The Express.
London, England, 1863-07-20 00:00:00

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LONDON, MONDAY, JULY 20.

THE fourth of July will henceforth be as memo-
rable in the minter/ annals of the American Union
as it already is in the political historyof the people.
It will be the anniversary of a double victor/ for
the Federal arms at the moat critical centres of
military activity in tke East and the West. On the
fourth of July Vicksburg surrendered to the Fe-
deral forces under General GRANT, and the morn-
ing of the same day saw the invading army of the
Confederates, under General Las, in full retreat
towards the Potomac. It is certainly a singular
and striking coincidence that on the same day,
and that, too, a day so memorable in American
history, the great Confederate stronghold of the
Mississippi should have fallen, and the great Con-
federate invasion of the North have been abandoned
as a failure.

The anticipation that after the severe repulse
of the 3rd, the Confederate army had little pro-
spect of renewing hostilities with any chance of
success, is justified by the event. General Las
withdrew his forces from the battle-field during
the night, and retreated through Gettysburg,
which was occupied next morning by the Federal
troops. At noon on the 4th General MEADS reports
that he had posseesion of the town, the enemy
having in his flight abandoned large numbers of
killed and wounded. The details we now have
of this decisive engagement sufficiently prove that
it was, as General Mamie described it, " one of
" the severest actions of the war." Muted
twelve hours, from daybreak to five in the after-
noon, and during the whole of that time the Con-
federate forces were engaged in successive as•
mutts of the most obstinate character on different
points of the Federal position. The battle
opened by a vigorous cannonade and
assault on the extreme Federal left,
the enemy striving by a series of rapid
and fierce attacks to pierce or turn it early in
the day. After three hours' fighting, however,
the attempt not only failed, but the Confederate
right was forced back across the whole battle-field
of that morning and the previous day. Daring
this attack on the left a resolute and formidable
attempt was made to flank the Federal r;ght, and
it is clear that the superior position of the Con-
federates gave them every prospect of success in
this direction. Behind the Confederate left rose
a densely wooded and lofty hill, from the summit
of which the Confederate batteries could command
the Federal right and centre on Cemetery-hill. The
great effort of the day was to turn this position,
and at one time it seemed doubtful whether the
effort would not be successful. In the assault
upon it General Hru.'s corps was brought from the
other wing to reinforce General EWILI. The re-
serve Federal artillery brought into pisy
from elevated points behind the Cemetery-hill, and
the vigorous resistance of the 11th corps on the
Federal right, partially checked the Confederate
advance ; but the opportune arrival of two bri-
gades of militia to reinforce the Federal right obliged
the Confederates to retire. They retired, how-
ever, slowly, fighting desperately at every step
until the afternoon, when their attempt to turn
the right was finally abandoned. Within an hour
another and final effort was, however, made. The
Confederate troops were again massed along
the whole Federal line, but by five o'clock
they were driven back at all points, and the
engagement terminated, leaving the field in the
hands of the Federate. The lou, which must
have been heavy on both sides, is roughly estimated
at 50,000-20,000 on the side of the Federate,
and 30,000 on that of the Confederates. The
Federate have also captured en unusurtly large
number of prisoners, with numerous waggon trains,
colours, and arms. General Lu retreated from
Gettysburg by two roads--through Fairfield on
one side, and through Cashtown and Greencastle
on the other—to Hagerstown, where his head-
quarters are said to be. Hagerstown is only a few
miles from William's Port on the Potomac, where
the bridge of boats, by which part of the Confederate
army passed into Maryland, still remains. The
Potomac is, however, so greatly swollen by recent
rains that it is impossible either to ford it or
build pontoon bridges across it. As General
MEADE is marching in pursuit as rapidly as the
state of the roads will permit, another battle
may yet be fought on the north of the Potomac. On
the Bth, General Les was reported to be between
South Mountain and Hagerstown, while General
MEADS'S headquarters were to the west of Frede-
rick City. The two armies were thus only a very
few miles apart, and it was thought not unlikely
that another engagement might be fought on the
Antietam, near the battle-ground of last year.
In any case it seems clear that General Las,
though he still has a large and disciplined force
under his command, is in very serious peril, and
may congratulate himself if he succeeds in carrying
back safely to Virginia even a moiety of his army.
The fall of Vicksburg is, however, a far more
serious blow to the South than the failure of Gene-
ral Les Southern writers and statesmen have from
the first justly considered the possession of this
stronghold and the command of the Miselselppl,
which it secures, as essential not only to the nooses
bat to the very existence of the Confederacy.
Mr. Jeers: mow Davis, the head of the Confederacy,
is the man beet able to judge of its importune,
and we have on record his emphatic testimony
on this bead. In the speech be delivered on
the 20th of lest December to the Legielature
of Mississippi he pointed out that the grand
object of the North was "to get possession
" of the river and thus cut the Confederacy in two,"

