The Sun. — London, England, 1863-05-18 00:00:00

S ON THE 'S,- THE GREG' .T B. .TTL: The following details of the great battles fought upon the Rappahannock are extracted from the papers received by the Persia : (From the New York Times.) Headquarters, Army of the Potomac, in the Field, near Chancelloreville, Virginia, May 1, 10p.m. The day opened with a heavy mist hanging over the country, particularly near the river, which was not entirely dispelled until the sun was well up —say, 8 o'clock. The incrning was quiet; neither party seemed to be ready for battle. We brought up additional artillery during the night, as well as large ammunition trains, and an allowance of six forage waggons to eac h corps, which were ordered to return in each case bef ore any more were allowed to pass the bridges. Major Painter of the Quartermaster's Depart ment, had charge of the ford, and regulated the passage of waggons and artillery, so that there was no confusion ; while the total amount of transportation which reached this side of the river was very small, and not in the least cum• ber some. The Second Army Corps camp up during the night and encamped near the left of our position. The Third Corps lay between Banks and - United Suites Fords during the night, and reached the front about noon. The troops marched rapidly and with great cheerfulness. The great strategic importance of this position grows more and more apparent every hour. We hold the Gordons ville-road securely. By going half a mile to the rear we find a country road leading to Spottsylvania Courthouse; four miles to the rear is another. Their flank is thus dan gerously exposed, for if they retreat they are harassed by flank and rear ; if they fight, they must fight in an open field, on equal terms, with, perhaps great advantages in our favour. Evidences hourly accumulate of the fact that the enemy is totally surprised at our vigorous operations, and in a great measure unprepared to meet us. Th a t h e i s very ner vous is evident from the manner in which he falls to dig ging rifle pits in every convenient location. If any further Evidence of this fact were needed, it is found in the capture at this point, yesterday, of a despatch from General Lee to an English officer here, saying, in subst ance , th a t h e was very much surprised at this movement, had not anticipated it, and was unprepared to give him instructions. This des patch was dated April 29. One more fact. M.'Vicar captured in his charge last night a despatch from General Lee to Fitzhugh Lee, ordering his cavalry brigade to be at Spott sylvThnia Court-house on April 21). Thna T.ao octane in ur.n APVicar's rear, who was also bound to Spottsylvania. Hostilities among the pickets were carried on during the night, with slight loss. Watson's battery, in Meade's front, thus lost two men and eight horses. Our lines were not de veloped last night, the troops being massed in proper loca tions, Here let me, if I can, give an idea of our exact location. On your maps you will perceive Chancellorsville, a f ew miles west of Fredericksburg, a true style of Virginia vil lage, consisting of one house and a crossroad—albeit the house in this instance is a fine large structure, and will ac • commodate a great many wounded, to which purpose it is already devoted. But the crossroad is the matter of vital importance here. From this point the plank-road runs directly west to Culpepper, by way of Germanna Ford, or by turnpike via Ely's Ford. The Gordonsville turnpike diverges to the left four miles in our rear. The plank road to Fredericksburg runs nearly due east, making an elbow bend to the south here, but regaining its easterly direction within four miles. Nearly east, or about east north-east, runs the old turnpike to Fredericksburg, which intersects the plank-road again about three miles from here. Near this intersection a road bears to the left, and goes to Banks's Ford, six miles, direction north-east. United States Ford lies north-north-west, and t he road thereto leaves the Ely's Ford -road and bears to the right about one mile from this point. This road winds through the timber, and is very indifferent at the best. The forenoon was mainly occupied by General Hooker, his Staff, and able corps commanders in consultation, and in making dispositions of the columns. At about 12 o'clock General Sykes's division was sent forward on the left, by the Bank's Ford-road, to make an attack, and compel the enemy to develope his strength on that bank. He moved promptly into position, with Weed's, now Watson's regular battery. The first gun was fired by the enemy about 12 o'clock. Heavy skirmishing commenced, our men entering the field with much enthusiasm. The Bth Pennsylvania Cavalry skirmished in the very front for some time, and sustained a galling fire from the enemy's infantry, but be haved with great intrepidity. They charged and recharged upon the infantry, only to be in turn driven back. General Sykes then threw forward two companies of infantry, with out knapsacks, on the double-quick, who supported the cavalry, and checked the further pursuit of the enemy. The action now became quite general between the twoforces, eash seeming to be about the same strength. The rebel division thus engaged was that of Anderson, part of Longstreet's old corps, and consisting of the brigades of Pasey, Mahone, and Wilcox. Sykes fought the latter brigade at Gaines's Mill. The rebels contested the ground very vigorously, giving way only when pressed very hard. Our troops fought for fully an hour with great spirit, and drove the enemy from two suxessive and strong positions upon ridges of land n hich run parallel with the Rappahannock. The distance thus gained was nearly one mile, and some 50 prisoners, mostly belonging to Virginia regiments, were captured. They gave themselves up readily, many of them manifesting pleasure j at their position. About half-past 1 o'clock, just as Colonel Chapman, commanding a brigade of regulars, had expressed a desire to " take another ridge," an order was received by Gen. Sykes from Gen. Hooker to suspend the attack, and take nearly to his former position, This appeared inex plicable to both officers and men, and as the latter came back slowly and in good order, frequent mutterings were heard among them about being on the retreat again. But the sequel proved there was a mind over all who directed what was best for them. The cause for this movement was the fact that General Hooker had received information from headquarters that the enemy had thrown the greater part of his force over on this side of the fortifications, and had also removed many of the guns in the lower batteries and placed them in posi tion at the upper end of the town, thus indicating an intention of making an attack on us. He therefore sus pended this preliminary attack at once, which had been arranged as a prelude to important operations elsewhere, and rightly surmised that if the enemy did really mean to attack us they would follow up our retirement. At 2 p.m. he remarked, " I think I can make them come out and fight me on my own ground." In two hours the assertion was proved. The enemy mistook our voluntary retirement for a check, and followed us rapidly as we fell back. General Sykes's division had got in their old position, and pickets thrown out, when the enemy again appeared in force on the ridge at the foot of which we lay. Our men had stacked arms , and were at rest. The whole division, save the Duryea Zouaves, were lying at nearly right angles witr i a the read. The Zouaves were parallel with the road. Quick as thought General Sykes brought his men into line, the Zouaves on the left half-wheeling into line of battle like a machine. The rebels paused a moment on the top of the ridge, and, as if to nerve them for the onset, gave one of their scattering, demoniac yells, and then came down on the double-quick, shooting, capturing, and literally running over our poor pickets, who scrambled behind all sorts of obstructions. But in an instant more a terrible crash resounded from the Zouave end of the line. and down the column rolled the most deafening roar of musketry that in all my war experience has ever met my ears. It did not last, apparently, two minutes ; but its work was done. This attack was very fierce, and, being so ' much near than the previous firing had been, created considerable com motion around the cross-roads. It at once brought Gen, Hooker into the saddle for the first time during the day, and things were speedily in shape. This onslaught h waa fit for e the purpose of retaking this very important point. T thing done was the massing of artillery ne ar the roa ds , and in 15 minutes 22 guns were sending shell into the woods and the roar of artillery became ten times more deafening than that of the musketry had been. The work was soon dote. The contest lasted three-quarters of an hour, and the enemy i gnominiously retired. n Ano ugh this attack was so handsomely repulsed, it proved to be only