The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-03 00:00:00

A Messltge from America to Europe.

The follo•iving " circular" has been addressed by
the Government at Washington to the United

States Cons ale in Europe :
" Departraent of State, Washington, Aug. 12.
" Sir,—Whenever the United States have complained of
the premature decrees of Great Britain and France, which
accorded the character of a belligerent to the insurgents,
the statesmen of those countries have amwored. that from
the first they agreed in opinion that the efforts of the Go-
vernment to maintain the Union, and preserve the integrity
of the republic, could not be successful. With a view to
correct this prejudgment of so vital a question I addressed
a circular letter to the representatives of the United States
in foreign countries on the 14th of April, 1862, in which I
reviewed the operations of the war on sea and land, ana
presented the results which had attend ed it down to that
period. The prejudice, which I then ati empted to remove,
still remains, and it constitutes the bai is of all that is de-
signedly or undesignedly injurious to this country in the
policy of foreign nations. The insurger is have been enabled
to protract their resistance by means .of sympathy and aid
they Lave received from abroad, and t] le expectation of fur-
ther and more effective foreign assist ice is now their chief

resource. A new effort, therefore, to ,correct th it prejudice
is demanded, equally by a prudent co ncern for our foreign
relations, and by the paramount interests of peace and hu-
manity at home.
•‘ In the battles of August, 1 62, Vie Union forces suf-
fered some severe and appalling revers 3s. But they resulted
in the reunion of the army which hai 1 been called in from
the peninsula below Richmond with. the army which had

its position between that strongly for+a Lied seat of the insur-
rection and this capital. The wisdom i of this reunion was
soon to be vindicated. The insurgent :army, flushed with its
recant successes, and expecting that a sympathetic interest
of slavery would produce an uprising of the people of Mary-
land in its favour, for the first Limo crossed the Potomac

river. Harper's Ferry, with many prisoners, fell into its
hands, rather through accidents in .preparing its defence
than because it was indefensible. Nevt gthcless, the expecta-
tion of recruits signally failed. General sl'Clellan, com-
manding the now consolidated forces of the Army of the
Potomac, was reinforced by fresh levies from Pennsylvania
and by detachments called in from neighbouring forts. He
drove the insurgents from their positions at South Mountain
and Crampton's Gap, About the middle of September the
two opposing armies confronted each. other at Sharpsburg,
and a pitched battle was fought on the banks of the Antie-
tam and Potomac. It was well sustained on both sides.
Men of one race and training directed the armies, whose
rank and file were substantially of one blood, and even nearly
equal in numbers. The arrogant assumption of superior
valour and heroism which the insurgents had brought into
the contest, and had cherished throughout
iittiss earl
nytstages,
perished on that sanguinary field. The
viuorgef
maramy,
shattered in the conflict, abandoned the in n o . ry-
land, and sought refuge and opportunity to recover its
wasted strength in Virginia behind its accustomed barrier,
the Potomac.
" While Lee was thus attempting Maryland, the equally
bold and alarming enterprise of carrying the war through
Kentucky into Ohio was assigned to Bragg, who was in
command of the insurgent army on the southern border of
Tennessee. He, with great rapidity, moved from Chatta-
nooga, turned the left flank of General Buell, and appeal-
ing for reinforcements to the slavery-inspired sentiments
which existed in Kentucky and Tennessee, directed his
forces against Louisville and Cincinnati. An uprising of the
farmers of Ohio confronted and turned away the devasta-
tion from the latter city. General Buell followed the main
column of invasion, outmarched it on the way to Louisville,
and obliged it to take a direction eastward. The two in-
surgent columns, being united at Perryville, were attacked
by General Buell. The battle, like all our contests, was
obstinate and bloody. Bragg, after severe losses, retreated
through a comparatively barren, region and Buell was
obliged to abandon the pursuit by the complete exhaustion
of all the sources of supply. The insurgent commander
crossed the Cumberland Mountains, and then, marching
westward, took up a position at Murfreesborough, fortified
there, and proceeded to recruit his wasted forces.