and dwelt at greet length on the dial iltspoilance
of defeating the enemy's fetal designs in this disso-
tion. " He considered the defence of the Mississippi
" Valley • neeemity not only to the people of the
"adjacent States, but to the Confederacy itself.
" Visktbarg and Port Hudson are forts which
" must be defended at all hazards, and every
" effort must be strained for this purpose." Thies
are Mr. JEFFZILBON DAVIS'S words, and he is not
given to exaggeration. He virtually staked the
existence of the Confederacy on the permeation of
Vicksburg and Port Hudson. Vicksburg has
fallen, and General Basis, • fortnight ago, was
within twenty yards of the citadel of Port Hudson,
while the navigation of the river to New Orleans
was perfectly free. Under these circumstances the

. -
news brought by this mail, that Mr. JEFFERSON
Davis requested permission to make, through his
representatives, "important communications" to
President Liwoour, is hardly surprising.
Mr. STEPHENS, the Confederate Vice-Pre-
sident, came down the James River under •
flag of truce wishing to proceed to Washington
in a Confederate steamer as the bearer of comm.
nioations in writing from Mr. JEFFERSON DAVIS to
President Lusoor.x. This request was declined
by the Washington government, Mr. STEPHENS
being officially informed that " the cue-
" tomary channels were adequate for military
" communications between the United State forces
" and the insurgents." When President Luroors
solemnly called the people of the North to render
thanks to Heaven on the great anniversary of the
nation's history his summons was neither irrelevant
, nor premature; while all who understand and sym-
I pathise with the higherinterests and issuesof huma-
nity at stake in this great conflict will be disposed
to join with General MEADE in "returning thanks
"to GOD that in the goodness of His providence He
" has thought fit to give the victory to the caws
" of the just."

be Court.

OSBORNE, JOLT 18.

Prince Arthur arrived at Osborne on Thursday,
atteeded by Major Elphinstone, and left again yesterday on
a tour.
The Hon. Beetrioe Byng has left Osborne.

JUL: 19.

The Queen, Princess Helena, and Princre Louise at-
tended Divine service at Osborne this morning. The Rev.
G. Prothro officiated.

The Ladies and ()optimum in Waiting were also present.
Tbe Dowager Countess of Yount Edgcumbe bas arrived as
Lady is Waiting.

A Cabinet Council was held on Saturday at the
official residence of the First Lord of the Treassuy,
in Downing-street. The ministers present were
Viscount Palmerston, the Lord Chancellor, Earl
Granville, the Duke of Argyll, Sir George Grej,
Earl Russell, the Duke of Newcastle, Earl de Grey,
Sir Charles Wood, the Chancellor of the li.
c the Duke of Somerset, the Right Hon.
T. Milner Gibson, the Right Ron. Edward Card-
well, Lord Stanley of A lderley, and the Right
Hon. C. P. Villiers.

The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council eat ea
Saturday. An appeal from the Consular Court, Turkey,
" The Laconia' (part bard), was rammed. The Lords
present were Lord Kingedown, Dr. Lnaltington, and Sir E.
Ryan.

Despatches were received on Saturday at the ColowL
aloe from the Lord High Conninsaioner of the lonian
Wands. Despatches were sent to the Governors of Canada,
Gi!author, Malta, the Mauritius, Ceylon, Hong Kong, Ie
bun, and the Australis& Oalosies.