preliminary to still greater operations. At 4 30 p.m. Coi. plank 'road, reported the enemy Di°oll, Who had cavalry skirmishers on the driving in his pickets. advancing in force and to the right, and General Slocum as soon discovered deploying by sending in Geary'a divisinand promptly met the move illaraowever, and the next pton's battery. The a ttack proved to be only a f eeler, thing was a development still further wa s again checkmated by General W"iir right, which th ree batteries of artillery an d h is own r li ' very effectively to the enemy's fi re , which was. on, repliedwho,•with brisk but never healey. Beyond this he did not 6° go t , tim net es t o occasionally shell our extreme r i g h t, under Generale Howard; but his troops were very placid, an d t h e shells did Lo damage. For a while there was a cessation of the desultory and s p a smodic firing, which had been going on for two h s But at half-past 6 o'clock a desperate charge Was made f or our batteries commanding the plank-road. The rebels ad ranced through the woods at a rapid pace, and got within point-blank canister range of our guns. A column, also, came up the road wildly. Geary met them with great promptness, and wheeling a regiment into the road, a deadly volley was poured into their advance. At the same time Knapp and Hampton double shotted their guns with canis ter, and for 15 minutes there was another fiery episode. Of course the enemy were severely repulsed, and with heavy loss. Their killed and wounded fell in the timber in front of our batteries, and the leaves and brush having been set on fire by our shells, the poor wretches are suffering a double death. After this hour there were no more vigorous attempts on the part of the enemy. For an hour or more a sharp shell ing was kept up against our extreme left, occupied by Gen. Meade.eade. Gen. Couch's forces were deployed early in the f ternoon, and rendered effective assistance in supporting the eelkl l :e. Gen. Sickle's column acted as a reserve. ilk_ (a /entire operations of the day indicate that the enemy was gated mainly in feeling our lines, endeavouring to find a weak Point, and to ascertain the strength of our posi tion and forces, but h e was repulsed at every point, particu- Rebel camp fires have simultaneously appeared along their line of works, which appear to be built for effect. We could see their forces all the forenoon passing along the road on the brow of the crest to the right. The forces are supposed to be Jackson's corps. Artillery to the number of 40 or 50 pieces accompanied them, being dis tinctly seen and counted from this side. Captain Fitzhue, who resided in an elegant mansion on this side of the river, was killed the day before yesterday, and his remains Cent over. He was in the rifle pits when our forces charged up the opposite bank of the river. The balloon has been up all day at intervals. Heavy firing has been heard from our other forces to-day. Two miles below Fredericksburg, May 2, 7.45 a.m. The rebels have opened the ball this morning ; 35 minutes ago a light battery, planted during the night in the rear of the Bernard house, tossed a couple of shell among our troops, and was immediately followed by their 10 10-pound Parrots, planted on the side of the crest (three-quarters of a mile below), which are now concentrating a rapid fire on our lower bridge, with the expectation, doubtless, of destroy it. Our guns on the left are returning the fire vigorously. Owing to the dense clouds of smoke, I am unable to make out all the batteries participating. Captain R icket's Ist Pennsylvania, Captain Edgell' s Ist New Hampshire, Captain Thomson's Independent battery, planted together on a small elevation, are among the number. B.ls.—The rebels have opened their Whitworth gun, and several others are on the extreme left. Our troops are drawn up in two lines of battle on this side of the Rappa hannock, and have not suffered as any yet. Those on the other side have dropped down under the protection of the river bank, where they are safe from the enemy's missiles. Last night they were heard operating on the railroad, and this morning a few pieces of railroad iron have been thrown. The firing from our forces on the right,:now directly in the rear of the rebels, can be distinctly heard. A moment ago I saw one of their shells explode above the crest. The rebels are thus compelled to fight that way and face this. Chancelloraville, Virginia, 10 miles West by South of Fredericksburg, Midnight, May 2, 1863. The military operations which have been in progress on the line of the Rappahannock for a week past nave to-day culminated in what, if not precisely a great battle, only escapes that designation because we all feel that greater, by far, remains behind. General Hooker, by a series of brilliantly audacious manoeuvres and movements, of a celerity wholly unmatched in this war, has succeeded in crossing the Rappahannock River, and gaining for his army a position 10 miles west by south, and in the rear of Fredericksburg. General Lee, at first completely surprised by this move, and utterly puzzled as to his antagonist's intentions, has, however, had time to recover himself, and with a haid almost equally bold in the grand game of strategy—aban doned his position in Fredericksburg, and the line of 20 miles down the Rappahannock which he has held for months—has changed his front, and stands opposite us in order of battle. We have secured a strong position, completely turning the line of rebel defensive heights in the rear of Fredericks burg, against which our army on the 13th of last December madly dashed itself. This, as General Hooker expresses it in his inspiriting order of Thursday, gives us the advantage of compelling the enemy to fight us on ground of our own choosing. Figure to yourself a huge triangle or redan, one leg of three miles long, resting on the south side of the Rappa hannock, Rho,. rreaericasburg, anti between Banks and United States' Ford, the other on Hunting Creek, an af fluent of the Rappahannock, with the apex at Chancellors- Nine, and you have, in epitome, the situation as it now stands. This position, naturally strong, has been rendered stronger by breastworks and abattis thrown up in front to cover the troops. Imagine, now, the enemy massed in front of this position —front to front, and flank to flank—and you have the rebel situation. Take into account, also, that the enemy have strengthened themselves by the same appliances adopted by us. These relative positions were assumed three days ago, and the history of that period is that of skirmishing along the advance line, developed in front of both armies, we feel ing the enemy at various points, the enemy feeling us at various points. This afternoon and evening, however, the enemy was em boldened to depart from these minor operations, and make a bold coup by attacking our right flank in force and attempt ing to double us up. About 6 o'clock this evening Jackson —you will recognise as I go on the operations and all its circumstances as one quite in his style, and the affair will recall to you Cedar Mountains and other memories—with his whole corps of 40,000 men threw himself impetuously on our extreme right, formed by the 11th Army Corps, under command of Major-General Howard. The assault was one marked by all the dash and audacity which characterise his mind, and as it was made precisely at our weakest point, and on a corps which Jackson had already several times beaten, it was well calculated to succeed. That he only partially succeeded in turning our flank was not owing to the conduct of the 11th Army Corps, which was disgraceful, but to the superb generalship of Hooker, who promptly threw reinforcements on our right to stop the enemy's advance. From the order which the commanding General issued it will be seen that the position gained at Chancellorsville, which is ten miles west by sou,h of Fredericksburg, com pletely turns the line of rebel defences on the series of ridges in rear of Fredericksburg, and, in fact, there was now but one alternative; the enemy must either retreat along the line of railroad toward Richmond, while that line was yet uncut (for their was no other line of retreat, the communication with Gordonsville being threatened by our hold on that line), or else come out and ' give us battle on our own ground.' Lee had been completely out. generaled, and in a strategic point of view had suffered a defeat before we had fired a single shot. It was in this sense, and not in the meaning that they were actually destroyed, albeit he anticipated nothing less than that, that General Hooker, on the night of our arrival at Chancellorsville, proudly exclaimed, "The rebel army is now the legitimate property of the Army of the Potomac." General Lee seems to have felt himself strong enough to Pursue the latter alternative, and he took prompt measures to carry his plan into execution. There is very little doubt that he had been heavily reinforced with troops from the