The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-17 00:00:00

They say that the affair ought to have been a suc-
cess if rightly managed. The assault, which was
intended to have been a surprise, though only par-
tially successful in that respect, would have been
successfully executed but for the blundering of
somebody. The worst troops in the army led the
line of assault—troops who heretofore had acted
badly on various occasions. Our dead and wounded
yesterday morning at 10 o'clock had not been re-
moved. They were lying festering in the sun
within less than 300 yards in advance cf our lines.
General Grant met the President yesterday morn-
ing at the mouth of James River, having come down
for that purpose. They had a conference on board
the steamer."

A party of Confederate raiders are said to have
set fire to the town of Chambersburg. A despatch
from Harrisburg of the 31st of July gives the par-
ticulars thus :
" General M'Causland was in command of the
rebel troops when they burnt Chambersburg. He
is a desperate, ferocious, and untamed freebooter,
ready at any time to violate the usages of honour-
able warfare, in order to gratify his dark and malig-
nant passions. After ho had taken formal posses-
session of the town he made proclamation demanding
100,000 dols. in gold. It was, of course, impossible
to comply with such a demand, made no doubt in
full confidence of its failure, and sure of its afford-
ing a pretext to execute the premeditated plan for
destroying Chambersbarg. The fact that the most
valuable portion of the merchandise had been ree
moved previously added to the rage and disappoint-
ment of the rebels, and when they were thus inspired
were ordered to fire the Court-house, Town-hall,and
Bank buildings. A strong breeze communicated
the flames to the surrounding buildings. Parties
of soldiers, having sacked the several drug and
chemical stores, manufactured turpentine balls,
which they threw in all directions, creating as
many different flames in different localities, which
soon united in one general conflagration. Speedily
the scene became heartrending and appalling. The
cracking and rooring of the flames as they leapt
from house to house, the shrieks of terrified women,
panic-stricken and suffering children, and the pitia
ful appeals of the old and helpless formed an index
scribable scene of horror. The citizens, without
protest, had submitted to plunder, and had even
appealed to the mercy of the rebel, but nothing could
appease the butcher and incendiary M'Causland.
Two hundred and sixty five of the most valuable
and elegant public and private buildings were de-
stroyed. The town was fired at about 1 o'clock in
the forenoon. The rebels remained just long enough
to see the flames spread and got under proper head-
way when the alum was given that Averill was
approaching the town. instantly every freebooter
was in his saddle and hurriedly took to the St.
Thomas-road, with Averill in pursuit. No intelli-
gence has reached Harrisburg concerning the direct
effect of Averill's attack. It is believed, however,
that he succeeded in punishing M'Causland very
severely. A train heavily laden with commissary
stores was despatched from this city this morning to
Chambersburg to relieve the present wants of the
houseless women and children of that town, who now
crowded the surrounding fields and woods. Many
residences of prominent citizens in the outskirts of
the town were burnt, that of Colonel M'Clure among
others, with his stables and outhouse. Among other
valuable property burnt were Lockhart and Howe's
mills, Washabaugh's brewery, Ludwig's brewery,
and many others. Ou Main-street the fire was
started at Benjamin Chambers's residence on the
west side of the street. The following residences
were burnt G. Reed, George Chambers, Allen
Smith's property, John Schofield, Matthew Welsh,
estate of Joseph Eyster, and the Female Seminary,
Damick's drug store, James Watson's mansion and
store, W. Getwick'e, John Nagle, the Franklin-
house, the Chambersburg Bank, Gilmore's corner,
Naylor's store and tin store, Spangler's drug store,
Dr. Richard's office and dwelling, Burkhart and
Hench'e store and dwelling, the Post•ofiice, Auchen-
burgh's jewelry store, Mrs. Bishop's establishment,
the residence of J. George Wolfe, Dr. Hamilton's
office, Judge Black's store, Jacob Hutton, J. M'Clin.
took, Lewis Shoemaker, Simon Greenwell, the en-
tire property of the Riser estate, and the two pro-
perties of J. A. Gyster. The fire then skipped the
residence of Dr. Fisher and two other dwellings.
From Lubrick's up to the next corner every building
is burnt."
The _Richmond Examiner of the 20th and 30th of
July contains details copied from Georgia papers
of a battle in front of Atlanta to show that the
Confederates claim it as a decisive and complete
victory; that they captured artillery, prisoners,
and colours, and drove Sherman over a mile. Peo-
ple, however, were leaving Atlanta, as Sherman's
shell were dropping freely in the city. The Macon
Telegraph says that the Federal raid on the Mont-
gomery and Atlanta Railroad was thorough work,
having torn ep and burnt 25 miles of track. All
public stores and buildings, mills, Sec., were de•
grayed on the line of the raid, and all negroes and
stock wore driven off. The Montgomery and West
Point Railroad is destroyed for 30 miles. The
Augusta Chronicle says raiders had captured Talla.'
dega, and were but 25 miles from Montgomery,
with no serious obstacles in their way to that city.
Four thousand citizen soldiers had gathered at Co-
lumbus, Georgia, to prevent a raid on that place.