" Van Dorn and Price were at the same period in com-
mand of very considerable forces in Mississippi and Alabama,
and to them was assigned the third part in the grand invasion
of the loyal States which the cabal at Richmond had decreed,
This was an attempt, as they called it, to deliver, but, in fact,
to subjugate Western Tennessee and Kentucky. General
Rosecrans received the assault of those portions of the in-
aurgent forces at Corinth, defeated them with great slaughter
and drove them backward, so that they neither reached nor
approached the region which they were appointed to invade.
General Rosecrans, called to succeed General Buell in
command of the army of the Cumberland, then en-
tered Nashville, which the insurgents had before invested
ire carrying out their general scheme of invasion. He raised
the siege and prepared for offensive action. In the last days
of the year he issued from Nashville, and delivered a sari-
guinary battle at Stone River, which gave him possession
of Murfreesborough; Bragg retreated to Shelbyville and
Tullahoma, and there again rested and intrenched. Along
period of needed rest was now employed by the respective
parties in increasing the strength and efficiency of their
armies, but this repose was broken by frequent skirmishes
and by cavalry expeditions, which penetrated hostile regions
sometimes hundreds of miles, and effected breaches of mili-
tary connections and a destruction of military stores upon
an extensive scale, while they kept up the spirit of the troops
and hardened them for more general and severe conflicts.
" Vicksburg then remained in the hands of the insur-
gents, the principal key to the navigation of the Mississippi
river—a navigation which was confessed on all sides to be
absolutely essential to the United States, and when re-
opened by them, fatal to the insurrection. The duty of
wresting that key from the insurgents had been devolved
on the navy, with the aid of a considerable land force,
then encamped on the west bank of the Mississippi river.
But new and unforeseen difficulties continually befitted
the enterprise, and seemed to render it impossible. General
Grant, who was at the head of the department and of the
army of the Tennessee, at length assumed the active com-
mand of the troops investing the stronghold, and these were
adequately reinforced. The naval squadron on the Missis-
sippi, under command of Rear-Admiral Porter, was also
steadily increased until more than 100 armed vessels were
employed upon the river, including many iron-clad gunboats
of great power, Part of the Gulf squadron, under Admiral
Ferragut, gallantly running the batteries of Port Hudson
under a fierce fire, co-operated with the river fleets. Labo-
rious and persevering attempts were made to open an arti-
ficial channel for the river opposite Vicksburg, as had been
done with such signal success at Island No. 10. But the
various canals, projected and executed, failed, and only a
few small steamers of no considerable power were, thus en-
abled to pass the city. Combined land and naval expedi-
tions were also sent forth, which, with infinite pains and
endurance, attempted to turn the enemy's works by navi-
gating the various bayous and sluggish rivers, whose intri-
cate network forms so singular a feature of the military
topography of the hanks of the Mississippi. All these attempta
having failed from physical obstacles found to be insur-
mountable, Gen. Grant and Admiral Porter at last put afloat
armed steamers and steam transports, which ran through
the fires of the long line of shore batteries which the insur-
gents had erected at Vicksburg and its (grief supports,War-
renton and Grand Gulf. At the same time the land forces
moved down the right bank of the river to a point below
Grand Gulf, where they crossed in the steamers which had
effected so dangerous a passage. The batteries of Grand Gulf
for several hours resisted a bombardment by the gunboats
at short range, but they fell into the hands of the admiral
as soon as Gen. Grant's forces appeared behind them.
Gen. Grant, through a series of brilliant manoeuvres, with
marches interrupted by desperate battles day atter day, suc-
ceeded in dividing and separating the insurgent forces. Ho
then attacked the chief auxiliary column under Johnston,
and
Having
it out of Jackson, the capital of Mississippi.
destroyed the railroad bridges and military stores
there, Gen, Grant turned at once to the west,
Numerous
comba's ensued,in all of which the loyal arm were success-
ful. Loring, witha considerable insurgent force was driven
off towards the south-east, while Pemberton, after a loss of
ti
60 pieces of artillery
within the fortified
dmany prisoners, regained his shel-
ternow reduced to between lines of Vicksburg, with an army
30, 000 and 4'1,000 men. During
these movements the heavy batteries of the insurgents
which were established nena important
mouth of the Yazoo River,
and which constituted amportant part of the defensive
system of Vicksburg,
were taken and razed by Rear-
Admiral Porter, who thereupon sent a detachment of his
fleet up that important tributary of the Mississippi,
and effectually destroyed thei ninumanerdous vessels and
stores which were found w
General Grant, during these brilliant
its banks.
