The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-29 00:00:00

AMERICA.

SOUTHAMPTON, SEPT. 28.
The Hamburg and American Company's steamer

Germania, from New York on the 17th inst., has
arrived here. She brings 144 passengers for this
port, Hamburg, and Havre, 33 sacks of mails for
London, and 10 for France. She does not bring
any specie. Her news has been anticipated by the
Belgian and City of Washington.
No events of importance are reported from the
Army of the Potomac. Some heavy artillery firing
had occurred in front of the 9th Corps, but the re-
sults were unimportant. Reinforcements were

arriving at City Point in large squads, and although
many regiments were leaving (their terms of service
having expired) the strength of the army was being
materially increased. Deserters report that the
Confederates were making great exertions to in-
crease the force under Lee; reinforcements were
coming in from several quarters, and a rigid con-
scription was beingenforced, Although the reports
that Lee is about to make a general assault on
Grant's position are hardly sustained by recent de-
velopments, it nevertheless is generally admitted
that the opposing hosts are being prepared for a
terrible struggle, which cannot be long deferred,
and which it is believed will prove the decisive
battle of the war. General Grant is said to have
passed through Baltimore en route for "Washington

yesterday.
The Richmond Examiner thinks that the Federal
authorities will make a tremendous effort to secure

a military success in Virginia before the presidents
tial election in November.
No change has occurred in the military situation
in the Shenandoah Valley since the Bth inst. Early
still holds a strongly entrenched position at Win.
cheater, though it is believed that a portion of his
army has been sent to Lee. Averill, with a large
force of Federal cavalry, has reoccupied Martins-
burg.

On the morning of the 7th inst. General Sheridan
sent Getty's division of the 6th Corps and two brim
gades of cavalry to Opequan Creek to develop
Early's strength. Four Confederate divisions were
discovered on the west bank of the creek, and
another division (Renshaw's), holding a detached
position, was charged upon by the Federal cavalry,
and the Bth South Carolina Regiment, numbering
16 officers and 145 men, was captured. The pais
Boners were found to be well clothed and equipped.
They represent Early's commissariat to be in
excellent condition. The object of the reconnais-
sance having been accomplished, the Federal forces
returned to the main army, having sustained but
slight loss.
southern journals furnish the latest intelligence
received by the public from the seat of war in
Georgia. General Hood announces that Wheeler
had destroyed the bridges on the Nashville and
Chattanooga Railway and 50 miles of the Tennessee
and Alabama road. He also claims that Wheeler
has been successful in every engagement, and that
his force had not been routed, as was reported, by
Rosseau, The Confederate pickets extended six
miles north of Jonesboro' on the 10th inst,
The railroad between Jonesboro, and East Point
had been thoroughly destroyed by the Federals.
Hood's troops are reported to be in good spirits, and
to be in daily expectation of the arrival of rein.
forcements, under Polignac, from Kirby Smith.
General Sherman had issued an order requiring
all white citizens of Atlanta, male and female, to
leave the city and proceed with their movable pro-
perty North or South. To those taking the oath
of allegiance, transportation would be furnished as
far North as Chattanooga, and to those refusing
the oath transportation South would be furnished
as far as Rough and Ready.
Sherman sent a fig of truce to Hood communi-
cating this order, and requesting an armistice of ten
days to enable the citizens wishing to go South to
do so in safety. General Hood assented to the ar-
mistice, but denounced the measure as barbarous.
In a letter to General Sherman, on the 9kb, he

says :
"Permit me to say that the unprecedented measure you
propose transcends in studied and iniquitous cruelty all acts
ever brought to my attention in the dark history of this
war. In the name of God and of humanity, I protest against
it, believing that you are expelling from their homes and
firesides the wives and children of a brave people."
General Hood writes to Major Calhoun of Macon
—" I shall do all in my power to mitigate the ter-
rible hardships and misery that must be brought
upon yeti!' peop!e by the extraordinary order of the
Federal commander." General Shermaa's letter to
Hood has not been published.
The Richmond journals denounce Sherman in
very severe terms. The Sentinel calls him " the
chief among savages and the foremost villain of the
world."

Richmond papers report a heavy b.)mbardment
of Charleston and Fort Sumter on the 11th, but no
casualties.

