gold dollar, my bov, salt it down
for five hundred years, and some future gen
eration of offspring will call you blessed for
leaving them $3,250 in postage stamps.
Counterfeit Postage Currency
It appears that there are counterfeit fifty
cent notes of the new postage cu r rency in cir
culation. They are said to be well executed,
and should be guarded against. The follow
ing easily-noted marks will enable holders to
detect thetn :
1. The paper is thinner than the genuine.
2. The five faces of Washinton vary consider
ably from each other in the counterfeit—so
much so that two or three of them' if standing
ahrne, would hardly be taken to be portraits
of Washington—while on the genuine they all
closely resemble each other. 3. The linked
letters "U. S," under the mid lie face of
Washington In the enr/btifeif, do not show
the lower end of the" S," inside of the leg of
the " U," while in the ceiu'me they do. This
mark iR easily seen. 4. The border round
the lettering and ' 50" on the hack of t.ie
c muterfeit is dark, and the lines are crowded
while in the genuine the border is open, with
a line of light dots running through the mid
die all the wav round. In the counterfeit,
this middle line is almost invisible, while in
the genuine it is so distinct as to catch the
eye at once.
REGIMENT\R. COLORS of Greeley's 900.0C0
men-invisible green. These are the only col
ors they have yet shown.
MOM Til ARMY OF TIS POTOMAC.
BO31BARI) 31 ENT OF
FREDERICKSBURG.
THE CITY TAKEN ! !
A TERRIFIC BATTLE! t
IMMENSE SLAUGHTER *- !
CUR FORCES RETREAT I !
OUR LOSS ESTIMATED AT 13,000
KILLED AM) WOUNDED.
[From the New York World.)
FREDRICtfSBURU, Dec. 11
Amid the trampling of armed men, the
rumbling of artillery, and the most intense
excitement, T hasten to sendyou a word about
the advance of the grand Army of the Poto
mac. The telegraph has told vou that Fred
ricksburg is ours. Way we neyer have to re
linquish it again. But to ir,y story,
The work of building the pontoon bridges
aero s the river was begun at early dawn this
morning about five o'clock. The fiftieth and
the Seventeenth New York Engineers attempt
ed to throw a bridge-A the pajint of the old
railroad bridge, and two more opposite the
city. Owing to the obscurity of objects at
that early hour the bridges were pari tally
constructed before the rebels coukl fire
with eflect. As soon as it was light their
shots began to be effective, and our men suff-
ered from the deadly discharges of rebel mus
ketry. The engineers were driven away from
their work, and the planks riddled with bul
lets. From every house and species of shelter
a storm of leaden hail proceeded. The bom
bardment then opened. The Ninth corps of
artillery, with the batteries to the right and
left into the city, threw their shell fast and
thick into the city. Throughout the forenoon
one continued roar of at least one hundred
ar.d fifty pieces of cannon shook tlm ground,
and reveibelated far and wide. The streets
of Fredrickshurg were cleared of rebels by
showers of grape schrapnel. But. feeble re
sponses were made by their artillery, and they
appeared to be deserting the town. Another
attempt to construct the bridge was made be
tween ten and eleven o'clock. A party of less
iban one hundred men of the Eighth Connec
ticut, under Capt. Marshy volunteered to per
form the work. Gen. Woodbury was near
by and assumed the direction of affairs
Planks were laid on the pontoons, hut again the
deadly fire of the enemy's sharp-shooters drove
our men from their hold attempt. At eleven
o'clock the fire broke out in tlie western Dart
of the city, and enveloped it in sinoke. The
repeated fne of our artillery and the flames
drove the rebels out of that part which li
near trie railroad depot. A little before three
in the afternoon the engineers again- set to
work. Tins time proved successful, and Gen.
Howard's division began to cross the river at
at once. Fredrickshurg was occupied by our
troops, and the enemy fell back to their line
of fori ifications.
In charging through the city a number of
our men fell. During the entire bombard
ment of tne place our casualties have been
comparatively few.