South. Occupying, too, the interior line, Lee's facilities for a change of front were, of course, very great, and our army had hardly gained its position when a rebel column wds marching up to confront it. The military situation on Saturday morning (the 2d), therefore, stood as follows :—Our main force holds the posi t tion at Chancellorsville, confronting the main rebel army now massed opposite us. 11 , ,ward's corps has the extreme right, then a division of Sickles's corps, then Slocum, then Conch, then Meade on the left, Humphreys division of Meade's co r p s h o ldi ng t h e extreme o f th e l e ft. W or ki ng Parties have been employed during the whole night in throw ing up brea s t wor k s, and the woods have resoun d e d w i t h the strok es o f a thousand axemen felling trees for the pur pose of d eonstru ing abattis. We hear the rebels, not 1 hal istant, at work with the same vi ew , an d i n th e morn ing both a rmies are w elintrenched. It will now be who em out. will c - me out and give la t w e . H oo k er i s d eterm i ne d to put forth a ll the resources of them cr a ft o f w hi ch he is a con summate master t o temp So much f or t h e right! A working on th e l eft, indepen 4 d 7 e th at e l r, though minor force, is strategic bearings on the main operyßa,tiort. Thiswith subordinate s o d rd efi n n a i t t e e i.a taken reconnaisances sohpeorwaticolnearilsy atthal't rtadheeriecakestabuyr Balloon ahen their main force from the heights of Fredericksbagla:td the line down the greater d bulk of their Rappahannock, and massed it us at Chancellors ville. They have also removed the artillery with the saran end ; and General commands the left, thinks himself strong enoughegi'lfltiheti.o:oewab:Leryo General assents, the heights. The Commanding good prospect of success ; for it is of the utmost importance not to anticipate the golden moment to strike. Still another co-operative role is assigned the powerful cavalry expedition under general Stoneman. This is nothing less than to cut the railroad bridges that cross the two affluents of the Paratuikey—namely the North and South Anna—less than 20 miles from Richmond. The bridge over the North Anna is 150 feet long and 80 feet high, and cannot possibly be reconstructed in less than a larly in his attempts to retake Chancellorsville, and in the insane charge upon our batteries. Everything goes to show that Lee will open attack early this morning. (It is now 3 o'clock a.m., Mty 2.) Our troops ha'e been at work all night, and the woods resound with the ring of axes. Both parties are bu y building earthworks and abattas. Certain changes a-e heng made in our lines, and we shall be fully ready for any emergency. The greatest day in th e hi s t or y o f th e rebellion is about dawning. General Hooker got some rest during the night, which was much needed, but at this hour he is in consulta tion with his corps commanders. His staff are prodigies of energy, and their labours are unceasing. Our losses yesterday are not yet known. We had about 100 killed and wounded in General Sykes's fight early in the afternoon. Captain Marsh, of the 17th Regulars, was killed. Captain Overton, of General Sykes's staff, was wounded, not dangerously—Lieut. Wells, 14th Regulars, wounded—Lieut.- Colonel Walker, Assistant Adjutant- General to General Couch, was wounded by a piece of shell in the arm, not seriously. The troops acted magnificently. Not a case of misbe haviour has come to my knowledge. They go into battle with enthusiasm, and one idea seems to animate every one —the idea of victory. Four miles below Fredericksburg, Friday Evening, 8.30, May 1, 1863. The day has closed without firing on either side. The two lines of battle which the enemy showed last night were no longer visible to-day, the troops doubtless having been withdrawn to fight our forces in the rear. Their skirmish line has also been thinned out, and, to all appearances, the rebels have "raked and scraped" together all their forces to meet the rear attack. Oar own troops are stretched out in two lines of battle on this side of the river, where they have been since an hour before sunset. As I write the rebels are cheering vocife rously, or, I should say, delivering one of their peculiar howls, which Bull Run Russell describes. Our own men, on the opposite side of the river, have taken it up, and are now endeavouring to drown their yells with counter cheer ing. THE ~SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, MAY 13, 1863. fortnight. You can see how tremendously this will em barass the rebels. In the morning, as we stood on the battery of Chancel lor's house, the attention was aroused by a sharp rattle of musketry coming from a column of rebels coming up by the main Fredericksburg plank road, directly in front of us. Knapp's battery, however, which was planted directly in front of the position, opened upon them, and, after a few rounds, caused them to retire. Immediately afterwards a battery opened from the height which I have mentioned as having been gained by Sykes yesterday, and then abandoned by us. The position was rather upwards of a mile distant from the cleared space, and its object was to damage our ammunition train, which was visible to the rebels from the tops of trees on the height. One of our batteries was, however, immediately opened in reply. The third shot blew up one of the caissons, and a subsequent shot blew up another, and this settled their account. Subsequently a reconnoissance was sent, on our part, consisting of the 26th Pennsylvania Volunteers (Carr's brigade, Berry's division, Sickles's corps,) on the same road by which the rebels had approached in the morning, for the purpose of feeling their strength. They went out on the plank road, deployed on both sides in the form of the letter V, chased the rebel skirmishers a couple of miles, till they came to a heavy double line of battle, with artillery in posi tion, when they retired, bringing us that piece of intelli gence. Another reconnaisance was next sent out on our right, consisting of Berdan's sharpshooters. They met the enemy's pickets, drove them handsomely, and at 4 o'clock returned with 50 prisoners of the 23d Georgia. At 4 o'clock the rebels are moving down in force on the plank road, where we had a little before made the reconnois sance. Grey's division of Slocum's corps is sent in on the double quick into the woods, their bayonets flashing in the sunlight. A sharp contest ensues, and in a few minutes they come back in disorder. A portion of Bane's brigade, composed of raw troops, had broken, and thrown the columns into confusion. An aide from Slocum comes to ask General Hooker if he can have reinforcements. "No I he must hold his own. Howard will, of course, support him from the right. Let Geary's division, however, be thrown to the right of the road, so that the artillery may be able to sweep the enemy on the left." This treatment presently repaired the damage, and checked the hope of the rebels being able to pierce our centre. Foiled in this, they now prepared to make a still more desperate dash on our right flank. We were aware that thcy had bccn watoling against that ra - .ltit all me arternoon, and the terrific treble of the demoniac yell with which the rebels always rush into battle announced their approach from the woods by the Culpepper plank road. Jackson's whole corps, reinforced by D. .H. Hill's division, numbering in all 40,000 men, had precipitated themselves on Howard's corps, forming our extreme right wing. This corps is com posed of the divisions of Schurz, Steinwehr, and Devin, and consists mostly of German troops. Without waiting for a single volley from the rebels this corps disgracefully aban doned their position behind their breastworks, and com menced coming, paniC stricken, down the road towards headquarters. Our right was thus completely turned, and the rebels were in the fair way of doubling us up. It was a critical situation, and brought out the superb re sources of Gen. Hooker. He was in the saddle in a moment, calm and cool—the master of a situation fit to overmaster the most. The first thing was to check the rebel advance, which must become fatal if allowed to go on much further. It was a terribly animated scene. The whole open plain presented such a spectacle as the simoom might make in the desert. Through the dusk of nightfall a rushing whirl wind of men and artillery swept over the plain. The shattered fleeing columns of men were rushing down and over us at head-quarters. Hooker's dispositions were made in a moment. Whom, of all others, should he send in at this fearfully critical moment, but the darling child of his own creation—his own old corps, now commanded by General Berry. " General !" shouted the Commander, " throw your men into the breach—receive the enemy on your bayonets —don't fire a shot—they can't see you !" Oh I it was a sight to see that glorious band rush at the double-quick to the rescue I Pressing up in their horrid array of glittering steel, the enemy's