The same night a fierce storm swept the valley of the Rappahannock, and the Army of the Potomac repassed the bridges, evading, under cover of the elements, the observation of the Confederate patrols.

The retreat was effected with a skill which did much credit to the Federal staff.  Within fourteen hours 100,000 troops, with the whole of their guns, ambulances, and ammunition waggons, were conveyed across the Rappahannock; but there remained on the south bank sufficient evidence to show that the Army of the Potomac had not escaped unscathed.  When the morning broke the dead lay thick upon the field; arms and accoutrements, the debris of defeat, were strewed in profusion on every hand, and the ruined houses of Fredericksburg were filled with wounded.  Burnside lost in the battle 12,647 men.

Left attack-Franklin.

Meade’s Division            1,858
First Corps.    Gibbon’s Division           1,267
Doubleday’s Division          214

Sixth Corps Birney’s Division 950
               Sickles’ Division 100
Sixth Corps Newton’s Division 63
                                           -----
                               Total 4,447

CENTRE.

Brook’s Division 197
Howe’s Division 186
—–­
Total 383

RIGHT ATTACK—­SUMNER AND HOOKER

Hancock’s Division          2,032
Second Corps   Howard’s Division             914
French’s Division           1,160

Burns’ Division                27
Ninth Corps    Sturgis’ Division           1,007
Getty’s Division              296

Third Corps Whipple’s Division 129

Griffin’s Division 926
Fifth Corps Sykes’ Division 228
Humphrey’s Division 1,019
Engineers and Reserve Artillery, etc. 79
-----
Total 7,817
Grand Total (including 877 officers) 12,647
(589 prisoners)

The Confederates showed 5309 casualties out of less than 30,000 actually engaged.

Left wing—­Longstreet
               Ransom’s Division 535
First Corps McLaws’ Division 858
               Anderson’s Division 159
Artillery 37
                                           -----
(1,224 on December 12.) Total 1,589

Centre
First Corps Pickett’s Division 54
               Hood’s Division 251
                                            ——­
                               Total 305

Right wing—­Jackson
               Light Division 2,120
               Early’s Division 932
               D.H.  Hill’s Division 173
               Taliaferro’s Division 190
                                           -----
            Total (including 500 captured) 3,415