bad necessarily operated by a niovabient operations,
column. He
now re-established his communications with the river fleets
above as well as below Vicksburg, invested the town, and
ignorant of the numbers enclosed within its defences,n'
at-
tempted an assault. Though bravely and vigorously made
it was nevertheless unsuccessful. Re thereupon sat down
before the fortifications, to reduce them by the less bloody
but sure methods of siege. Pemberton made a gallant de.
fence, hoping for relief from Johnston. Strenuous efforts
were made by the chicle at ilichrnond to enable Johnston to
render that ft-:,ist:znce. They dotaclie'i and sent him troops
from Bragg's army on the frontier of Met:ma, and from
Beaurecard's command from South Caroliml, Kid in doing
this they endangered both of those mulles. All the capable
free men ot Itlissii•sippi were called to the rescue of the ca-
pital of their State, and to save the stronghold ot the trea-
sonable Confederacy which was besieged within their Hittite.
Moreover, the besieged post was in the very centre of the
slave population ot that Confederacy, and the President's
proclamation of freedom would be sounded in their hearing
if the stronghold should fall—but the effort required was
too great for the demoralised and exhausted condition of
the insurgents. Johnston did not arrive to raise the siege,
nor did success attend any of the attempts from within to
break theskilfully drawn lines of General Grant. On the
6th of July General Pemberton laid down his arms and
surrenders'l the post, with 30000 men, 200 pieces of artil-
lery, 70,000 small arms, and ammunition sufficient for a
six years' deience. This capture was as remarkable as the
fatuous one made by N2peloon at Ulm,
" Oa the rattle day au insurgent attack upon General
Prentice, at Helena, situated on the right tank of the Mis-
sissippi, in the State of Arkansas, was repulsed with the

loss of many prisoners on the part of the assailants, A's if
the anniversary so identified with the nation's hopes was
appointed to be peculiarly eventful, Lee, who had, again
entered Maryland, and passing through the S cate had
approached the Susquehannah, threatening F.arrisburg,
Pittsburg, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, fell. back, after
Pitched battles continued for three days at Gettysburg, and
resumed his retreat, with an army even 'worm shattered
than before, to his accustomed position on the Rappahan-
nock.

" On the Bth of July the insurgent gareison at Port Hud-
son, 6,000 strong, after enduring a long siege with the ut-
most courage, surrendered uncenrditi onally to Gen. Banks;
and thus the United States recovered from the insurgents
the last of the numerous posts by which for more than two
years they had effectually destroyed the navigation of the
Mississippi. This great river, which in time of peace con-
tributes relatively as much aawarcis,a supply of the increased
wants of mankind as the Nile did to those weirs in the time
of the Roman Empire, is now again opened to the inland
commerce of the country. Steamers descend the river and
its tributaries from the navigable floods to the Gulf of
Mexico. It is not to be doubted that the insurgent losses
in, these operations cn the Mississippi amount to 50,000 men
and 300 pieces of artillery, a large portion of which were of
heavy calibre. Johnstane's army, which at the time of the
surrender was advancing to threaten the besiegers, at once
fell back to Jackson, and it was again driven from that
capital by a detachment which Gen. Grant had committed
to the command of Gen. Sh-rman. In retiring, Johnstone
fired many buildings filled with munitions of war, and
abandoned a large quantity of railroad locomotives and cars,
which had been detained at that place by reason of the
railroads north, south, east, and west of Jackson having
been previously cut by the Government forces.
" General Sherman now desisted from the pursuit of
Johnstone and returned to Vicksburg, where a portion of,
the army is enjoying repose, not more necessary than ev!l
earned, while others are engaged in expelling from the
reported banks
Mis-
sissippiandrerforvoinmgthbeannede p
bands
uofotnh e insurge
steamers. who
rs. infestl tis
passing
that Johnstone with the troops at his disposal, now said
sueits
to number 25,000, has fallen back to Meridian, on the
eastern border of Mississippi, 120 miles east of Vicksburg,
so that the State whose misguided people were among the
earliest and most intemperate abettors of the insurrection
is virtually abandoned by its military agents.