advance was quickly checked, and he had to withdraw to the line of breastworks just vacated by the 11th corps. Batteries were immediately sent up in a thunderous clamour to the front, and Captain Best, chief of artillery of Slocum's corps, massed 20 pieces on the crest near General Sickles's head-quarters, and a terrific fire was opened on the enemy, and kept up far into the night. Gen. Pleasanton, too, succeeded in turning back a dozen pieces taken from the flying corps, and planting them in a favourable position, while he drew up his little brigade of cavalry, consisting of squadrons of the 6th New York, Bth Pennsylvania, and 17th Pennsylvania, with drawn sabres to protect the guns (a novel sight in battle). Directing the pieces to be doubled- shotted with canister, he swept the position occupied by the enemy with a murderous fire. The successful check of the advancing foe is in no small de gree owing to the indomitable energy of this gallant soldier. While this is going on, the panic-stricken Dutchmen are sweeping past us, and round by head-quarters into the road leading to United States Ford. Many members of the Staff of General Hooker and other general officers placed them selves in the road, and with drawn sabres smote and slashed the cowardly retreating rascals. It was all in vain, how ' ever. The road for two or three milpa down towards United States Ford is now crowded with their shattered fragments. General Hooker has, however, already sent Sykes's regu lars after them. As to the loss sustained by this corps, either in killed or captured, it could not have been great,— they ran too fast for that. I have the mortification to add that they allowed 12 pieces of cannon to fall into the haLds of the enemy. What makes this retreat not only disgraceful, but well nigh disastrous, is that it completely foiled a splended mar, ceuvre which Gen. Sickles with Lis corps was engaged in executing. He had gone in on a branch road leading_off from the main pike, pierced the enemy's centre, penetrated for a mile, cut them in two, and would have secured the key to victory, when the turning of Howard's position compelled him to make good his retreat, though he brought out with him 400 rebel prisoners. The artillery combat was prolonged till midnight, and the bursting of the shower of shells thrown by our batteries into the rebels made a spectacle that beggars all description, severestDurin fire,gthe whole crisis General Hooker was under the and his staff, The enemy made up of young braves, per formed prodi g i es of valour. has completely turned our right, is now in our rear, and will, unless prevented, turn this immense advan tage to account with the first dawn of to-morrow's light. This was the position at dark, and it did not look very promising. But our energetic commander was more than equal to the emergency. New dispositions to repair this disaster were at once resolved upon. Communication was at once had with Generals Birney and Whipple, and a night attack ordered, to restore the connection of the lines. Gen. Ward's brigade of Gen, Birney's division made the attack at 11 at night, aided by Capt. Best's guns, massed on the ridge in front of the enemy. Birney's position was on the extreme left of this new line of battle, but Ward's terrific attack was entirely successful; communication was restored, and in the charge made by the brigade a portion of the ar tillery lost by Howard was gallantly retaken by General Hobart Ward. This night attack was the most grand and terrific thing of the war. The moon shone brightly, and an enemy could be seen at good musket range. The air was very still, and the roar and reverberation of the musketry and artillery past all conception. Malvern Hill was a skirmish compared with this, save in the degree of slaughter. But it was suc cessful ; the enemy were driven back nearly half a mile, and our tire'! men once more slept on their arms. That night's work was ended. Headquarters in the field, near Chancellorsville, Virginia, Sunday, May 3, 6 p.m, Another bloody day has been added to the calendar of this rebellion. Another terrible battle has been fought and more fields crimsoned with human blood. Few more such days as this will find no armies left on either side to fight battles. General Reynolds's First Army Corps arrived at United States Ford on Saturday afternoon. It was immediately put into position on our right, which was withdrawn from the plank-road to the Ely's Ford turnpike. This line was immediately formed by Gens. Reynolds and Me ide, the latter's position, on the left, having been relieved by Gen. Howard's 11th cor p s, whichnotwithstanding its disorganised condition was so far reorganised during the night as to be fit for duty again this morning. They were assigned the position on the left, where it was probable there would be little or no fighting, and were protected by the strong works built the day before by Gen. Meade's corp. Our new line assumed the shape of a triangle, prolonged at the apex, the right of the line being somewhat shorter than the left. As the portion of the line on the right was new, time was necessary to fortify and intrench it, and the work was carried on vigor ously by the Fifth and First Army Corps. It was very evident at daylight this morning that the day would bring forth a terrific battle, We knew the enemy had been reinforcing his line all night, at the expense, undoubt edly, of the strength of his force on our left. His intention was evidently to fight for the possession of the plank-road, which it was perfectly ax arent he must have, as that por tion of it which we then held was subject to the enemy's assault in front and on both flanks. But the possession of this road was not obtained by the enemy save at our own time, at his severest cost, and after one of the m st desperate, tenacious, and bloody conflicts, for its short duration, of the whole war. At 5 o'clock a.m. the rebels could be plainly seen up the plank road, about a mile and a half from the Chancellor-house, which General Hooker still retained as his head-quarters, though a shell had gone through it the evening before, and another had cat down a tree directly in front of it. where Captai Our line of battle was formed with Gen. Berry's gallant beyond the ridge division on the right, General Birney next, on the left, General 'Whipple and General Williams supporting. At half past 5 a.m. the a.dvance became engaged in the ravine, just d their terrific onslaught the night befo re , andwhere they still frowned upon the enemyand ore, n Best ' s guns had ma do The rattle of musketry threatened his destruction. a 0011 became a continued crash, and in a few moment a long • / as battalion after battalion became engaged, the roar surpassed all conception, and in dicated that the fight would be one of the most terrible nature. General Berry's division, which had checked the enemy's advance the night before, engaged him again, and if it were possible for them to add more laurels to their fame, then they did it thrice over again. The enemy advanced his infantry in overwhelming numbers, and seemed determined to crush our forces. But the brave men of Sickles and Slocum, who fought their columns with desperate gallantry, held the rebels in check, and inflicted dreadful slaughter among them. General French's division was sent in on the right flank of our line at about 7 a.m., and in a short time a horde of ragged, streaming rebels running down the road indicated that that portion of the enemy's line had teen crushed. At 8 o'clock a.m. General French sent his compliments to General Hooker, with the information that he had charged the enemy and was driving him before him. Sickles maintained the attack upon his line with great endurance. The enemy seemed determined to crush him with the immensity of his forces, and, as subsequently shown from the statements of prisoners, five whole divisions of the rebel army were precipitated upon this portion of the line, for from these five divisions we took during the day an aggregate of over 2,000 prisoners. The exploits of our gallant troops in those dark, tangled, gloomy woods may never be brought to light; but they would fill a hundred volumes. It was a deliberate, despe rate hand-to-hand conflict, and the carnage was perfectly frightful. Cool officers say that the dead and wounded of the enemy covered the ground in heaps, and that the rebels seemed utterly regardless of their lives, and literally threw themselves upon the muzzles of our guns. Many desperate charges were made during the fight, particularly by Berry's division. Mott's brigade made 15 distinct charges, and cap tured seven stands of colours, the 7th New Jersey, Colonel Francine, alone capturing four stands of colours and 500 prisoners. General Couch's Second Army Corps, though only in part present, did excellent work. It was General French who charged and drove the enemy on the flank, and it was the went to the relief of the h indomitable d H s a i e n k c l o e c s k . who gallan tl The engagement lasted without the slightest intermission from 530 a.m to 845 a.m., when there was a tempo rary cessation on our part, occasioned by getting out of ammunition. We held our position for nearly an hour with the bayonet, and then, being resupplied, an order was given to fall back to the vicinity of the Chancellor House, which we did in good order. Here the contest was main tained fcr an hour or more, not so severely as before, but with ereat havoc to tha n.m , onrl considerable loss to our selves. The vicinity of the Chancellor House was now the theatre of the fight, and my visits to that spot became less frequent. General Hooker maintained his headquarters there until 10 a.m , when it was set on fire by the enemy's shells, and is now in ruins. Chancellorsville is no longer in existence, having perished with the flames, but Chancellorsville is in history never to be effaced. Our new line was now so far established as to render it safe to withdraw all our forces on that front, which was ac. cordingly done, and at 11 30 a,m. the musketry firing ceased. The engs gement had lasted six hours, but had been the most terrific of the war. Cur artillery had literally slaugh tered the enemy, and many of the companies had lost heavily in men themselves, but the guns were all saved. The enemy was now no huger in our rear, but had been shoved down directly in our front, and is now directly be tween us and our forces in Fredericksburg, and we were again in en entrenched and formidably fortified position. The enemy has gained some ground, it is true, but at the sacrifice of the flower of his force, five of his seven divisions having been cut to pieces it the effort, and over 2,000 of them have fallen into our heads. Our right wing, under Gens. Reynolds and Meade, was not engaged, save the division of General Humphreys, which went into the woods m the enemy's left flank, and fought valiantly under theit brilliant leader, until their ammunition was exhausted. During the afternoon theenemy has made several at tempts to force our lines, preticularly at the apex of our position, near the Chancellor House, but Capt. Weed has massed a large quantity of arillery in such a position as to repulse with great loss everytiing placed within its range. The enemy tried several bateries and regiments at that point at different times duringthe afternoon, and they were literally destroyed by the fire dour terrible guns. Nothing can live within their range. Our present position is imptegnable if our troops continue to fight as they have to-day. General Lee, the prisoners say, has issued an order that )ur lines must be broken at all hazards. Let them try itagain with what they have left. They can, and perhaps will, destroy themselves by attacks upon this position. Our troops are perfectly cod and confident. They have fought with great spirit and eithusiasm, and will continue to do so. The rebel prisoners report bat General A. P. Hill was killed this forenoon, during th sanguinary conflict his divi sion had with General Berry'i division. General Berry was himself killed while gallantly fighting his brave men. It is impossible to estimate ; he loss in to-day's battle on either side. We know that urs is heavy—heavier than ever before in a battle of so short duration. We further know that the loss of the eneuy is admitted by themselves to be perfectly frightful. Wehad the advantage in artil lery, and our shells and miter tore and mangled their ranks fearfully. The prisoners are silent as to the loss of prominent officers, but some °Me Alabamians in A. P. Hill's division say that he was killed early in the day, and that General Raynor is now in command of the division. The exact count of prisoners this far taken, during the battle of Sunday, is not yet know; but it must he, all told, nearly, if not quite, 2,000. They were brought in singly, in squads, in companies, and by •egiments ; and our men say they could have taken many bore, "but for the trouble of bothering with them on the fled of battle." They would rather shoot than capture. Tweregiments were taken en tire--the 23d Georgia and the Ith Alabama—the former yesterday and the latter to-day. Then there are detach and South C aro li na, Vi rg i n i a, li ssissippi, ments from 50 or 60 other reg i mests, including many North and Louisiana regiments. The enemy has undoubtedly taken several hundred of our men, mostly wonrded, with some from the 11th Corps, who couldn't run fast enough to get away. General Averell, with his cavalry command, returned to United States Ford to-night, and rtported in person to Gen. where destroyed on Hooker this aft ernoon . Gen era l Averell has been out 23 days, Orange days, a and Alexandria ndbeenas Ra far south t s Rapidan he Station, ir cad the bridge an d track o f t h e road. Luring his trip, he d rove Lee and St uart out of Culpepper, Lad captured there about very popular, and h ereafter the people 5,000 deist. worth of salt and bacon b e l onging to the rebel Go vernment, which he did not d estroy, but distributed among the p oor an d su fl er i ng p eop l e of that vicinity. This ma de General A. there will prefer his visits to those 0' Lee and Stuart. Gen, Averell has received instructions for important work, and our communications may be considered entirely safe so long ase his force is in reach. The headquarters of the army of the Potomac in the field are to -night under a large tree, just in the rear of the front line of rifle-pits and abattis. Gen. Hooker has just dined on hard t ac k an d co l d ham . Th e gentlemen of the staff are looking for th e i r "p ac k mule." Headquarters, Army of the Poto mac, near Falmouth,Virginia , Sunday Evening, 10 p.m. I have arrived here from Chancellorsville, and learn of the complete success of Gen. Sedgwick's attack upon the stronghold of the enemy at Fredericksburg Heights. The position was brilliantly carried by storm to-day by Pratt's glorious light division of the 6th Army Corps, cap turing two whole regiments of rebels, the 16th and 18th Mississippi, one company of the famous Washington Artil lery of New Orleans, and part of Alexander's Artillery, in cluding in all eight guns and nearly 1,000 prisoners. The storming forces were aided by Gen. Gibbon, of the Army Corps, who, with a force, came upcn the flank and rear of the enemy, planting the American flag upon their works before they had actually ceased firing upon our charging column. The captures were complete, and ou► loss only moderate. Gen. Sedgwick afterwards engaged the enemy and drove him back. At 6 p.m. ho advanced to the Brick Church, 41 miles out on the plank road toward Chancellorsville. Here he had a severe engagement with Early's divison, rein forced by troops from Lee, but reFulsed them, and sent in another lot of prisoners. The enemy is now hemmed in between Hooker and Sedg wick, and will, no doubt, fight with desperate tenacity to extricate himself from his desperate position ; but the ad vantage seems to rest decidedly with us. "Au I NOT A WOMAN AND A SISTER ?"—The Rev. Caroline Cleverbawl addresses thus her own sex in L. Fairfax's Tale of the Confederate States of Ame rica, called " The Elopement :"—" But this blue and glo riously-bespangled banner has long enough waved in mockery over ou r d own -trodden race. 1, a weak, timid woman, assert the right of woman to wield the sword, the pen, the forceps, and the tnaulstick. Why are we excluded from the Legislature, the jadge'e bench? Why are we not allowed to ballot ? Who are the bravest in battles ? The women who follow the camp. Who are the most profound and successful w r it ers ? Women- Who the most skilful doctors ? Women. The most celebrated painters ? Women. The most eloq uen t and untiring speakers ? Women. The greatest poets ? 