The Sun.
London, England, 1863-04-23 00:00:00

SOUTH-EASTERN OF PORTUGAL.

The ordinary general meeting of this company
was held on Tuesday at the offices, Gracecharch-
street ; Mr. R. R Notman in the chair.

The report was taken as read.

The CHAIRMAN, in moving its adoption, said that
at the last meeting the directors had laid before the
shareholders the state of the works, at which they
had to cross over three valleys on the first section.
Those works had been successfully completed, and
the line was now extended across the valleys. By
the end of June the company's engineer expected
to have open for traffic 60 miles of railway to the
the import city of Evora, leaving about 20 miles to
complete and open for traffic in a few months
afterwards. The works had been approved by
the fiscal engineer of the Portuguese Government.
The authorities were highly satisfied with the
workmanship and materials of the railway, and
also with the rolling stock provided by the com-
pany for working the traffic. (He the Chairman)
had never seen better work on a railway than that
executed for the company. In regard to the com-
pany's capital,Xsoo,726 had been raised,of which the
Portuguese Government had provided £159,260 on
account of their subvention ; and it was only right
to say on this account they had paid without delay
from time to time the sums indicated by the engi-
neer's certificate as due from them. He had no
doubt the Government would go on as heretofore
punctually paying up the instalments as they be-
came due until the whole sum of £450,000 was paid.
The next matter he had to bring under their notice
related to the purchase of the railway from Barriero,
opposite Lisbon, to Vendas Neves, and for the oon-
cession of certain extensions of the company's ori-
ginal line toward the Spanish frontier in the direc-
tion of Seville. At the extraordinary meeting of
the company, held March 14, 1862, the shareholders
were informed that arrangements with the Portu-
guese Government had been concluded, subject to
ratification by the Cortes, for the purchase of the
railway from Barreiro to Vendas Novas, and for the
concession of extensions from the company's line
near Elvora towards the south. After the arrange-
ment had been come to the Government said it
would interfere with the concession to the northern
line, because 25 miles on each side of that railway
was granted to the company as being free from in-
terference by other companies. He thought such
an interpretation of the concession was fanciful, and
if persisted in no railway from this line could go into
Spain in that direction. The effect of the stipula-
tion would be similar to that of a person wishing to
go from Southampton to Hull in the ordinary way
being compelled by the Government arrangement to
go round by Liverpool. They were therefore kept
back 25 miles from the other line. The bill for the
proposed extension was passed by the Chamber of
Deputies, but in January last, to their surprise, the
Chamber of Peers rejected the bill, so that the ar-
rangements for those extensions remained in abey-
ance. There would be great difficulty in carrying
on an interchange of traffic at Vendas Novas, owing
to the other line being on the narrow gauge, and
their line on the 51 feet gauge. It was of great
importance that all the railways in Portugal should
be constructed on the same gauge. He would ask
them to sanction the payment of the expenses :recur-
red in making the surveys for those extensions.
Mr. J. CHAPMAN seconded the motion for the adop-
tion of the report, which was carried unanimously.

Resolutions were also passed approving the ex-
penditure incurred by the directors in respect to the
purchase of the railway from Barreiro to Vendas
Novas, an d for the surveys of the proposed exten-
sions, authorising the directors to pay those expenses
and take such further steps as they might deem ex-
pedient for obtaining necessary powers for the above
objects.
Mr. R. Birley, the retiring director, and Mr.
lTewmarch, the retiring auditor, were re-elected,
and the proceedings concluded with a vote of thanks
V o the chairman and directors.

SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH.
An extraordinary meeting of this company WI"
held on Tuesday at the London Tavern, Sir J. Car-
michael in the chair.

The CHAIRMAN said the object of the meeting
was to ascertain the opinions of the shareholders with
regard to the payment of a dividend for the second
half of 1862 and for raising more capital. The divi-
dend was entirely a shareholders' question. The
directors had recommended a dividend because it
had been earned, and it was for them to decide
whether they would take it or strengthen the hands
of the directors by leaving that money to be in-
vested as a reserve.

Mr. TiORTON said it had been stated at the last
meeting that the cables would have to be renewed
every ton years, which would require a very large
reserve-

Sir C. BRIGHT said he did not mean to state that
the company's lines would have to be replaced every
ten years, although a great deal of depreciation was
going on. Provision should be made for that de-
preciation.
Mr. FRANCIS, the engineer of the company, said
it was quite true about the depreciation. There
was a line round the coast extending some eight or
nine miles out, which was of hard chalk. In the
Straits of Dover the cables got the most wear, but
further out there was a sand bottom, and the cables
being embedded in sand were more protected. The
Calais line had only been broken once in 12 years,
and the Ostend cable had never been broken beyond
the nine miles out. The gutta percha depreciated
,tt certain extent, the depreciation being less
under the sand than under the water.
The Cumar.
timed eata,_samAN said, after the issue of the addi—
" and getting rid of the present loan,

they would be able to pay the same dividend on the
old and the new stock as they were now paying,
and the company would be out of debt. He moved
a resolution authorising the issue of the new capital
and it was carried. A resolution was then agreed
to authorising the payment of the dividend recom-
mended at the last meeting, and the proceedings
terminated.

Adventures of a British Officer in the Confe,

derate Service.