Six hundred Federal prisoners were quartered
in that part of the city most visittd by the Federal
shells ; and General Foster, in retaliation, had
placed a like number of Confederates under the
Confederate fire on Morris Island.
Confederate accounts claim that Morgan's force
was not routed, as was reported by General Gillem,
and that they were not even engaged, General
Morgan having been surprised while away from his
command. Colonel Basil Duke is appointed Mor-
gan's successor.
General Smith had ordered all negroes in his
department to be enrolled for such service in the
aimy as the Confederate Congress authorises.
It is reported that four of Farragut's vessels have
succeeded in getting over the obstructions on the
Dog River Bar, and reaching a position from
whence they can throw shell into the city of
Mobile. The Confederates still had in front of the
city three ironclad rams—the Tuscaloosa, the Ala-
bama, and the National—besides one gunboat, the
Morgan. These vessels make no demonstration,
but are known to be fully manned. Granger's po-
sition at Cedar Point has been strongly entrenched,
and will be held as a base for future operations
against the city, although it is believed that no
attack will be made at present. It is even inti-
mated that Farragut is about to withdraw his
fleet to participate in a meditated attack upon Wil-
mington, N.C. Gen. Richard Taylor had assumed
command of the Confederate forces in Alabama.
Louisiana advices report Shelley with a largo force
advancing into South-eastern Missouri, and that
the Federal forces under Gen. A. J. Smith had been
sent to oppose him. Price (recently killed by the
newspapers) is advancing into Western Missouri to
attack Springfield, with 5,000 cavalry. Kirby
Smith has assigned Magruder to the command of
Arkansas, Buckner to Louisiana, and Walker. to
Texas and Arizona.
Secretary Stanton has ordered the draft to take
place in all districts whose quotas remain unfilled
on the 19th of September. He also transmits
copies of letters received from Generals Grant and
Sherman in favour of an immediate enforcement of
the conscription. Gen. Grant's letter states that
the Confederates profess to believe that there is a
party in the North in favour of recognising South-
ern independence, and that the draft cannot be
enforced. Gen. Grant writes that in this they must
be undeceived. His letter concludes—" The en.
forcement of the draft and the prompt filling up
of our armies will save bloodshed to an immense
degree." Sherman's letter expresses satisfaction
that the draft is to be enforced, because the men are
needed, and because—" The enforcement of the law
will manifest a resident power in the Government,
villeb, though a democracy, should in times of
trouble and danger be able to
wield the power of a
great nation."
Secretary Seward, in an address to the " Lincoln
Association of 'Washington," recently said;.--" The
Demotracy'e.t, Chicago,warf after waiting six weeks to
see whether the
fail, finally couel udear the Union is to succeed or
therefore they went in that it would fail; and
form to make the fact afs r a nomination and plat-
ure thing
a cessation of
hostilities and an abandonment of by the contest."

LivEr.pooL, Sept. 28.
The Canadian steamer Belgian arrived here this
morning, with Canadian journals of the 17th, and
American of the 16th inet,
A synopsis of her news, received vi- Greencastle,

has already been published, but we append addi-
tional details.

The ex-Confederate cruiser Georgia, which was
captured by the Federal steamer Niagara off Lis-
bon, had put into Fort Monroe harbour somewhat
disabled.

The nomination of Governor Seymour, of New
York, for re-election was made by acclamation,
notwithstanding that it was understood the
governor did not wish to stand again.
The following are the latest despatches from
Grant's army :
Headquarters, Army of the Potomac, Sept. 13.
Picket and artillery firing has been kept up very brisk
since Saturday, the fire of the rebels not seeming to have
cooled yet. Yesterday a large mortar threw a number Of
shells into Petersburg. Deserters report that Lee announced
on Saturday that he would give the Yankees 14 days to get
away. They represent that they have been living on short
rations of poor quality.

The New York World's special correspondent,
dating from Grant's headquarters on the 15th,
says :

Thers is every reason to believe that the rebels have in
contemplation and are already preparing for the evacuation
of Petersburg, and retiring their armies within the defences
of Richmond. This may account for the protracted quiet
in our front since their failure to regain the position of the
Weldon Railway recently captured by us, There has been
considerable firing along a portion of the line to-day, but
without resalts of any moment on either side. The wea-
ther is uncomfortably cool, There is a large number of
ague and fever patients in the hospitals, but the disease
yields readily to medical treatment.

Intelligence from Fort Monroe of the 15th says
that the Federal batteries opened on the enemy on
Wednesday, and there has been heavy firing all day
to silence the fire of the rebels, who have been fur
some days annoying the Federal lines, particularly
on the left.

A Federal captain, who left Libly Prison, Rich.
mond, Sept. 12, informs the Washington correspon..
dent of the New York limes that there are 230
Federal.officers imprisoned in Richmond, and 4,500
men. The officers are in Libly and the men all at
Belle Isle.

The New York Herald's correspondent with
Grant's army says that a party stole out a few
nights since, and set fire to the signal station cap-
tured from the Federals recently, and it was burnt
to the ground. It is not worth fighting for, and
is now out of the way of contention.
The divisions of the 9th Corps have been renum-
bered. The 3i, commanded by Gen. Wilcox, is now
the let; the 2d, commanded by Gen. Potter, re-
tains its number; the 4th, composed entirely of
coloured troops, and commanded by Gen. Terreo,
will in future be known as the 3d.