'Women. I could quote hundreds of ex amples to prove this platform. And yet, with our mul titudinous abilities. there is nothing left us but the thimble and the needle. Since he leaves u, no other weapon, let us fling aside the thimble, vile emblem of drudgery, unsheath the needle, and upon him. I loudly assert, I assert the right of woman to love and wed if she will freely, when, and where, whom, and how she pleases. In ending this brief speech, I cast my vote for free love, free speech, free ne groes, free women, free press, free soil, aril Fremont." [ADVERTISEMNT.I—HoIIoway's Pills are undeniably the finest medicine f or dilapidated constitutions, disordered liver, bile, and indigestion. The wonderful efficacy of this salutary medicine, and th e good effects produced on patients suffering. if from the above complaints, would appear in credible not confirmed by daily roofs of the cures effected by them, and the permanent benefit derived from the nervous . system, purify their use. These invaluable Pills soothe and strengthen tions, and invigorate the constitution: Disease flies before . them. They are composed of vegetable extracts, unmixed with a grain of any mineral or noxious substance. They may, therefore, be given with the utmost confldencp, and th e blood, regulate the secre with perfect safety, to delicate females mad young children' They cannot do harm. THE KINGDOM OF ITALY, (From the Times' Correspondent.) TURIN, May 15. The debate on Italian affairs which took place in the House of Commons on Friday last, and to which I have already alluded iu a former letter, has created the liveliest sensation throughout; this country. The speeches of friends and foes of the Italian cause fill the columns of every newspaper, and the comments we hear on them are, in my opinion, just, and at all events temperate. The population of Southern Italy is described by certain orators in Westminster as held under restraint by a tyrannical Government. How is it, then, that this very Government continues to send muskets for the use of the Neapolitans and Sicilians ? All the previous Ministers strove to arm the Southern people. The present Cabinet, which only came in last December, already, as I informed you, has supplied those provinces with 70,000 muskets for the citizen militia. Now, do we see Austria busy arming the population of Hungary or Venetia ? Is Russia very anxious that every Pole should have his firelock ? When this shall be the case we shall acknowledge the correctness of the gloomy descrip tion of our Southern provinces as drawn by some of the members of the English Lower House; but so long as for the repression of evils bred from without our Government appeals to the energy of the citizens we have a right to deny the existence of a tyran nizing Government or of a tyrannized people among us. We have, indeed, our woes, and serious woes they are—the results of former corruption, of the rancour of our adversaries, and even the protec tion of certain friends of ours; but when we see hon. gentlemen in London compare our present condition, such as it may be after only two years of so profound and radical a revolution, with that of a country which for the last 100 years has marched safely on the path of orderly progress, we doubt whether the discussion be any longer a serious Would Lord H. Lennox and his friends tbo onmpariavu botwaen nnr country as it ,a and theirs as it was two years after the landing of William of Orange ? Then we are ready for the trial; we shall examine the prisons, and the ad ministration of justice, the freedom of the person and of the press, religious liberty, industrial and commercial progress. Let the parallel be drawn on these terms and we shall see who is the loser by it." Such are the words of to-day's Opinione; and I hope that English fairness will allow the Italians the benefit of them. No doubt the comparison would not be altogether just, because the world has gone on with great strides during the whole interval between William of Orange and Victor Emmanuel, and even the most crushed and benighted commu nities have obeyed the influence of an all-reaching civilisation. But, unquestionably, the condition of Naples is an exceptional one, and it is a cruel injus tice to apply to it the rules of normal government. To the north of the Liri and the Trouto, however— i.e., throughout two-thirds of the Peninsula—ltaly enjoys as perfect a state of order as England, and without contradiction as great a freedom as any other continental community. Lord H. Lennox, for instance, complains that the liberty of the press in Italy is a mere mockery, and, to prove it, he ventures on the following assertion : " The Perseveranza of Milan, one of the first journals in Italy, the organ of the old Milan aristo cracy, was seized on the 27th of last month, and what did the house suppose it was for ? Surely, the new Lord of the Admiralty, the hon. member for Halifax (Mr. Stansfeld) would feel a throe of sympathy—(cheers and laughter)—when he learnt that the Perseveranza met with an untimely fate because it republished in one of its columns extracts from documents written and signed by the present Minister for Foreign Affairs in the Italian Government. (Hear, hear.) On this ground, one of the most respectable newspapers in Italy was seized, and not allowed to circulate on that day." (Hear, hear.) Now, would any man believe, after this, that the Perseveranza, in its yesterday's number, should come out with a flat denial that its numbers were seized either on the particular day mentioned by the noble lord, or on any other day since its first appear ance in 1860? Yet the Perseveranza actually as serted this fact yesterday, and if your correspon dent has won any credit with your readers for veracity, I may freely add my testimony that the alleged seizure never took place. After breaking down in so essential a part of his evidence let us hope that Lord H. Lennox's charges against the Italian Government will be received with reserve. I have lived many years in England and America, and I must candidly express my opinion that the press never was more practically free in those countries than it now is in this country. The number of papers seized almost daily is considerable indeed, but this should scarcely be astonishing if we reflect that the number of Italian daily papers is one. legion (more than a score in Turin and three times ,hat number in Naples), that many of these ha : _ . penny periodicals struggle into existence and cha Lenge notoriety by the uttermost abuse of things and persons, by the most outrageous intemperance of language, often compelling the unwilling authorities o apply the law, that their natural death should al [east be hallowed by the crown of martyrdom. The law on the press is liberal enough, though it is true .bat every editor is bound to enter a copy of his paper at the police-office, at the same time that he sends it forth broadcast among the multitude, and although it is true that when the police become aware of any breach of the law, they are empowered to seize on the offending journal, provided, however, that they at the same time prosecute the offender and are ready to prove the offence before a court of law, upon the principle of a free and open trial by jury. No doubt, if I am to express my own opinion, the Procureur du Roi shows in his prosecution of libels greater activity than need requires; many of the papers that are seized would come to a much more ignoble end if they were never interfered with. NHUMANITY OF A WIFE.—On Friday Mr. Hum phrey, coroner, resumed at the Plough Tavern, Shoreditch, an inquiry respecting the death of Mr. Wm. Doggett,aged 36 years. It will be recollected that according to the evidence taken on the previous occasion, the deceased was a wealthy ironmonger, carrying on business at No. 18, Shoreditch. His wife stated that in 1852 she entered the service of his father as a servant. She had for two years occupied the same room as Mr. John Doggett, the younger brother of the deceased, but she would swear that that was because he was ill, and that she did not occupy the same bed, or live with him as his wife. Mr. Doggett, sen., Me. John Doggett, and Miss Doggett, all died suddenly. Two years after John Doggett's death she married deceased, and they lived together, she said, "as happy as the days were long." She was sober, and he also was, and she never ill .used or threatened him. He had been ailing for three years. They had been married about four years. Mr. E. Spencer, on the other hand, deposed that Mrs. Dog gett was in the habit of threatening and ill-using her hus band to an extent that appeared to affect his intellect. Sarah Dalton, nurse to Mr. Doggett, said that deceased was not allowed by his wife to have the medicines which were sent. She was generally tipsy, and her conduct to the deceased was brutal in the extreme, omitting to pay any attention to him on his death-bed, and even keeping from him little niceties which had been sent by his friends. Deceased seemed to be in mor tal fear of her. A will had been made which appointed Mrs. Doggett executrix and left her the property. One night sh fell on the landing drunk. She called to him to pick her up, and he came. She put her hand in her pocket, and said, "I have got the will in spite of them all, and all is mine. They can get nothing of it (the property)." She then ordered her husband into bed again. Wm. Martin, foreman to the deceased and now in the employ of the widow, de posed that he had seen no conduct on the part of the wife which would hasten the death of her husband. She had once struck witness on the face, and he returned the blow. Mr. A, Roper, surgeon, who attended the deceased occasionally, and who made the post-mortem examination, said that the liver of deceased was diseased from drink, and that was the cause of his death. Deceased had been most improperly treated and managed by his wife. He had seen her strike the deceased, and her language was of the most outrageous kind. Witness discontinued visiting him from the fact of her bringing him down from the second to the first floor, with only a shirt on, and when he was in a most pitiable condition from advanced dropsy. Witness