" Iu Louisiana Gen. Banks succeeded Gen. Butler. After
spending some months in organising the department and
disciplining the new levies which constituted its force, Gen.
Banks made a rapid and successful series of marches and
contests, in which he drove the insurgents out of the Atta-
kapas and Teehe regions, well known as the richest por-
tions of that very productive State, captured Alexandria
and Donaldsonville, the seats of its fugitive seditious execu-
tive and legislative authorities, crossed the Mississippi at
Bayou Sara, and there receiving an additional column which
was ascending from Baton Rouge, invested Port Hudson,
which, excluding Vicksburg, was the only remaining strong-
hold of the insurrection on the great river,
" It will be remembered that on the 22d day of September,
1862, the President issued a proclamation requiring the
in-
surgents to lay down their arms and return to their allegi-
ance, under the penalty that, in all the districts where the
insurrection should be still maintained with the support of
the people, he would on the let January then next proclaim
as a military measure the freedom of the slaves. The warn-
ing was generally rejected and defied, but the proclamation
which it heralded was:duly issued. As the national armies
advanced into the insurrectionary territories, slaves in con-
siderable numbers accepted their freedom, and came under
the protection of the national flag. Amid the great prejudice
and many embarrassments which attended a measure so
new and so divergent from the political habits of the
country, freedmen with commendable alacrity enlisted in
the Federal army. There was in some quarters a painful
inquiry about their moral capacity for service. That uncer-
tainty was brought to a sudden end in the siege of Port
Hudson. The newly-raised negro regiments exhibited all
necessary valour and devotion in the military assaults which
were made, with desperate courage, and not without fearful
loss, by Gen. Banks, This protracted operation engaged
nearly all Gen. Bank's available forces, While it was going
on insurgent troops which were called up from Texas re-
occupied much of the south-western portion of Louisiana
which he had before reclaimed. The surrender of Port
Hudson, however, set his army at liberty, and he has already
made considerable progress in restoring the national au-
thority thus temporarily displaced.
"The complete occupation of the Mississippi by the na-
tional forces has effectually divided the insurrecticnary
region into two parts, and among the important features of
this division, one which is of the highest practical signi-
ficance is that the field of military operations of the insur-
rection is chiefly on the eastern side of the river, while its
supplies have been mainly drawn from the prairies of Ar-
kansas and Texas, which stretch away from the western
shore. These prairies can no longer supply the insurgents
with cattle for sustenance and use in the field ; and, on the
other hand, arms, ordnance, and ammunition can no longer
be sent from the eastern manufactories and deposits to
forces employed or in garrison in the west. The value of
the acquisition of the Mississippi in this respect was illus-
trated only a few days since in the capture by General
Grant, near Natchez, of 5,000 beeves and 2,000 mules which
had crossed to the eastern bank, and at the same time many
hundred thousands of cartridges and other stores which had
just been landed at the wesiern end of the same ferry,
"A vigorous blockade has been maintained at Charleston ;
and although fast steamers, of light draught and painted
with obscure colours, occasionally succeed in slipping
through the blockading squadron in the morning and even-
ing twilight, many are destroyed and more are captured.
An attack by the fleet made on the 7th day of April last
upon the forts and batteries which defend the harbour
failed because the rope obstructions in the channel fouled
the screws of the iron-clads, and compelled them to retire
after passing through the fire of the batteries. Those
vessels bore the fire of the forts, although some defects of
construction were revealed by the injuries they received.
The crews passed through an unexampled cannonade with
singular impunity. Not one life was lost on board of a
Monitor. The defects disclosed have been remedied, and an
attack is now in progress, with good prospect of ultimate
success, having for its object the reduction of the forts in the
harbour by combined sea and land forces. Wo occupy more
than half of Morris's Island with land forces, which, aided
by batteries afloat and batteries ashore, are pushing siege
works up to Fort Wagner, a strong earthwork which has
been twice assaulted with great gallantry, but without suc-
cess. On the 17th of June the Atalanta, which was regarded
by the insurgents as their most formidable iron-clad ves-
sel, left Savannah, and came down the Wilmington river.
