The Sun.
London, England, 1863-06-17 00:00:00

he threw under Jackson upon his enemy's rear, and
with the third he opposed the great Federal host
in front. Higher audacity was, I believe, never
manifested by mortal General than when General
Lee, about 4 on Saturday afternoon, opened fire
along his whole line against his gigantic foe, in
order to distract his attention from Jackson, who
General Lee knew must then be approaching
Hooker's rear. Again, I am reluctant, by reason
of its incredible smallness, to disclose the number
of men by whom fire was opened that afternoon
upon the intrenched and multitudinous masses of
the Federals. History will do justice to the
sagacity which led General Lee to divine that his
enemy, having fallen back many miles to get
into his intrenchments, would be little likely to
leave those intrenchments and take the initiative.
But it will be difficult to do justice to the composure
with which General Lee sent back men to meet
Sedgwick, without for a moment relaxing his gripe
upon Hooker; with what astonishing prescience he
read and frustrated the design and purpose of his
foe. General Hooker has shown ability, daring,
and energy ; but in striving to ontmanceuvre Gen.
Lee it was the urchin boy conjuring with the wand
of Michael Scott.

RICHMOND, May 10.

Consummatunt est. One of the purest, most
guileless, most unselfish spirits ever lent to earth has
been taken to his rest, and " Stonewall" Jackson is
no more. From the violent bleeding of Thursday
last he never rallied, and with circulation so re-
duced that the pulse was hardly perceptible he in-
sisted, contrary to the entreaties of his doctors, in
having cloths dipped in iced water and laid upon
his chest. From the first he seems to have had a
strange presentiment of his approaching dissolution.
At a time when nothing but the most favourable
auguries were entertained as to his recovery, he ex-
claimed, with strange emphasis, " If I live it will be
for the best, and it I die it will be for the best ; God
knows, and directs all things always for the best."
There was about him a living consciousness that he
was an instrument sent by God for a special purpose,
and left on earth so long as he was competent to
achieve that purpose. With the strong faith of a pre-
destinarian, he soared above all sensations of physical
fear, such as accompany ordinary mortals when artil-
lery is roaring and musketry flashing around them.
He was not a great strategist, a finessing tactician—
but he was the most downright sledgehammer of
war, triumphing over difficulties which stood in his
way with a facility unknown to any other General.
In only one quality of mind did his powers ascend
to the region of genius—in the most remarkable
geographical or topographical accuracy of percep-
tion which led him to march to his destination with
the unerring instinct of the Red Indian. He knew
the northern half of Virginia as the prisoner of
Chillon knew his dungeon.

He has gone at a moment when nothing can be
added to his earthly fame. In not one of his flank
movements, his fiery onslaughts upon his enemy's
rear, was he ever baffled or thwarted or disconcerted
by any opposing general. But never was surprise so
complete as that of Saturday, May 2, never were the
consequences of any of his movements so momen-
tously eventful. It is his own belief that if he
bad had one hour more daylight, a large portion of
Gen. Hooker's army would have laid down their
arms. These words will be probably received in the
North with a howl of derision. They only who
witnessed the unmistakable evidences of Federal
demoralisation will recognise and admit the reason-
ableness of Gen. Jackson's impression. But one
thing is beyond a peradventure. If he had not been
wounded at the most critical moment of the battle,
he would undoubtedly have cut Gen. Hooker off
from the United States Ford, and it may be left to
your readers and to the whole world to surmise
whether the Federals would have been able to cut
their way out through strong lines of intrenchment
thrown around them, when they could not keep
their enemy out of still stronger lines of intrench-
ment on the perilous ridge and in the memorable
oak thicket of Chancellorsville.