The Alleged Robbery of Royal Marine
Clothing.

At the Woolwich Police-court yesterday, John Clarke, a
pensioner from the Royal Marines, residing at 3, Elgin.
terrace, Woolwich, was placed at the bar before Mr Maude,
charged with the illegal possession of 17 pairs of unmanu-
factured trousers, 13 flannel shirts, two pieces of white cloth,
three pieces of calico, two pieces of holland. and numerous
other articles, supposed to have been stolen from the work-
shops of the Royal Marine Barracks, where the prisoner
was formerly employed as a tailor.

The case excited unusual interest in consequence of the
recent disclosures of fraud at the Royal Artillery Clothing
Stores, and a large number of the military and Royal
Marines were present.
Police constable Ling, a detective officer of the R divi-
sion, stated that in consequence of receiving information
that a large amount of Royal Marine clothing was in the
prisoner's possession he proceeded on the previous night to
his residence at Elgin-terrace, and there found the property
produced. Sever al brushes and other articles were branded
with the broad arrow, and as the prisoner failed to give a
'satisfactory account of their possession witness took him
into custody and removed the property in a cart to the
'Mice dation.

John Watling, R.M., stated he was master tailor at the
Royal Marine Clothing Stores, and the prisoner, who had
been pensioned from the Royal Marines about five months,
was formerly employed under him as foreman. He believed
that the property produced came from the stores. Was
certain that the white cloth did, and also the black coat pro-
duced, which was made of the white cloth and had been
dyed.
The Prisoner—l wish to say that Mr Watling gave me
the white cloth and the calico produced some years ago.
Witness—Well, I might have done so.
Mr Maude—Then do you mean to say that you have any
right to dispose of such property ?
Witness—l have a certain quantity of materials served
out to me, out of which I am expected to produce a certain
number of articles, and, having done that, if any material
remains I consider it belongs to me. Since the prisoner has
left the Royal Marines I have given him out work occa-
sionally.
Mr Maude—ls any other officers connected with the
corps present ?
Lieut. and Quartermaster Melville Silver, Royal Ma-
rines, stated that he was not present officially, but merely
attended to hear the case.

Mr Maude—l think we must have your evidence.
Lieut. Silver was then sworn, and stated that the cloth-
ing department of the Woolwich division of the Royal Ma-
rines was under his charge. He issued a certain quantity
of cloth and other materials monthly, out of which he ex-
pected to have returned a certain number of articles of
clothing. The Government was pretty liberal, they all
knew that, and he had no doubt that the master tailor
might have a considerable quantity of materials left after he
had supplied the articles. At all events the master tailor
geve satisfaction to witness, and he believed also to the
Government. Wide regard to the shirts produced, witness
must observe that the proceeding was irregular, as the shirts
ought not to have come out of the master-tailor's shop, but
out of the stores. The large quantity of articles now pro-
duced could not have been carried out of the barracks at ono
time, as they would have been stopped by the military
police. They must have been taken out at different times.
Mr Maude—Well, we will not call them perquisites; but
can you say that these articles have been stolen from the
barracks ?
Witness—l have no doubt they came from the stores ;
but th© master tailor has from time to time an overplus,
which of course accumulates.
Mr Maude—l think this is a case which requires more