The national iron-clads Weehawken, Capt. John Rogers,and
Nahant, Commander J. Downs, were in readiness to meet
her. At 451 the Atalanta fired a rifle shot across the stern
of the Weehawken, which struck near the Nahant. At
5 15 the Weehawken, at a range of 300 yards, opened upon
the Atalanta, which had then grounded. The Weehawken
fired five shots, four of which took effect on the Atalanta.
She surrendered at 5 50.
" Our lines have not changed in North Carolina. All
attempts of the insurgents to recapture the towns from which
storesi inflicted e
havebeen
destroyed
tesy had been expelled have been repulsed. Much damage
hha
mili tbeenary ntd
their ommunbiycaetxiopneds,itaionndsvianitunatbhlee
interior. North Carolina shows some symptoms of disaffec-
tion towards the • insurgent league. Similar indications are
exhibited in Missis • sippi• , Alabama, Arkansas, and Texas.
" The situation on the York and James • rivers has re-
mained unchanged since the withdrawal of tha army of
Gen. M'Clellati from the Pe
t'Vi
by the insurgents to retake Insula a year ago. Attempts
been defeated, but the garrisanilhameburg and Suffolk have
at the latter place has been
withdrawn for purely military reasons to a more defensible
line.
(6I now return to the Army of the Potomac
left resting and refitting after putting an end , which was
in-
surgent invasion of Maryland. Gen. m,eie tioi
all the first
recrossed
the Potomac and entered Virginia in Novemberad
the invading forces under Leo to fall backward tonobliged
Gordons-
ville, south cf the Rappahannock. When the Army f
Potomac reached 'Warrenton it was placed under co o the
command
h m
of General Burnside. Ile marched to Falmouth, hoping to
cross the Rappahannock at Fredericksburg, and to move
et
once upon Richmond. Delays.resulting from various causes,
without fault of the General, permitted the insurgents to
occupy the heights of Fredericksburg; and when at length,
in December, General Burnside crossed the Rappahannock,
his assault upon Lee's well-fortified position failed. Re
skilfully recrossed the river without loss. Gen. Hooker suc-
ceeded to the command. and it was not until the beginning
of May that the condition of the river and roads permitted
a renewal of offensive operations. The General crossed the
Rappahannock and accepted a battle, which proved equally
sanguinary to both parties, and successful to the army of
the Potomac. The heighto of Fredericksburg were captured
by Gen. Sedgwick's corps, but the whole army was com-
pelled to return to the north bank of the river. After this
battle Lee, in the latter part of May and in June, withdrew
his army from Gen. Hooker's front, and ascending the south
bank of the Rapidan, towards the sources of the Rappahan-
nock, entered the Shenandoah Valley, and once more
tempted the fortune of war by invading the loyal States. A
severe cavalry engagement at Beverly Ford unmasked this
movement. The army of the Potomac broke up its camps
apetinnd reat-ched to the (tut:minter. • The militia of Maryland,
slivania, and. New York flew to arms, and occupied Baltimore, Ilarrisburo- and the line of the •
ousquehannah.
The two armi,
s _et at Gettysburg, in Pennsylvania, and
erce m
after a fierce contest of three days' duration, d an terrible
slaughter on both sidee, the insurgents
recoiled from the
position held by Gm Meade,
who had then been only four
days in
command
of
the
array the Potomac. On July 4,
the day of the surrender of1•3:ioele
jog through Charnbersburg andliaurg, Les retreated, pees-
gerto wn to
where the proper dieposition to attackthestate him wr.s made by
Gen. Meade. Deceived concernin,
Meade,
of the river,
supposed to be unfordable, Gen.
me
reinforcements, del ,yed the attack a day too hourlylon expecting
in-urgents pertly by fording and partly by bridgesfloatieg t''and the
succeeded iu withdrawing across the river bynight, with their
artillery and a great part of their baggage. Mucb, of this bag
well as of the plunder which Lee had
gage, as collected, was
destroyed by cavalry, or throws out of the waggons to make
room for the wounded whom Lee carried cif 'tern the battle•
field. He had buried m tof his dead of the first day's conflict
at Gettysburg. The remainder, together with these who
fell on the second and tbied deys of the bea fie, he all, 4,500,