FREDRICKSBURO, VR. Dec. 14th—3p. M
A great battle has been fought, and both
armies are testing i n their arms, neither, ap
parentlv, anxious to rmew the struggle, and
neither claiming ade cided victory. We
have lost no ground, nor have We gamed any,
save about a mile or so' oEf the; left, where
Gen. Franklin, with his gallant division, i
stattoned ; but we have lost a great many
brave men—perhaps 15,000, at a rough esti
mate. I hope this number will prove t> be
exagorafed. As [ write, they are bringing
in the Wounded and a few of the dead ? I say
a few of the dead, for most of them are over
beyond our lines, almost at the very foot of
the enemy's fortifications, where thev lie as
silent witnesses to the bravery of northern
soldiers. Let me in a few words evolve from
the confu>ion of the day a connected account
of what has occurred. I commence wit!)
Gen. Sumner's division:
ON THE RIGHT,
which suffered sev re loss, although it did
not engage 111 the fight as early in the day
as it was intended. At about 10 o'clock in
the forenoon it advanced and at once opened
fire on the enemy, who were strongly posted
in the woods and on the lulls behind the city
of I red ricks burg. The odds against us were
tremendous, but not enough to discourage
the brave Sumner.
After fighting for a couple of hours he con
cluded that the only hope of routing the en
emy was to storm their works. French's di
vision was ordered to essay the task, with
Howard s division to act as a support. Hard
ly had the order to charge bayonets been
given when the brave troops rushed forward
| in solid phalanx, nor quailed a moment un
der the fire through which they passed, until
haring arrived to within a few yards of the
ridge on which were the rebel \borks, a mur
derous volley opened- on them, which thinned
their"ranks most fearfully. Reinforcements
were immediately sent to their aid, but all
to no purpose. Had each man who fell been
replaced by a score of others, it would have
n'>t altered the result. This moving on the
enemy's works when they sparkle with rifles
and bristle with rifled cannon, is but a pleas
ant delusion of a dreamer. It cannot be
done successfully in these days of improved
firebrms. The troops had to fall back fo
their original position, leaving the dead and*
many of tie wounded on the field, which, of
course, was immediately occupied by the en
emy. I have no time to collect a list of the'
wouded, but mention Gen. Meagher and Col.
Nugent.
TIIE CENTRE.
Gen. Hooker, who commands the center,
commenced advancing about noon, the dehse
fog which prevailed up to that hour prevent
ing his moving sooner. There had been more
morniiig, but it was
though, it is thought our gunners were more
successful. The plan was to take the ene
emy's batteries at all hazards, if they had to
he stormed. With that assurance which be-
lungs only to those who feel that they have
the riglrt on their side our brave fellows
marched to within musket-shot of the rebel
position, confident that they would not have
to stop until they were in undisputed posses
sion of the enemy's works. But the under
taking was too great. The fire of infantfy,
coupled with that of the artillery-men, was
an itnpasssble barrier, and reluctantly the
troops fell back, their numbers sadly reduced
in the effort. Later in the aft rnoon the tri
al was repeated, with a like result. We lost
a great number of soldiers, did not gain an
inch of ground, and, I fear, inspired the reb
els with a confidence which they by no means
deserved. Thus much for the fight in the
center.
ft.N THE LEFT,
Some ways below the city, where Gen.
Franklin's division were, we achieved some
show of succes. Before sunrise he had put
his troops into position—one wing resting on
the Rappahannock, the center a mile and a
half in advance, and the left almost touching
the city itself. Soon after daylight skirmish
ing commenced, and the Ninth New York
were ordered to charge on a rebel battery,
which had been doing active service. Here,
too, the charge failed to accomplish what
was expected of it—not, let me say again,
through any lack of bravery on the part of
the soldiers. As the troops fell back Tylers
brigade came to tluir assistance, and another
charge was made. Again the troops fell
hack leaving the ground strewn with the
bodies of their dead comrades. At this junc
ture General Franklin brought his whole
force into action, hoping to turn the enemy's
position on the Massaponax Creek. The
move was a bold one, an l had it only been
successful, would doubtless, have won the
day for us. The fighting on both sides was
of the highest order. Neither party flinched
though death hurried hither ar.d thither
among the ranks selecting his victims with
rapicious rapidity. Then it was that Gen.
Bayard was wounded, lie the bravest of the
brave.
But our men were obstinate. They "would
not fall back, One final effort was made
that was successful. Gradually the enemy
began to yield, though contesting every inch
of ground, until by sundown they had re
treated a full mile before our sturdy soldiers.
