y.

DECEMBER 23D.--The battle of Fredericksburg is still the topic, or the
wonder, and it transpired more than nine days ago. It will have its page
in history, and be read by school-boys a thousand years hence. The New
York _Times_ exclaims, "God help us--for man cannot." This is another
war sheet. The _Tribune_ is bewildered, and knows not what to say. The
_Herald_ says "everything by turns, and nothing long." Its sympathies
are ever with the winning party. But it is positively asserted that both
Seward and his son have resigned, to be followed by the rest of the
cabinet. That example might be followed here without detriment to our
cause. And it is said Burnside has resigned. I doubt that--but no doubt
he will be removed. It is said Fremont has been appointed his successor.
That would be good news. I think Halleck will be removed, and McClellan
will be recalled. No matter.

It is said our President will command in Mississippi himself--the army
having no confidence in Pemberton, because he is a Yankee.

We have a letter to-day from Gen. Pike (another Yankee), saying the
Indian country is lost--lost, because Gens. Holmes and Hindman--Southern
men--won't let him have his own way!

The news from North Carolina is still cloudy. Gen. G. W. Smith is there
(another Northern man).

Gen. Elzey has been appointed to command this department during Gen.
L.'s absence. Gen. E. is a Marylander. In the President's absence, it is
said this appointment was made by Gen. S. Cooper (another Yankee) to
insult Virginia by preventing the capital from being in the hands of a
Virginian. The Richmond papers occasionally allude to the fact that the
general highest in rank in the Confederacy is a Yankee--Gen. S. Cooper.

Gen. Lee says his ammunition is bad in quality, and that his new guns
burst in the late battle--all under charge of the chief of the Bureau of
Ordnance--another Yankee. Gen. D. H. Hill writes a scathing letter to
the department in response to a rebuke from the new Secretary,
occasioned by some complaints of Major Palfrey in Gen. Cooper's (A. and
I. General) office. I do not know where Major P. came from; but the fact
that he was not in the field, gave the general occasion to rasp him
severely. It must have been caused by an order transferring,
furloughing, or discharging some soldier in Gen. H.'s division--and his
patience vanished at the idea of having his men taken out of the ranks
without consulting him, by carpet knights