The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-23 00:00:00

AMERICA.

Our advices from New York are to the 10th inst.
According to Richmond papers of the 7th, Sherman
had rest, d his army four days in thevicinity of Louis-
ville, 30 miles north of Millen, which is 80 miles
north of Savannah. The region where Sherwin
stopped is one of the richest in Georgia. Richmond,
Glasscock, and Jefferson counties abound in provi-
sions and forage, and the Richmond papers say that
Sherman was busily engaged in gathering a full
supply. On the 2d inst. he had passed Millen, and
at the rate he had been moving he would be before
Savannah by the Ur or sooner. From the tone of
the Confederate reports it is thought they have no
positive faith in their ability to hold the city against
Sherman's army.
The following are the latest accounts of Sherman's
progress, as furnished by the Confederate press

(From the Richmond Enquirer, Dec. 7.)

The military situation is culminating—is become
ing intensely, and to this part of the Confederacy
vitally, interesting. The advance of Sherman's army
since he crossed the Oconee bas been slow and
cautious, his intention evidently being to mystify
our military authorities, but the delay and slow
movement has been to gather in supplies of forage,
contracted as his territory is becoming from the
movements of Wheeler's cavalry. Sherman has not
for a moment hesitated, in our humble judgment, as
to the point to be attacked, or the road to take. If
our readers will take the map, and notice the posi-
tions, they will find it very interest. From Fen's
Bridge, on the main branch of the Ogoechee River,
where Sherman crossed to Louisville, where the
main body of his army is now supposed to rest, is
15 miles; and from Louisville to Millen it is 30
miles. Now we make up this campaign for him
as the most reasonable, the moat feasible if he hopes
to accomplish anything, and the most natural
one. When his forage and provision trains are
full, he will mass his entire force at Millen, throwing
his cavalry to the rear. With his waggon-train
between the wings of his army, he will move
in compact columns, steadily but cautiously, on the
city of Savannah, with no fear of an attack on either
fl lank, The Ogeecbee and its few crossings and
terrible swamps on its right,and the Savannah and
its equally swampy banks on its left, both flanks
will be most securely covered, a grand desideratum
in army movements. And thus situated he has a
march of something over 80 mites to Savannah.
Sherman left Atlanta on the 12th of November and
reaching Millen on the 2d of December, he has tra-
v3lled 165 miles in 20 days—an average of eight
miles per day. Travelling at the same rate, he
would reach Savannah on the 9th inst., or if he goes
to Darien, may be expected there about the 15th,
provided he meets with no delays by the way.

(From the Richmond Exeeminer, Dec. 7.)
The military drama in Georgia is drawing rapidly
to its denouement. General Sherman is at last ap-
proaching the coast, whither he has been travelling
23 days. Whether he will complete the journey or
not depends very much upon certain events which
will occur this week. There are troops in his front
who will resolutely dispute his further advance to-
ward Savannah or Darien, after he passes a certain
point. It is reported that his advance was ekir■
mishing yesterday with our outposts. We do not
know what Sherman will do when he finds a for-
midable force in his front, but we are disposed to
believe that he will discard strategy and attempt to
break through the lines of his opposers. Let him
do what he will, he will certainly feel that never
was general in a more critical situation.
(From the Richmond Whig, Dec. 7.)

The Augusta Clonseit,uicona/ist of the 3d inst. says

that just before going to press it WAS informed that
the enemy's main body bad passed Millen, en rouse
for the coast or destruction. In a previous para.
graph it says—" Sherman, from all reliable sources,
seems to have halted recently in order to grind
corn. As ho tended towards the barren countries
of the south it became necessary to make the pro-
per provision. His foraging pries are constantly
driven in by our cavalry. and compelled to hug the
main body. His forage is reported to be short."
The Neu; York Times of the 10th thus comments
on the news of Sherman's advance :
" We have news of Sherman's army from Rich-
mond pipers of as late a date as Wednesday. It
confirms the accounts we hell yesterday of the
march of Sherfnan towards Savannah, along the
narrow strip of country that lies between the Ogee-
chee and Savannah rivers. The formation of this
stretch of laud is peculiar—there being ei:tensi e

PRICE ...... ...4d
STAMPED ....sd.