At night the battle ceased, both sides evi
dently being glad to cease (torn their almost
superhuman exertions.
Such, in brief, is Ihesbry 1 f the first bat
tle of Fredrickshurg. We new know the
streng'h of the enemy, and w hen the battle
is renewed we Will, I trust, succeed in not
only dislodging him from his position, bat in
utterly routing his foice. 1 send this in
haste, reserving for another letter a more
detailed account of the,bat tie.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THF. POTOMAC, )
FAI.MOUTH, Dec. 1u—1:45 v. >j. $
During last night the Army of the Poto
mac evacuated their position's on the oppo
site side of the river. The movement was a
perilous one, hut it Was conducted in safety.
The artillery was the first to cross' the
rivi-r,
The last of the infantry brought up the
rear shortly after daylight.
'J he enemy never discovered the movement
until it was too late to do us any harm.
As Soon As the last man had. got safdy
across the river the pontoon bridges were
removed, thus cutting off all communication
between the two shores.
Our wounded are ail safe on this side of the
There was a heavy wind all last night, ac
companied with considerable rain, which as
sisted us tn our movement, as' it prevented
the rebels from learning our intentions.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 17.
'I he following dispatch from Gen. Burnside
was received here last ccenir.g:
HEADQUARTERS ARMY or POTOMAC, )
Dec. 16, G p. M. $
Major-General ITalleek, Commander-in-Chief:
The Army of the Potomac was withdrawn
to this side of the Rappahanock river, because
I felt fully convinced that the position in
front could not be carried, and it was a mili
tary necesity cither to attack (lie enemy or
retire. A repulse would have been disastrous
to us under existing circumstances.
The army way withdrawn at night without
the knowledge of the enemy, without
less, either of property or men.
AMBROSE E. BURN'SIEE,
Major-General Commanding,
Over one thousand wounded arrived to-diy
Nearly one-half were able to walk or ride in
omnibuses to the hospitals.
Ifesterday morning when daylight appear
ed the enemy seemed to be, as they no doubt
were, perfectly astonished that our army hat!
succeeded in returning to this side of the
Rappahannock river.
We returned without losing a single man
or a gun in the retrograde movement.
A few soldiers who had straggled off made
their appearance on the river bank after the
pontoon bridges had been removed, but the}'
were subsequently brought over safely iq
sntall boats.
A' few privates who were guarding a house
inhabited by a private family were not during
the night aware of our recrossing the river,
but in the mtrning, becoming aware of the
fact, they ftafdy swam the river.
r l he pickets of the contending armies being
separated by only a few yards, rendered it
riecossaby that everything on our front should
be conducted with the utmost caution.
The pickets on our outposts were unaware
of the movement we were making until just
before daylight, when an officer went to each
individual man and in a lovr tone of voice or
dered him to fall back.
FALMOUTH, Dec. 17
After they got sufficiently tar away to be
out of danger they were ordered to quicken
their pace and reach the bridges as quickly
as possible.
About nine o'clock yesterday morning the
enemy advanced their skirmishers along
their entire line, and by noon had established
their pickets near the bank of the river.
We had a large number of dead on what
was regarded as "neutral ground," and as
soon as it was known our forces had evacuat
ed the city the soldiers of the enemy com
menced fobbing the lifeless bodies. 'lhiswaS
plainly seen through a field-glass, as well as
Indistinctly with the naked eye.
About ten or eleven o'clock ladies very
neatly dressed were seen walking about tbo
streets of Fredericksburg. They had doubt
less been concealed in their houses during
the time the city was occupied by our troops,
and doubtless availed themselves of the first
opportunity to make their reappearance after
our retreat.
On Monday the pickets of the contendingf
armies fronting the left wing mutually agreed,
upon an " armistice" among themselves, and
freely intermingled with each other, exchan
ging their dead friends aud comrades who lay
on " neutral ground."
Luring this time a general of our army
rode by and put an end to these proceedings.'
The resu!: was that both parties immediately
commenced firms, when nine of our men were
killed. After the general had left, the friend
ly demonstrations o' our pickets were renew
ed, and but temut and blue uniforms freely
mingled.
A bunt this time General Franklin dispatch,
ed a Hag of truce, which the enemy immedi
ately recognized, and the exchange of dead
bodies was resumed and continued until com
pleted.
