on that field, rather than not succeed in
destroying Lee's army! Lee's army, after our victory, is mostly
uninjured. The loss it sustained was not a "flea-bite."

The enemy, in their ignominous flight on Saturday night, left their dead
propped up as sentinels and pickets, besides 3000 on the plain.

Accounts from North Carolina indicate the repulse of the enemy, though
they have burnt some of the railroad bridges. We shall hear more anon.
Reinforcements are flying to the scene of action.

DECEMBER 19TH.--Gen. Burnside acknowledges a loss of upwards of 5000,
which is good evidence here that his loss was not less than 15,000. The
Washington papers congratulate themselves on the _escape_ of their army,
and say it might have been easily captured by Lee. They propose, now,
going into winter quarters.

We have nothing further from North Carolina or Mississippi. Gen. Banks's
expedition had passed Hilton Head.

A Mr. Bunch, British Consul, has written an impudent letter to the
department, alleging that an Irishman, unnaturalized, is forcibly
detained in one of our camps. He says his letters have not been
answered, which was great discourtesy, and he means to inform Lord John
Russell of it. This letter _was_ replied to in rather scathing terms, as
the Irishman had enlisted and then deserted. Besides, we are out of
humor with England now, and court a French alliance.

The President was at Chattanooga on the 15th instant; and writes the
Secretary that he has made some eight appointments of brigadiers, and
promotions to major-generals. Major-Gen. Buckner is assigned to command
at Mobile.

We are straightened for envelopes, and have taken to turning those we
receive. This is economy; something new in the South. My family dines
four or five times a week on _liver_ and rice. We cannot afford anything
better; others do not live so well.

Custis and I were vaccinated to-day, with the rest of the officers of
the department.

The Northern papers now want the Federal army to go into winter
quarters. This was, confessedly, to be the final effort to take
Richmond. It failed. Many of the people regard the disaster of Burnside
as the harbinger of peace.

An officer from the field informs me that all our generals were sadly
disappointed, when it was discovered that Burnside had fled. They wanted
one more blow at him, and he would have been completely destroyed.

DECEMBER 20TH.--Last accounts from Fredericksburg state that the enemy