and continuous marshes along the banks of both
rivers, with an elevated ridge of land running about
• quidistant between them. Thus, while our troops
march along the ridge, both their flanks are pro-
tected by the mc:rshes. It wa given out, last Satur-
lay, that Lieut.-Gen. Grant calctitated Sherman
mould reach the seaboard by that day, and now the
Richmond editors calculate that he will reach SA.
vannah to-day. °ranee calculation was not far from
Accurate, or at least would not have been, hi.d Sher-
man marched without stoppage, but it seems by
rebel accounts that he halted his army for four days
at Louisville, a little place about 110 miles from the
seaboard, in order to gather in such forage and sup-
plies as he required. The rebels still proclaim he
will have a fight before he gets to Savannah. We
suppose it likely that when they found he had
passed by Augusta without assailing it, they re-
moved the troops which had been hastily gathered
there under General Bragg, Wade, Hampton, and
the local militia generals, and hastened them for-
ward by the railroad to Charleston and thence to
Savannah, to confront Sherman. Besides the offi-
cers we have mentioned, there are at Savannah
Messrs Hardee, Dick Taylor, and Gustavus W.
Smith. It is not unlikely that the troops under
Cobb, whom Sherman found at Macon, have been
running a race to reach Savannah borore our forces.
They could take railroad from Macon es far as
Loyola, and thence march to the Southern Georgia
road, which would carry them to Savannah. In the
meantime we have not heard a word lately of Beau-
regard, who announced to the people of Georgia, 22
days-age, (hut he was hastening to -their -relief. We
should think that with Beauregard, Cobb, Bragg,
Hardee, Smith, Taylor, Hampton, Wayne, Wheeler,
and the score of other great Confederate generals
who are gathered together to stop Sherman's march,
they would make some strenuous cfforte to prevent
his getting into Savannah. We hope they will
soon let us know what success they meet with.
The Het ald of the 9:la says :
By the arrival here yesterday of the Government steam-
transport Trade Wind, from Hilton Head, S. C., on the sth
inst., we are furnished by our correspondents with full and
interesting details of the battle of Honey Hill, S. C., three
miles from Grahamsville, on the Charleston and Savannah
Railroad, on the 30th ult., b2tween some of Gen. Foster'a
troops and a rebel force under Gen. Gustavus Smith. We
have already given some rebel newspaper accounts of this
engagement. Our own despatches show it to have been a
stubbornly contested aff dr. The Union force left Hilton
Head early on the morning of the 29th ult., on transp rts,
and proceeded up Broad River to Boyd's Point, where
they were landed. A naval force ace mpanied them, and
both Admiral Dahlgren and Gen. Foster were with the ex-
pedition. After landing the troops were pushed out for
several miles in various directions, driving the enemy be-
fore them at every point. The day was thus consumed in
reconnoitring and skirmishing. Early on the morning of
the 30th they were at;a:ked by a body of rebels who moved
out from their earthworks at Honey Hill. These were im-
mediately driven in, and determined and severe fighting
commenced between our men on the open ground and the
enemy in his intrenchments, and lasted for several hours.
Three gallant charges were made on the rebel works by
the Union soldiers, but finding them too strong to be easily
taken, and not of sufficient importance to compensate for
the losses which their capture would involve, Gen. Foster
withdrew his command to a strong and important posi-
tion on the Savannah-road, where his troops remained
during that night and the following day. No accounts of
his later movements have reached us.

The New York. Herald of the 10th gives the fol•
lowing as the latest news from the army of the
Potomac:—

A despatch from City Point, James River, states that the
second and fifth corps, ar my of the Potomac, were massed
in the vicinity of the Jerusalem plank road on last Tuesday
night, and on the next morning commenced their march
towards Stony Creek station, on the Weldon Railroad. The
detachment of these corps from the main army is front of
Petersburg does not materially weaken it, as it has lately
been considerably reinforced. Our despatches give an ac-
count of an important acquisition of ground made by a small
detachment of our troops on Wednesday last. The enemy's
continual firing on the working parties in the Dutch Gap
canal interfering considerably with its completion, portions
of three regiments of coloured in'antry and a section cf Mar-
tin's Fifth regular artillery, under the direction of, General
B. C. Ludlow, were crossed over from the south side of
James River to the north side, under the protection of the
Union cannons in that vicinity; drove back the rebels, and
effected a lodgment at the upper terminus of the canal, iithere
they intrenched themselves, thus securing the labourers in
that important military work from further molestation. The
enemy's batteries subsequently opened on General Ludlow's
position, but did not do any harm. A number of new as-
signments of general officers have been made in the army of
the James. An order has been issued directing the discon•
tinuence of the practice on the part of commissioned officers
of borrowing money from privates, under the penalty of dis-
missal from the service. Some brevet promotions of gene-
ral officers in the army of the Potomac have recently been
made. The Richmond people are disappointed by Grant
not having made a grand attack on the rebel lines on the
6th inst. That was the day they had fixed upon far it
The Richmond papers soya that the sixth and eighth corps,
from the Shenandoah Valley, have recently reinforced the
armies before the rebel capital.