Yesterday Gen. Lee sent a flag of truce to
Gen. Rurnside, asking him to detail men to'
bury his dead in front ol Gen. Sumner's grand""
division. This was done.
The wounded with the exception of tho?e
whom the enemy obtained, have all bcctf
brought to thts Side of the Rappahannock,
and as rapidly as possible are being sent to'
Washington.
During the flag of truce Gen. Stuart, of the
rebel cavalry, in answer to a question, stated
that Gen. Rank's expedition had g<;e "'south'
but did not know exactly where.
Our entire army is now encamjied on the
same ground which they previously occupied.
The soldiers are as comfortable for the
present as they can be in shelter tents.
LETTER FUO.Vi tHE AKMV.
SUFFOLK, Nor. 21. 1862.
IH.AU PARENTS r
! find myself seated to"
answer your kind letter that I received last
night. It fuuiul me well. I have got so that
! can take my allowance once more, and hope
I shall keep my health. It' I can have that
1 think I can go through like " a steer in the
wheat. ' You said you had bought the thinsrs
1 wrote for. 1 was in hopes I should get my
p.iy before this; but for Some cause unknown
to me. we d > not gel it yet. There is owing*
me, almost six* months pay. If they pay us
ail at once, it will make Uncle Sam's packet*
Some lighter. Vou tli night I ncle Sam must
be hard up. to charge ten dollars a pair fol*
boots. It is nut, him that does it. It is those
speculators that (uliow .iiv, that charge
those extravagant prices. They are a pack
ot knaves. W'e draw government shoes, and
they do not wear worth one cent. 1 tell'
you they have every way to cheat a sold.er,
I he stockings we draw, one pair that I brought
from home, will out wear fiur uf them, and
are as warm again. You wanted me to let
you know how the biys likeel the change of
Generals. lho most of tliem had the tuoie
conli ience in McClellan. 1 think Burnside a
good lighting General, but I think he Will
need McUiellan's head to heip him through'
successfully. I hope they will settle it with-*
out freeing the negroes. 1 enlisted to tight
lor the Union, and the starj and stripes that
oui fatners fought ami bled for. lam will
ing to fight for my country, and die like a'
iiue hearted soldier. I left home and friends
to sacrifice my life for my country, not for
the freedom of the negro. lam glad that I
enlisted to defend my country, and I can no
it with a spirit to conquer or to die. 1 have
seen enough of negroes since I came into Vir
ginia. Our officers got a few of them to serve
as waiters, and they had to drive them off,*'
they got so saucy. If 1 ever come home
and a man cries pcor negroes, to me. ten incn
could not keep me oiFof him. For the game
of poor negro is played out. You said you
had not heard from brother George in some
lime. Edward Abeam*, fprt a letter from hi'
brother William the other day. lie said that
he saw George the day before. You uiuit
not worry about him, he inav be where j
thcr time or opportunity to write, is atforde' I
You must keep up good cheer. Youh*-j
ought to be proud to think you have two I
sons that are willing to fight for their coun J
try. Wo may bith coine out safe yet, or*'!
may come out like a great many otlicrS'"*
Sie Meeks is well. Edward Abram iias fl
the ague. Our cavalry had a light with
rebels yesterday* We expect to go out 1 '"
fight them soon, and drive them oft*,
we shall conic back again to otir tents. l"'j
not think we shall move this winter.
S is all right. Co good bvc.
S. S. CAPWKUI
-♦*. -> JM
i~£T Henry Clay said, twenty years ago, cl J
Abolitionists : " With them the rights of f'B
aro nothing : the deficiency of tho powers ■
government,' is nothinj; tho acknowleig o,
incontestiblo powers of tho States, are n
tho dissolution, of the Union, and tho overt l" 1
Government in which are eoneentratod the
oivilizod world are nothing. A single idea
possbssion 'of their minds, and on war I they
overlooking alt barriers, reckless and re £ :l ,i
all consequences." And Meury Clay t ' 1 ' 9 .
Mr. Van Wyek has intodueo 1 #
press to inereaso tie monthly pay of
We would suggest that he introdueo a t'lj
for'paying them what is due them at V"
rate of wages per month. Their pay i* l * jHKj
we learn, i'rom three to eight months, and
He? at home arc suffering sadly in cOPSC'l ut IJB