considered that if deceased had been properly nursed and taken care of he might have been alive now. She insisted on being present at the post mortem examination, and assisted at it in a most inhuman manner. Witness would rather not state how she acted on the occasion. Some further evidence having been adduced, the coroner said that he should adjourn the in quiry until Monday next, to obtain the testimony of the several nurses mentioned by Mr. Roper as having been per emptorily dismissed, ROYAL INSTITUTION. No science has undergone so many and such im portant changes as chemistry, not only in consequence of the discoveries of new elementary bodies and the decomposition of those that were supposed to be ele mentary, but in the theoreical views of the nature of the actions of diffetent elements on each other, and at the meeting of the members of the Royal In stitution on Friday evening another change that has been recently made in the views of many chemists was noticed and illustrated by Dr. Odling. Until within the last 12 years there was no fact in chemi cal science that was considered to be more firmly established than the composition of water. The de composition of distilled water by the voltaic battery shows that it is composed of th e two gases hydrogen and oxygen in the proportions of one volume of oxy gen to two of hydrogen ; but as the latter ges is 16 times lighter than the former, the proportions by weight are eight of oxygen to one of hydrogen. Aceording to the atomic theory, which regards all bodies as resolvable into ultimate indivisible atoms, the molecule of water was considered to consist of one atom of oxygen and one atom of hydrogen, and that the weight of the oxygen atom was eight times greater than that of the hydrogen atom. Nearly all chemists were agreed on that point, though seme doubts had been thrown on it by Gay Lussac, Sir Humphrey Davy, and a few others. Recent con siderations of the well known combinations of hydro gen and oxygen in other substances have induced many chemists to alter their opinions, and to con sider water to be composed of two atoms of hydrogen and ore of oxygen, the weight of the oxygen atom being thus raised to 16 times the weight of the atom of hydrogen. Chemists are now nearly equally divided in opinion respecting this change in the relative weights of the two atoms; and Dr. Odling, who is an active propagandist of the new theory, endeavoured to support it by a variety of examples and illustrative experiments, many of them exhi biting remarkable and brilliant effects of chemi cal combinations. Two of the combinations on which he relied for confirming his views were those of hydrochloric acid gas and of phosphoretted hydrogen. The latter gas is so inflammable that it ignites the instant it comes in contact with the air, and this effect was brilliantly exemplified by pass ing bubbles of the gas through water into a jar containing oxygen. The evidence by which Dr. Odling supported the new theory was entirely of a technical character, and he introduced an array of long terms with their accompanying chemical sym. bols that was quite overpowering. The difference between the new and the old theory of the compo sition of water, he contended, is not a mere matter of form, but it,is a matter of fact that serves to ex plain many of the previously inexplicable chemical combinations, and tends to remove those difficulties of the atomic theory which arise from the necessity of dividing indivisible atoms. It has been objected to the new estimate of the weight of the atom o oxygen that it would unnecessarily alter established opinions, but that objection Dr. Odling thought should have no force, for he considered it might be desirable that nine-tenths of all established opinions should be changed. CONVICTION OF THREE DETECTIVES, At the Southwark Police-court, on Saturday, Henry Barrett, police -sergeant, 16 L, Wm. Jones, 151 L, and Henry Young, 81 L, well-known detec tive officers of many years' standing, were brought before Mr. Burcham, by order of Sir Richard Mayne, Chief Commissioner of Police, charged with extort ing £9 from Mr. John Murray, a licensed victualer, formerly keeping the Victoria Tavern, Waterloo road, under the plea of getting his licence trans sfeurmreodf £5 ; also, with attempting to obtain a f urt h er from him by threats. Mr. Lewis, jun., of Ely-place, prosecuted ; and Mr. Lilley, instructed by Mr. Detton, from the office of Mr. Chipperfield, defended the prisoners. Mr. Webb, the superintendent of the L division, was present to watch the case on behalf of the Commis sioner of Police. The prosecutor, on being sworn, said that he was a licensed victualler, and resided at No. 51, Upper marsh, Lambeth. He formerly kept the Victoria Tavern, in the Waterloo-road. On the 23d of December last he was fined at this court £5 for har bouring thieves. Neither of the prisoners was a witness on that occasion. About a week after that conviction, between 8 and 9 o'clock in the evening, the three prisoners came to the Victoria Tavern and called him on one side. Young told him that they had been appointed to watch his house by their superiors, and that upon their report it would de pend whether he got his licence renewed or trans ferred. This occurred in the lobby. Young then added, " We are your friends and shall want a bit of coin, as we know your game is to work the house up and let it." The witness told him he did not wish to act shabbily towards them, but that such was not his intention, They then went away. About a week afterwards Jones and Young called on him about the same time, and they went into the bar parlour. Young said, " Governor, we are hard up to night, and if you don't raise a bit of coin somehow we shall have to go along the water-side." Witness then gave Young half a sovereign, and they went a way grumbling. They stopped about a quarter of an hour, and had some brandy and water. About 11 the same night Sergeant Barrett came into the house by himself, and led him to believe that the two other prisoners were dissatisfied. He accord ingly gave him a sovereign, saying, " That will make a half-sovereign for each of you." About a fortnight after that all three of them came to the Victoria Tavern again, when Young said, " Gover nor, we are hard up to-night ; we want a bit of coin to get some supper with." The witness told them they were too hard with him. He, however, took out 7s. 6d., from his pocket and handed it to Young, saying, " Here's all the silver I have got, and I am not going into my bar to allow my barman to see that I take money out to give to you." Barrett replied, " Don't take that paltry sum ; put it on the stairs and leave it." Jones said, "Never mind, —come along." The witness told them, if they put the money on the stairs he should take it up and re place it in his pocket, and they should have nothing at all. Jones took the money then, and they all went away. About a week or ten days after that he was standing on the pavement outside his house, between 8 and 9 in the evening, when the prisoners came up to him, and Young said, " Good evening, governor. We are hard up to-night, and must have a bit of coin somewhere." Witness gave Young a half sovereign. Young took the half sove reign in his hand, and, holding it out, exclaimed, " Half a sovereign be —; what use is that to three of us ? Give us another" Witness gave him an other half sovereign, and they went away. The witness let the house on the 23d of February to Mr. Goldby, and about a week after that, while he hap. pened to be there, the prisoners came :Again, when Jones said, " Mr. Murray, we can be your friends or your enemies. We don't work for nothing." The witness said, "I want no further bother with you, but if things go on right there will be £5 for you. Jones said, "All right, we'll stick to you," and then they went away. The house was transfer red to Mr. Goldby on the 19th of March, but a few days before that the witness was living at the Builders' Arms beerhouse, Peckham, and Barrett and Jones cames to him there in a cab. It was about 7 o'clock in the evening. They said they would stick to him about his licence, so as to transfer the Victoria Tavern to Mr. Goldhy. On the 21st of March, after the transfer, all the prisoners came again to the Builders' Arms, when Jones said to him, " We are come about the £5 you promised us." Witness said, " You have received it. Mr. Goldby has paid you the £5." Jones replied, "It cost all that to square one party, and we are not satisfied, and if you are in town on Monday or Tuesday go to the Victoria Tavern, and it shall be returned to you." The witness here informed the magistrate that prior to that interview he had seen Mr. Goldby, who told him he paid the prisoners the £5, £2 108. of which he paid him back as his share. The witness had never had his money returned to him, but, in consequence of the prisoners threaten.. ing to pursue him in his business, he wrote to Sir Richard Mayne, who directed the present proceed.. ings