The following is the order above referred to :
HeadquarterF,Department of Virginia and North Carolina,
Army of the James, in the Field, Va., Dec. 5, 1864.

It has come to the knowledge of the commanding general,
by frequent complaints of private so.diers, that officers
borrow money of the enlisted men of their commands. N.,
practice could be more demoralising to both officer and men•
Enlisted men do not feel themselves at liberty to refuse to
lend to their officers. Men, if they loan money to their offi-
cers, expect favours in return—and there is an end to dis •
cipline and an incentive to favouritism. Officers borrowing
money of their men do not regulate their expenditure within
their income, and find themselves enable to repay it.- This
practice must be stopped. Hereafter it will be held cause to
recommend for dismissal any officer who shall borrow money
or incur debt to an enlisted man. After the next payment,
any officer who shall be indebted to an enlisted man, and
has not paid him, will be recommended for dismissal, upon
complaint of his creditor. This order will be read in the
presence of every company in the command, at two separate
parades.—By command of

Major-General BUTLER.
ED. W. SMITH, Assistant Adjutant-General.
Official—lSßAEL R. SEALY, Assistant Adjt.-General.

'The rumours a few days ago (says the Herald
of the 10th) that Hood end Fut rest had crossed their
forces to the north side of the Cumberland River
seem to have had nJ foundation whatever. Equally
groundless are all the stories about Union disasters
on that stream. Up to yes`erday there had been
no material change in the positions of the two op-
posing armies before Nashville. There has been
considerabe skirmishing between the Fourth corps
under General Wood, and the enemy, resulting in
but few casualties on our side, the rebels being
driven back. One of the Union batteries fired on
the rebels for some time on Thursday morning with-
out being replied to. The rebels have made no de-
monstration on the Cumberland River below Clarks-
ville, 150 miles above its mouth, From there to
Nashville, 59 miles further up, our transports have
to be convoyed by gunboats, as there are seve-
ral rebel batteries along the banks be.
tween those two places. Yesterday our gun-
boats went down from Nashville, :attacked
one of these batteries, silenced it, and
drove the rebels away. A rebel brigade has gone
from in front of Nashville in the direction of Mur.-
freesboro', but whether for the purpose of attacking
that town is not known. Oh Thursday afternoon
the guerilla leader Gentry took possession of La-
grange, Tennessee."
In the Lower House of the South Carolina Le-
gislature, on the 28th ult., Mr Trescott introduced
the following resolutions respecting the employ
ment of uegroes, which were ordered for considera-
tion and were ordered to be printed--
Resolved, that it is the duty, as it has been the effort of
the State of South Carolina to contribute to tho utmost of
its ability in urn), money, and material, for the prosecution
of a war in which its safety, independence, and its honour
are all involved. Resolved, that if, in the
the opinion of thoseol
authorised and competent to decide, employment
slaves in the army for special service, as teamsters,
will contribute to the military efficiency of the Confederate
forces, the State will cheerfully and :promptly furnish the
quota which may be required--provided that ill the dis-
charge of such service the servile status of the negro be
maintained. Resolved, that this State cannot consent to
the proposition by which slaves so employed shall be pun.
chased and declared free by the Confederate Government
upon the expiration of their term of service, because the
creation of such a class would invelve the most delicate end
dangerous questions as to rae rights of the general govern-

PAppl

ment on subjects belonging to Mk( 'ol.644l.iiktiOntrar Mal
individual States—because the ptoP.l! traOtAka'ailiany
highest hope and reward which call be PPW:ti)**Yele
in itself a declaration that slavery it -En
rfc.re-midition,
from which he has the capacity and ought to hae tWesire
to escape—because such a policy is opposed to the steady
and consistent domestic legislation of this State for nearly
half a century, and because such a plan, if otherwise unob-
jectionable, confers its privileges unequally and unjustly.
In the Confederate Senate, on the 6th inst., Mr
Henry, of Kentucky, from the military committee
to whom was referred the house concurrent recce
lotion proposing a joint committee of the two
houses respecting the exemption of state clams
from military service, reported the following prr.
amble and joint res-o!utitis as a substitute there-
for :--

