The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-10 00:00:00

among all other classes, that he should not heve the
sword. To effect this object a supplementary ballot
was proposed ; and as it would have seemed un-
gracious in General 111‘Clellan's friends or in any
one else to object to any scheme having a tendency
to put aaditional money into the coffers of a charity,
the voting was renewed. "The loyal men of New
York," or somebody assuming that designation, paid
in 2,097 dole., and recorded the same number of votes
for General Grant. "A loyal New Englander" paid
in 3,000 dole., the " loyal men of New York" a second
1,000 dole., and again the same person or persons,
having perhaps as great an abundance of public plun-
der
in their pockets as of animosity against INl‘Clellan
in their hearts, paid in 10,000 dols., and recorded
10,000 votes for their favourite. By these means
APClellan's friends were defeated, and the sword
was awarded to Grant by a majority of 15,782.
General M'Clelian has no reason to be dissatisfied
with the result, though General Grant has much. It
proves that Grant is not the popular favourite ; and
that if he has rich friends,their numbers are not equal
to their dollars. It suggests, at the same time, the
suspicion that it was not private but public money
which accomplished the end in view, and that the
10,000 " loyal men of New York" was but the
pseudonym of some member of the Government
who puts his hand into the Secret Service Fund to
defeat, even in so unimportant a matter as this, a
man who might be tolerated if he were not a Cana
didate for the Presidency ; but who, being a candi-
date, and almost certain to succeed if General Grant
be defeated in Virginia, is hated with a hate such
as is only felt in moribund democracies only to be
regenerated through a despotism.

The World of the 25th publishes the following
particulars of the engagement in North Carolina :
Army of the Potomac, April 24.
The Richmond Sentitiee of April 22 says the fallowing
despatch has been received by General Bragg :
" Plymouth, North Carolina, April 20.

"To General Braxton Bragg,-1 have stormed and car-
ried this place, capturing one brigadier, 1,600 men, stores,
and 25 pieces of artillery.

" 11.. F. HOKE, Brigadier-General."

A telegram was also received by the President from
Col. John Taylor Wood, dated Rocky Mount, 21st inst.,
giving further particulars of the capture of Plymouth by
the force under Gon. Hoke, with naval co-operation. He
says that about 2,500 prisoners were taken (300 or 400 of
them negroes), 30 pieces of artillery, 100,0001 b of meat,
1,000 barrels of flour, and a full garrison outfit. Our loss
was about 300 in all. Colonel Merce was among the killed.
Two gunboats were sunk, another disabled, and a small
steamer captured.

Fortress Monroe, April 22,

The rebel ram at Plymouth, North Carolina, bas had the
effect of not only doing great damage to our shipping there,
but has precipitated movements materially. The news we
received from there is conflicting, yet painful. The ram, of
which so much has been said, and precaution taken to
guard against, ran past Fort Gray on Monday night, after
the moon had disappeared on the opposite bank of the Roa-
noke river, and thus eluded the vigilance of our gunboats.
This rebel monster had no st cam on, bnt floated down with
the current. After leaving the range of Fort Gray her en-
gines were sit in motion, and bow an, she pushed for our
gunboats, and succeeded in sinking the gunboat Southfield
--a ferryboat carrying a battery of six heavy guns. The
Southfield and Miami, flagship of Captain LFlusser, were
chained together to present a more formidable front to the
ram, and to keep the other afloat in case one was disabled
The ram shot past the Miami and bored ',her prow into the
quarter of the Southfield with great force. The crunching of
the saw-like prow of the rebel ram among the timber was
fearful, and the °riflee created thereby was probably io t(..?
12 feet. The b'outhfield sank in 10 minutes after being
attacked."

The General Press despatch, in reference to the
same affair, is as follows :

Newbern, April 20.

Our troops have been fighting day and night since St-itt-
day. General Wessels, who has 60 days' provision, ex_
presses his determination to hold the enemy at bay u" the
is relieved. He and his troops were in gor,
spirits:"The
enemy have made many assaults on
desperate character, and have works of the most
each time. Every ho l-
..,een repulsed with severe loss
enemy's shells. -
..oe in Plymouth is riddled by the
..
island. r , inhabitants havingteen sent to Roanoke
th- „ten. Peck ordered reinforcements to Plymouth
moment he received news of the attack. They have
doubtless failed to reach that place, owing to the presence
of the ram at the mouth of the Roanoke. This ram draws
nine feet of water. Her hull is 15 inches out of water. She
carries four guns, and is built much like the Merrimac. It
is reported that she can make 7 knots, but this is doubted.
The death of Capt. Flusser leaves Capt. French, an officer
of tried courage, in command of the naval force. He is
wao:htug the movements 01 the rare, and will give her all
the annoyance in his power until assistance arrives. Gen.
Picket is in command of the rebel force engaged at Ply-
mouth. There is quite a force at Kinston, which it is be-
lieved intends an attack on this point, in connection with
their ram No, 2, now at Kinston.