He has gone, but will not his memory be a pillar
of fire, leading, kindling, vivifying, and inspiring
his men, and from the tomb calling them to deeds
of more than mortal valour ? In one great respect
his mission has been fulfilled. He has roused a
heart and kindled an enthusiasm in his countrymen
which will but be intensified by the thought that he
is gone. While he lived it was not unusual to
bear disparagements of his ability, damaging com-
parisons between him and other Generals, asser-
tions that his successes in the Valley and elsewhere
were attributable to the advice and inspiration of
this General or that. But, now that he is gone,
the true instinct of his country's outspoken heart
proclaims that his loss is irreparable.
The battles of last week are unquestionably the
bloodiest of the war. After eareful inquiries about
the Confederate loss, I find that it amounts to, but
as is thought does not exceed, 10,000 killed,
wounded, and missing. The computation of the
Federal loss I feel little disposed to enter upon, as
it must necessarily be of the nature of an estimate.
But, judging from the immense amount of pri-
soners now being marched to Richmond, amounting
to between 8,000 and 9,000, and also from the dead
bodies at Chancellorsville and Salem Church, it is a
moderate figure to estimate the dead, wounded, and
missing of the Fedex als at 25,000. It is, I think,
impossible that the number of Confederate pri-
soners captured and sent across the river can reach
2,000. Rumour puts them at 1,500.

Naval and Military Intelligence.

THE NAVY.

The Orlando, screw frigate, 1,000 horse power,
Capt. G. G. Randolph, arrived at Spithead yester-
day morning from the Nore.

The Channel fleet at Portland is under orders on
Monday evening to proceed on a few days' cruise in
the Channel, and to exercise the crews in gunnery.
The iron-cased frigate Royal Oak, Capt. F. A.
Campbell, will sail from Spithead to join the fleet
on the conclusion of her trials.

The royal yachts Victoria and Albert, Fairy, and
Elfin, have each received a thorough renovation
and embellishment at Portsmouth, in readiness for
the service of her Majesty and the royal family
during the remainder of the summer.
The Cossack, 20 gun screw steam corvette, 1,296
tons, 250 horse power, Capt. W. It. Rolland, made
her official trial of speed at the measured mile off
Maplin Sands on Saturday last, under the superin-
tendence of Capt.W. K. Hall, C. 8., of her Majesty's
ship Cumberland, guardship of Steam Reserve at
Sheerness, prior to leaving for the Mediterranean.
Six runs at full speed, with full boiler power, were
made on the mile, which gave an average of 9.055
knots per hour, the pressure of steam being 201 b. ;
vacuum, 25 ; revolutions of engines at full boiler
power, 80; at half power, 66. Two runs were made
at half boiler power, giving an average of 5.945
knots per hour. The circle was turned with helm
to port in 5 min. 29 sec , and with helm to starboard
in 6 min. 12 sec. The Cossack is fitted with Smith's
propeller; diameter, 12ft. lin. ; pitch, 16in., and the
immersion of screw was 2ft. 9in. At the time of the
trial the draught of water was 17ft. 7in. forward,
and 17ft. Bin. aft. The engines are from the
eminent firm of Maudslay, Son, and Field. On
Tuesday the Commander-in-Chief at Sheerness,
Vice-Admiral Sir W. S. Hope Johnstone, K.C.8.,
attended by his staff, inspected the Cossack, and
expressed his gratification at the condition of the
vessel. Immediately after the inspection she pro-
ceeded to Portsmouth, enroute to the Mediterranean.
The Vivid, tender to the flagship Fisgard, at
Woolwich, got up steam yesterday morning at an
early hour, and sailed from Woolwich at daybreak
for Ostend, to embark the Queen of Prussia for
England on a visit to her Majesty.
The hired steam transport Samson, having shipped
80 guns of various calibres and a mixed cargo of war
stores from Woolwich pier, yesterday went down to
the red buoy off the Arsenal to embark°loo tons of
powder. She will proceed to the following stations
on the West Coast of Africa :—Cape Coast Castle,
Anamaboe, Dix Cove, Accra, Whydah, Lages, and
Badagry.

The following appointments were made at the Admiralty
yesterday :

Edward M. Roe, assistant paymaster, to the Firefly, in
charge.

Alfred G. Roberts, clerk, to the Hibernia.
Joseph G. W. Hoare, assistant payruaster, to the Victoria
and Albert.