Whereas the public exig ncy r, quires the services iu a. 4
field of all able-bodied men in the Ccnfederate States I,e_
tweeu the ages of 18 and 45; be it thetefore resolved by the
Congtess of the Confederate States of America, that, the
governors of the legislatures of all the States of this Con-
federacy be respectfully requested to institute an examina-
tion of the lists of all persons exempted by the laws of their
respective States or by the certificates of their governors,
under the provisions of an act entitled "an act to organise
forces to serve during the war," approved Feb. 17, 1861„
from military services in the army of the Confederate States
and that they turn over all able-bodied perscns between
tha ages of 18 and 45 years to the military authorities of the
Confederate States, so far as the same can be done con-
sistently with the due administration of the laws of thu
States.

Mr Barnwell still thought that the States had better
be let alone on this subject. The necessity now pressing
upon them a culd suggest to them the proper measures to
be taken.

Mr Graham thought the measure as altered by the cote-
mittee. had been relieved of its offensive feature, but at the
same time was still of opinion that the subject had better
be left with the States. That the governors of the States
had recommended the subject to the attention of the
legislatures was an additional reason why Congress should
let it alone.

The neolution was rejected, the vote, on division, being
yeas, 6, nays 7.

The following is the reply of Mr Seward to th©
request of Lord Wharncliffe, made through Mr
Adams, that the £l7,oooyrodneed by the Liverpool
itt nar should be distribitedamong the Confederate
prisoners in the North :
Department of State, Washington, Dec. 5.
Sir,—l have received your despatch of the 18th Novem..
ber, No. 807, together with the papers therein mentioned,
viz., a copy of a letter which was addressed to you on the
12th November last by Lord Wharncliffe, and a copy of
your answer to that letter. You will now inform Lord
Wharncliffe that permission for an agent of the committee
described by him to visit the insurgents detained in the
military prisons of the Uaited States, and to distribute
among them £17,000 of British gold, is disallowed. Here
it is expected that your correspondence with Lord Whatn•
cliffs will end. That correspondence will necessarily be..
come public. On reading it the American public will be
well aware that, while the United States have ample means
for the support of the prisoners, as well as for every other
exigency of the war in which they are engaged, the insur •
gents, who have blindly rushed into that condition, are
suffering no privations that appeal for relief to charity
either at home or abroad. The American people will be
likely to reflect that the sum thus insidiously headed in the
name of humanity, constitutes no large portion of the pro-
s which its contributors may be justly supposed to have
derived from the insurgents, by exchanging with them arms
and munitions of war for the coveted productions of immo.
ral and enervating slave labour, nor will any portion of the
American people be disposed to regard the sum thus osten-
tatiously off,red for the relief of captured insurgents as a
too generous equivalent for the devastation and dissolution
which a civil war, promoted and protracted by British enb4
jects, has spread throughout the States, which before were
eminently prosperous and happy. Finally, in view of thls
last officious intervention in our domestic affairs, the Ame-
rican people can hardly fail to recall the warning of the
father of our country directed against two great and inti-
mately connected public dangers, viz.: Sectional faction
and foreign intrigue, Ido not think the insurgents have
become debased, although they have sadly wandered from
the ways of loyalty and patriotism. I think that, in com-
mon with all our countrymen, they will rejoice in being
saved by their considerate and loyal government from the
grave insult which Lord Wharncliffe and his associates, in
their zeal for the overthrow the United States, have pre-
pared for the victims of this unnatural and hopeless rebel-
lion.—l am, sir, your obedient servant,
WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

The Conservative Land Society's offices will be
closed from Saturday to Mondah Dec, 26, inclusive, for the
Christmas holidays,