Further particulars, published on the 25th, by
the New York Times, aro, as follow :

The recent news from North Carolina is to the effect that
Plymouth was doubtless taken by the largo force of rebels
who first attacked it on Sunday evening, the 17th. They
numbered 10,000 or 12,000, and were repulsed four times,
with considerable slaughter. General Wessels commanded
our garrison at Plymouth, of 2,000 men. It is supposed
that they were obliged to surrender, but nothing is yet de-
finitely known. The report of the disasters by a rebel ram
is corroborated in detail. Our navy has lost the gunboats
Bombshell and Southfield. The latter was sunk by a rebel
battery during the attack early on Monday morning when
she went on a reconnoitering expedition a little way up the
Rcanoke river to look out for the approach of the ram.
During the evening of Monday the enemy assaulted Fort
Wessell, and were repulsed three times, the Southfield
throwing shell among them. About 10.30 p.m. the South-
field dropped down the river and reported to Lieut.-Com-
mander Fiusser, who ordered the vessels to be lashed together
with hawsers, the Southfield being on the port side of the
Miami. At midnight the Whitehead came down the Cachie
and came alongside the Miami and reported the ram coming
down. At 3 a.m. en Tuesday the ram dropped down along-
side the Miami, under cover of the shade of the trees, and
when near ran obliquely across into the starboard bow of the
Southfield. The vessels had been ii ring all the previous
evening atthe enemy on shore, and were loaded with shell
which there Was not time to draw. The lieutenant-com-
mander fired the first shell, and on its bursting, some frag-
ment either from that or the Southfield's shells rebounded,
which caused death, the fragments piercing his chest and
skull, also wounding the following officers and men :—Act-
ing Ensign Thomas a-. Hargis—Acting 3d Assistant-En-
gineer Harrington, and some six or eight men—none mor-
tally. Upon the approach of the ram the Southfield fired at
her. The prow of the ram running into the Southfield
caused her to fill with water, and she sunk inside of 15

miuntes. The forward lashings were parted by the pressure
of the ram between our vessels, and the after ones were cut,
and as many ad could get on the Miami did so, when the
Miami retired, and was pursued a short distance by the ram,
which was considered slow, making but lour knots per hour,
the Miami throwing solid shot at her as she retired. Some
of the men of the Southfield took to small boats, and were
picked up by the Whitehead and Ceres.

- The World of the 25th has a lengthened account
of the battle in Louisiana. The following are ex,
tracts :

On the morning of the Bth the cavalry advanced and
discovered the rebels massed and occupying positions, from
which a heavy fire was poured into our ranks. Our artillery
was put inaction and the engagement was kept up until about
noon, when Gen. Ransom's brigade came up. Gen. Banks
also arrived on the field, and immediately sent for General
Franklin's division, which was so ne distance in the rear.
About three o'clock the rebels commenced moving in

heavy columns on the right, and heavy skirmishing was
renewed. About four o'clock the engagement was at its
height, and the rebels deployed to the left, which was
then made the real point of attack. The enemy greatly out-
numbered us, and slowly pushed our lines back. General
Franklin came up, but his division was yet in the rear,
almost momentarily expected, Under these circumstances
the troops fought bravely, but unsuccessfully, and finally
gave way in confusion, leeing 20 guns, all the official papers
of the Adjutant General, and leaving the dead and wounded
on the field, Gen. Ransom while endeavouring to reinoVe
the guns of the First Indiana battery Was *omitted in the
knee and narrowly escaped tapairc. This engagement
took 'place at a place knoWn as Sabine's Cross-roads. The
battle closed with nightfall, and our troops rested in the
woods into which they had been driven by the enemy, he
pursuing no further than the battle-field, where he buried
our dead and removed the wounded to the rear at Mansfield.
Four brigade commanders were killed and wettraled in this
fight. Our defeat is attributable to the cavalry, division
pushing too far in advassee of the maid column, and the
panic and loss of guns to the large cavalry train which
blocked up the road and rendered orderly retreat impossible.
The estimated loss in this battle is 1,500, killed, wounded,
and missing. At the close of the engagement a council of
war was called by Gen. Banks, when it was decided to with-
draw the army to Pleasant-bill, which place General A. J.
Smith had reached. The retrograde movement was at once
commenced. While it was in progress the enemy pressed
the pickets in, but failed to discover the movement, In ihe
morning further concealment was impossible, and the rebels
sent forward their cavalry, but failed to come up with our
forces until they reached Pleasant-hill. Here r.
...Tn. Eory's
division of Franklin's corps proved nviceable e
in actimng as
a rear guard and covering the rttreat
As soon as our forces had ge- of the Union army.
hill and arrangements cool' Inr.,a the shelter of Pleasant-
with the supports ...a be made for receiving the attack
of Genets'
...itch had then arrived, a cavalry force
gaged .6/ml7'a division was sent out and en-
, tne advancing enemy. The rebels appearing, how-