to be taken. About two weeks ago witness met the prisoners in front of the Surrey Theatre, in the Blackfriars-road, when Jones said that they ought to have another X 5. Barrett said he u nder. stood it was to have been £lO. Witness told thew he should not satisfy them with any more, but he should take the case elsewhere. In cross-examination by Mr. Lilley, witness said that he had kept five licensed houses, and knew ho w to go about th em . H e k new a great deal depended oo the police, and that they received gratuities souletirnes. At the time he took the Victoria Tavern he knew garotting was about the street, and mo st likely thieves came to the house, but he did not know them. He knew that the prisoners Wer e ordered to visit the house on that occasion. Mr. William G o ldby con fi rmed the statemen t of the last witness as to the payment of £5 to the Pr'" goners, and the repayment to him of £2 10s. d Jane Mur ra y, th e w if e o f the prosecuzor, s tate , that she had seen the prisoners at her husband° house. Mr. Lewis here said that was the case for the prosecution. Mr. Burcham said that had the case solely rested on the evidence of Murray, he should have had his doubts about convicting them ; but the evidenc e of Mr. Goldby was conclusive. He convicted th e prisoners of a violation of duty as police-constabl es, and sentenced each to be kept at harillabour in the House of Correction for one month. METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS. The ordinary weekly meeting of the Metropolis tan Board of Works was held on Friday, at thei r offices, Spring -gardens ; Mr. John Thwaitea, th e chairman, presided. The cash statement showed that the balances in the hands of the treasurer were on current accounts £68,939 Bs. 9d.; on deposit accounts, £49,970; end on Government securities, £78,110 lls. 3d. Mr. FREEMAN brought up the report of th e main drainage committee, which recommende d " That the board do apply to Government to in' troduce a bill into Parliament during the Pre sent session for increasing the borrowing power° of the board to the extent of £1,200,000 far main drainage purposes, with a Government gutv rantee, simi'ar to that contained in the Main Drai n. age Act of 1858." He explained at some leng th the reasons why there had been an excess of exPen; diture over the estimate. Many circumstances had arisen which were never calculated upon, such el covering in sew ers , & c . ; b ut, w i th the except i on of those extra works, th e or i g i na l est i mates ha d DO' , been exceeded. He moved the adoption of the report. Mr. FREEMAN brought up the report o f the Thames Embankment committee, submitting for approval an agreement b etween the board an d Messrs. Doultou and Co., and Messrs. Stiff, in r e ' ference to their compensation for loss, injury, 8 °" by the Southern embankment. The agreement pro' vided that th ose gent l emen should give up ahe e one-third of their manufacturing premises to th e board, and th a t th e b oard should hand over a Vent of land situated between their premises to be divided between them. The board would have to purchas e that land, c l ear i t of the buildings on it, and ban d it over to those gentlemen six months before they required their premises for the Thames Embank . ment. The board also agreed to make four sobwale under the Embankment, and two subways up to thou' premises, so as to give them water way to carry e ll , their busin ess . M r. H unt was to be appointe d arbitrator between the parties to assess the an . pensation to be paid to Messrs. Stiff and Doulto o for the inconvenience and expense they would he, put to in pullin g d own parts of their premises a n d rebuilding others. Mr. Freeman said by O le arrangement they had avoided a parliamentary ce e ; test, and also th e necess i ty of taking the who l e the premises of those gentlemen, which, from th e nature and extent of their busines, would b e yell expensive. A lengthened discussion ensued as to the wording of the agreement; and as one part of it rather ambi guous, i t was resolved to refer it back to the com m itt ee , so that it might be put into unrale takeable lan guage. The routine busin ess h av i ng b een d i sposed o f, the board adjourned. appeared COUNTRY MARKETS. ~.._._. G RANTHAM --SATURDAY. The show of wheat was limited to-day, and sales wer e inactive, at former prices. Barley was scarce, at late rat Oats in demand, at advancing pric es . B eans i n active: —New white wheat, 48s to 51s; red, 45s to 48s per 360t. ' malting barley, 35s to 396 per qr ; grinding, 28s to 300 • old oats, 24a to26s; beans, 38s to 40s; peas, 36s to 38e. NOT TINGHAM—SATURDAY. White wheat, from 43s to 54s ; red wheat, 42s to , 49 t t Barley —malting, 31 s : to 4181; grinding, 278 to 295. v a i . old, at 258 to 31s Od; new, 22s to 298. Beans sold at 4A. to 45s per qr. Flour, 31s to 408. YORK SATURDAY. This corn market to-day was moderately supplied with wheat, and the re was a healthier demand for fine parcels at previous p r i ces. Barley rather slow in demand, a t late quotations. Oats barely an average show, and at a sligh t advance on last week. Beans were steady, at high p to 24rices. 20 Wheat, red ...... .42s to 46s O a t s .... White d 0... . .4Bs to 52s B eans 36s to 4 4 0 Barley ........... .29 s t o 36s 1 Peas 8 tO ""--° Malt, 62s to 64s per qr.; rye, 32s per qr ; flour, 3411 to 36s per sack. LEICESTER --SATURDAY. Old white wheat, —s to. —s ; new, 44s to 50s per ss stone. Old red, 48s to 52s per 36 stone. B ar ley, nialting o o new, 348 to 39 8 per qr.; grinding, 27s to 30 s; old oa f: 27s to 30s ; new oats, 22s to 28s per 24 stone. 13e."-- new, 358 to 39s ;:old, 42s to 44s per 38 stone. NORWICH—SATURDAT. c There was a fair supply o f w h eat to-da le' with a -- wand. and prices in some instances recededy, is per qr. o i, supply of other articl es was moderate, with very little 011 ness doing. White wheat. 46s to 48i j Red wheat Malting ba r l e y ... 38 s to 40s Chevalier barley 3 462 ° s tt°°34 B 6l : Distilling d 0..... 33 s t o 35s J Oats.. 24s to 2 8 a Flour, 32s 6d to 33s Od per sack from the miller. CORK—SATURDAY. The following were the quotations this morning wheat, —s Od to Os Od; white, lOs Od to —s Od ; barley_' i f 6d to 6s Od ; oats, 8s Od to 9s 2d. ; black do., 7s 1:41 to 8s Od. We understand that Major-General Wm. Ridley' late of the Scots Fusilier Guards, is likely to be appointed to the command of the troops in New Zealand,We know the diffi cu l ty exper i enced by the aut h or ities . 211 _ finding a oomp.Lent officer to succeed General Cameron this command. But critical contingencies are not unlikel to arise in New Zealand, and the public and the array tal° l 4 , be satisfied that so me one was selected whose experience '— responsible command in the field was likely to inspire CO' fidence. The New Zealand command is not an easy-goi n g colonial military sup er i n t endence of the ordinary kind. '1" man is required who possesses especially good qua lification o ; of which it i s no di sparagement to General Ridley to 88911 has not yet given evidence.—Army and 11avy Gazette. Mr. BIDGOOD seconded the motion, and after a conversation in whi c h a ll parties concurred, it /11.- unanimously agreed to. On the motion of Mr. FREEMAN, the report 108 referred back to the committee to carry into execution. Births. --- CAVE.--On the 15th inst., at The Newarke, L e i ce ster, th e wife of Sir Mylle s C. B. C ave, B art., of a d aug hter. 1 . 0 DAVIES.—On the 15th inst., at 30, Chester- square, 00 1 ' 71 of Henry Davies, Esq., of a daughter. WEBBER.—On the 15th inst., at Woodville House, Bla ck' heath, the Hon, Mrs. Chares Webber, of a daughte" Marriages. ThOth HYDE — QUAYLE.—On the 14th inst., at Birkenhead , r athe tt : Garmston Hyde, Esq., of Worcester,_to Martina eldest daughter of William Quayle, range, Birkenheat risb MANLEY— LlEmpsorr.—On the 15th inst , at Morton L a- A. ,, church, N orfol k, the Rev. Mortim. r . Manley, t h e Esq., of Claugl it° curate of Stoke, Kent, to Lydia, eldest daughter of late John Hempson, Esq , of Ramsey, Essex. Deaths. CARNWA.TII.—On the 14th inst., at her residence, 39, Gi°ll 4 tester-place, Portm an - square, t h e Dowager Countess - ig,Carnwath, aged 88. CODRINGTON.—On th e 13th inst Emma Charlotte, the youngest da ug ht er o f t h e late Admiral Sir E. Codring tol4 aged 49. CUTFIELD.—On the 11th inst., at Deal, Alfred B. Ou tfield' Esq., M.D., aged 47. Ford, FORD —On th e 14th i ns t ., suddenl the Rev. Chas. rector of Postwi c k, N or f o lk , aged 65. IRVING.—On the 13th inst., at Stranraer, Andrew irs'illgs Esq., Lloyds' Agent, agent 1 0. 27, SMITH.—On the 14th inst., Wm. Henry Smith, -D ll4 'l'' Norfolk-crescent, Hyde-park, aged 81. an cao TURNER.—On the 15th i ns t., a t Ri c h mon d, Surrey, Fr Turner. London : Printed and Published by WILLIAM AN - "'".... 112, of No. 112, Strand, P r i n ter, at THE SUN Office..o4°' Strand, in the Precinct of the savoy, in the COW' Micidleees,—Mendah MAY 18, 18" 1 I I 1 I