The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-21 00:00:00

LATEST FROM RICHMOND,

An English gentleman who left Richmond on the
Ist instant, having a few days previously visited
Petersburg, and who, passing uninterrupted into
the Federal territory, accomplished the jaurney
between Richmond and Queenstown in the remark-
ably short time of 18 days, gives the following par-
ticulars of the military situation in and around the
Confederate capita',
The troops detached by way of the Shenandoah Valley
towards Maryland consisted of the whole of Ewell's corps
(late Stonewall Jackson's), under the personal command of
that General, and numbered 26,000 men.
It was believed that another smaller detachment with
heavy artillery would be, or had already been, directed
towards Acquia Creek, with a view of erecting powerful
batteries on the Potomac, blockading that river, and thus
interrupting the water communication with Washington at
the same this that Ewell's corps would destroy the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad, sad thus cut the main line of
communication with the capital.

Ewell's corps was considered amply strong enough to
cope with any troops which the North in its present de-
nuded condition could oppose toit, and it was believed that
as soon as the offensive movement of the Confederates be-
came developed in its true proportions, the Federal Govern-
ment would recall Grant's whole army. No corps of obser-
vation which Grant might leave behind on embarking could
hold its ground against a
combined land and naval attack
from Richmond.

Nearly 3,000 prisoners had been brought in from Wilson's
corps, so that his entire loss could not be less than between
4,000 and 5,000. Ile had lost all his artillery, trains, and
stores—in fact, only just escaped total destruction. About
20 miles of the track of the Danville Railroad was destroyed
by him, but as there are no important bridges on that por-
tion c t the track, the Corps of Construction, a corps of
railway engineers and labourers specially formed for such
purpsses, would be able to repair the damage in less than

two weeks.
The balance of n
- tiscinerl in favour of the Confederates
during the Virginia campaign alone was estimated at no
less than 10,000. A tg ea
-- portion of the prisoners are
stragglers who voluntarily came into the Confederate lines
and surrendered themselves. They report that in Grant's
aamy so frequent had become the practice of self-mutilation,
generally by shooting or cutting off a finger, that an order
has been issued severely punishng the men 80 soon as their
relf.mado wounds are healed, and then sending them as
labourers under guard into the trenches. Besides malarious
fevers, very malignant bowel complaints, caused by the bad
water and the pulverized sand with which the atmosphere
is surcharged, had appeared, and threatened to become
epidemic in the Federal army.
Grant was leisurely shelling ..?etersburg at a distance of
about two miles, but doing litiledsmage-
Communications
between that city and Itichmone were perfect and not in
the least disturbed. No scarcity
pro-
visions. The army Was healthy and in excellent spirits.
'At no time had the Confederates been more sanguine. It
was generally considered that Geseral Lee was indisputably
master of the situation, and that was apprehended of
the war could not be pro-
longed much beyond the present aarapaign.
though
Previous to its adjournment on the 14th ultimo, the
Confederate Congress had, in view of the contemplate
not
offensive movements, issued a manifesto, chiefly,
in express terms, addressed to the people of the North. In
this the earnest desire of the Confederate States for peace
is set forth in eloquent language,
the war is declared to be
one only of self-preservation, and all intentions of conquest
or of impeding the happiness
and development of the
Northern States is most distinctly disclaimed.
There was no distress, but, also, no excitement in Rich-
mond. A solemn earnestness and calm confidence pervaded
all classes. The theatres had been closed. The churches
were constantly open for prayer, and thronged day and
night with soldiers and civilians. The houses of the
wealthier citizens were so many open private hospitals, and
the ladies were unremitting in their care of the sick and
wounded. Mr Davis's health was good. Foreign exchange
had fallen to 1,500, but was little in demand. The prices
of most of commodities had declined, owing to the gradual
abserption of
-the; redundant currency by taxes and the
funding system.