The Washington correspondent of the New York
Commercial Advertiser telegraphs as follows on the
16th inst. :

No army news has been received by the Government to-
day, and rumours to the contrary are false. The statement
that Farragut's fleet has approached Mobile in line of battle
is not believed at the Navy Department, He does not in-
tend to attack Mobile. Secretary Welles does not approve
of the policy of capturing Mobile for the present, the forces
being needed elsewhere.
The Richmond Sentinel of the 12th has the fol-
lowing ;--•
MACON, Sept. 9.—The prisoners captured yesterday say
that Sherman will reinforce Grant to take Richmond and
finish the rebellion. They state that part of his army will
go out of service this month. The enemy are closely massed
about Atlanta. There is not the slightest prospect of an
early resumption of hostilities.
The Sentinel of the same date has an article on
Sherman's depopulation of Atlanta, calling it an
event unparalleled in the American war, and with-
out an example in modern times. " Sherman," it
says, " has given the war a new feature. Stern as
it has been, it is henceforth to be more stern ; and,
terrible as it has been, it is henceforth to be more
so. The people are ready, if the President wants us,
Let him call for us—no matter about age. Now, if
this be the kind of warfare we dare to resist, we
will strip to fight; better for halting age or lisping
inncc:nee to die in defence of their homes than to
be driven out in herds to languish in exile. The
last man and the last boy among us must take his
musket sooner than endure such outrages as at
Atlanta."

General Foster had ordered a draft of all able-
bodied coloured citizens in bib department in North
Carolina.

The election i❑ Louisiana had gone favourably
for the Union ticket.

The blockade runner Elsie had been captured by
the steamer Keystone State, and sent into Bean-
fort. The prize steamer Vance had arrived at New
York.

The New York papers of the 15:h contain the
following official despatches of General Grant and
General Sherman in respect to the draft :

City Point, Sept. 13, 10 a.m.
llon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War.
We ought to have the whole number of men called for
by the President in the shortest possible time. Prompt
action in filling our armies will have more effect upon the
enemy than a victory over them. They profess to believe,
and make their men believe, there is such a party North in
favour of recognising Southern independence that the draft
cannot be enforced. Let them be undeceived. Deserters
come into our lines daily, who tell us that the men are
nearly universally tired of the war, and that desertion
would be much more frequent but they believe peace win
be negotiated after the fall election. The enforcement of
the draft and prompt filling up of our armies will save the
shedding of blood to an immense degree.
U. S. GRSNT, Lieutenant-General.
Atlanta, Georgia, Sept, 13.
llon. E. M. Stanton,—l am very glad to hear the draft
will be enforced. First, we need the men ; second, they
come as privates to fill up our eld and tried regiments with
their experienced officers already on hand ; and, third,
because the enforcement of the law will manifest a power
resident in our Government equal to the occasion. Our
Government, though a democracy, should in time of trouble
and danger be able to wield the power of a great nation.
All well. W. P. SHER3IAN, Major-General.
The following has been issued by Mr. Stanton :

The draft is ordered to commence in all the States and
districts where the quota is not filled by volunteers onMon-
day, the 13th, and will go on till completed. Volunteers
and substitutes will be received and credited to as late a
period as possible. Volunteering is still progressing with
vigour in most of the States. No reports of active opera-
tions have been received from other commands.

EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War.

The following is a summary of Sherman's letter
to Hood in respect to the evacuation of Atlanta:—
All citizens aro required to leave Atlanta, and proceed
either South or North. The Government will furnish trans-

portation south as far as Rough and Ready, and north as
far as Chattanooga. All citizens may take moveable pro-

perty with them ; transportation will be furnished for all

moveables. Negroes whoa ish may go with their masters ;
the other male negroes will co put in the employ of the
United States G3vernment. Negro women and children
will be sent out of the lines.

The cotton crops are said to be almost a failure
in Louisiana from the ravages of the worm, which
has made its appearance as high up as Vicksburg.
It is reported that a plan has been submitted to
the President and Secretary of War for establishing
two camps of instruction for coloured soldie!s,
who shall be duly instructed by experienced and
competent officers before being put into the field,
This proposition meets with much favour from both
regular and volunteer army officers, as it is thought
by thus collecting this force a reserve could always
be depended upon for garrison and other duties.
The Richmond journals contain reports of a
very destructive fire in Manchester, Virginia.
Gilmore's large warehouse was burnt with 1,370
hhds. of tobacco, belonging to Jelin Gilmore and
Co., and 234 hhds. belonging to the Confederate
States. The Messrs. Grey's warehouse was also
destroyed, with other valuable property. Total loss,
4,100,000 doll.
The Steamer Sacrament sailed from San Fran-
cisco for Panama on the 13th with 825,324 dole.
in gold.