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER AND
THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD.—The Hon. F.
Lygon, who was one of the Lords of the Treasury under
Lord Derby's Government, has addressed a letter to a
Church paper, in which he indicates what will be the tactics
of the Conservative party in reference to Mr Gladstone's
candidature for the University of Oxford at the next gene-
ral election. He says he does not wish to address himself
to any but those whose principles and wishes are Conserva-
tive, and who desire toensintain the constitution in Church
and State—which he believes to be the case with
a large preponderance of members of the University.
Tlatir grievance, he says, is this—That the splendid talents
of Mr Gladstone, which should be ranged on the side of
the Church, are freely bestowed in and out of Parliament
to advance the political power of men whose hostility to
the temporal welfare of the Church and her dogmatic
authority is their chief if not sole bond of union. In
reference to Mr Gladstone's efforts out of Parliament,
Mr Lygon refers to the Flintshire election, where Mr
Gladstone, he says, spared no pains to promote the re-
turn of Lord Richard Grosvenor, whose vote has never
been wanting to support the measures promoted by the
Liberation Society of Episcopal Nominations. Mr. Lygon
remarks, " I will say no more bat that I fail to see that the
appointments of the last two years atone for the many,
scandals which have followed the earlier appointments of
the Administration." Mr Lygon then proceeds :—" With
regard to the opposition whjuh Mr Gladstone commenced,
but from family circumstances did not carry out, against
the Divorce Court Bill, a regard for the truth compels me
to say that the Divorce Bill, with all its iniquity, was
launched into the world by the Government of Lord Aber-
deen, of which Mr Gladstone was a leading member ; and
though I freely admit that in 1857 he made a splendid
effort to arrest the progress of the bill, yet at most this can
only be taken as an act of very partial reparation for the
sad temerity of 1854, which was destined to bear such Lit-
ter fruit to the Church of Gad in this realm. Of the Burials
Bill, and Mr Gladstone's course thereon, I assert on com-
petent authority that Mr Gladstone gave the measure a
strenuous support, until he was outvoted in the select com-
mittee on a proposal of his own, that any Nonconformist
intending to invade our churchyards in the manner pros
posed should give a pledge that no breach of the peace
should occur. On this chimerical plan being rejected,
Mr Gladstone then, and then only, saw fit to oppose the
bill, which nevertheless passed the select committee,
and was defeated on the third reading by Tory
organisation. The same year saw Mr Gladstone's
eager support of the Clergy Relief Bill, which
wantonly withdrew from the doctrine and practice of
the indelibility of holy orders those temporal safeguards
with which, under existing circumstances, the Church of
England can ill afford to dispense." Mr Lygon considers
that some reasonable explanation is due from Mr Glad-
stone's colleagues for the indifference ehuwn in the case of
the riots in St. George'sein-the-East, and censures the right
hon. gentleman's "fierce onslaught" upon charitable en-
dowments. Mr Lygon comes to the conclusion that the
statesman who gains the confidence of the Conservative party
as the champion of Church and State, must forfeit their
sympathy and regard when leaguing his political fortunes
with those of the bitter enemies of the Church of England.
Mr Lygon's letter is supposed to be the avant courrier for
the introduction of Mr G. Hardy, M.P., to the notice of
the Oxford University electors.
A BURGLAR DISPUTING WITH A JUDGE.---
Messrs. George Smith and George Carr, formerly in
business as burglars, but now convicts in confinement, seem
to be rather interesting specimens of their class. Breaking
into a house at Whitley, in Worcestershire. they happened.
to e
eencounter,had placed a quantity of stolen
g
,erhe owner of that house, who shot
one of them and so belaboured the other that he was obliged
tolie down,plde ready
for just
removal,
m a
es v tehl
as his companion had done, to await the arrival
ofthe
Brought before Mr Justice Byles, at Wore
tester Assizes on Tuesday, their behaviour was worthy of
their previous conduct, and their sentence a just reward for
e
both. Mr &pith, who by characterising something imma-
terial in one of the statements of a witness as a " thunder-
]xig lie" showed his general admiration of truthfulness. also
endeavoured to shine as a logician. Inasmuch as he had
stolen nothing, he could not see how he had been brought
in guilty of burglary. 01 the attempt he was prepared to
admit himself guilty, that being only a misdemeanour—but
of the actual crime he contended he was innocent. Mr
Just ice Byles pointed Out to him, in the mildest manner
possible, that to break into a dwalling-house, even without
stealing anything,was burglary, and that a manifest inten-
tion to steal was theft. " Bat," argued Mr Smith, with
great elegance of diction, " If I was to shove my hand into
your pocket, and not to take anything out, what would you
charge me with—stealing, or the attempt?" Replied his
lordship, avoiding the direct euestiou—in view, no doubt, of
the recent decision of Queen's Bench---" If the goods are
removed with en intent that they shall be stolen, it is steal-
ing," Still Mr Smith was not contented, nor was Mr
• Carr, for they both returned to the argument, and after
) some time declined to be convinced against their will that
) the essence of crime lies in its intent. They were evidently
. dogged old thieves. So his lordship gave them a sentence
of five years' penal servitude— a sentence which was amply
justified by that blasphemous piece of impertinencej with
I which its recipients took leave of the presiding udge,
. Birriiing/tom Post.