The following is an extract from a letter recently
received by the relatives of the writer, who was for-
merly an officer in the British army, and who had
settled with his family in America. When the war
broke out he joined the Confederate service, having
declined a high rank in the Federal army :
Camp near Guinea Station, Rappahannock,
Feb., 16, 1863.

My dear Brother,—At last, I believe, I have a
chance of sending you a few lines, for I fear you
have not received any of the letters I have tried to
forward. By heavens, --, this is a war, and no
mistake ; and, in spite of all psalm-singing nigger
'quality notions, &c., that may be entertained by
some few extraordinary characters, all, I think,
must allow that we " Rebels" can fight. When I
look back at some of our exploits, marching from
20 to 30 miles a day under a tropical sun, or wading
knee-deep through mud and snow, fording rivers,
lying out at night without any covering whatever,
or at the utmost a miserable blanket, no rations
sometimes, or, when we got any, a mere pit-
tance, barely sufficient to keep body and soul toge-
ther, and then flushing in among the well-clad and
well-found troops of the enemy, and thrashing them
to their hearts' content, I think you cannot, dear
--, but allow us some credit for all this.

I am not, however, now going to give yon an ac-
count of the war, but leave that gossip for some
other time, that is supposing the Yankees let me off
safe, for three times they have tried to send me to
my fathers. At Port Republic a ball in my throat,
now comfortably or uncomfortably, as you please,
resting under my right collar-bone. At Sharpsbnrg,
(it was hot work there) a crack in the ribs from a
minie ball, and, while I was debating in my own mind
the propriety of going to the rear upon the strength of
it, a shell bursting close to me, as I was in the
act of cheering on oar boys and leading a charge,
decided the matter for me—a fragment struck me
on the side of the head, and splitting my skull just
over the right ear, laid me low, " There goes the
sergeant-major; all up with the poor fellow at last,"
—was, as I have been told, uttered by many a kind-
hearted comrade, as I lay stretched senseless on the
ground, when, to the astonishment of all, I scrambled
up, picked up my cap, and, taking a man's arm,
started (bleeding like a pig) for the rear, first giving
the boys a parting hurrah. Now, that will do for
a little self-praise. I pass on to a subject of a more
painful nature, to which all bodily wounds or suf-
ferings are mere moonshine. I allude to poor
(the writer's wife) and the dear children. Just as
this war was on the eve of breaking out,l was daily
expecting them at —, and had made every ar-
rangement for their reception, when my wife, as you
know, met with an accident that nearly caused her
death, and before she could be moved the frontier
was closed. Since then I have never been able to
bear from her or of her, except on one occasion, and
that was at the time the Yankee army was retiring
after its second failure before Richmond. We were
pushing the enemy pretty hard, and, as usual, our
brigade was in advance. We had halted near Cul-
pepper for a short rest, when a small boy came
among us, and inquiring for me, he handed me a
slip of paper from —, (the writer's brother-in-
law), in which he said that he was in the 6th —,
(a Federal regiment), that he often heard from his
sister, and that both she and the dear children were
doing well. The very next day our and his brigade
met, and we nearly destroyed them. On the fol-
lowing day all that remained of them, as we after-
wards heard from some of the prisoners, were amal-
gamated with the remains of one or more regi-
ments. And, again, it was our lot to meet in
the woods of Shantilly. Here the death knell of
the Yankee army sounded, and to use the expres-
sion of an officer of the 6th —, whom I took
prisoner, " The brigade has ceased to exist." The
night was fine moonlight, and I hunted all over
among the dead and the wounded (and the 6th--
were literally piled up in heaps), but I did not find
him. I also made every inquiry among the pri-
soners, but without hearing any tidings of him, so I
am still in hopes, poor fellow, that he may have
escaped. Queer scenes are those of a civil war ! If
you have any news of my wife and the children try
and forward it to me. You cannot imagine how
miserable I feel. Many and many a night have I
spent gazing at the embers of our bivouac fire until
I saw all their darling faces before me; and, al-
though worn out with hunger and fatigue I would
hold on until the fire went out, or the grey dawn
started me to my feet, with the old words, " rouse
up, boys; rouse up and fall in." But I don't like
touching upon this subject, even with you, great as
I know is your love and affection for me. None but
those who feel as I feel and who are situated as I
am situated can realise my position. When you
write give me all the news about home ; bow all are
going on ; how all are : how is dear mother. I quite
dread the answer to that question, lest anything
may have happened her. As for myself, I never
was in better health in my life. In spite of every
kind of exposure I have never had a day's sickness,
or have I ever been to the rear except on the two
occasions on which I was so severely wounded, and
each time I rejoined my regiment before the wounds
were healed.

Since June, 1861, I have never slept in a bed, with
the exception of the two occasions above referred
to ; nor have I since the same date ever taken off
my clothes, except to wash, or to put on fresh ones;
these last being generally supplied from the kits of
our vanquished enemies—aye ! and not unfrequently
from the bodies of the dead!

Since March, 1862, we have never even had a tent
to shelter us; and you will agree with me, I think,
that fighting must improve my constitution, when
I tell you that last month we had a heavy snow-
storm which lasted for three days, during which I
was on the outpost duty with my company, and all
I had was one blanket to cover me, and a great coat
which I took off a dead Yankee sergeant at Frede-
ricksburg ; a few small cedar trees forming our only
shelter.

I have been a tremendous advocate of the open
air system, and as for damp clothes or wet shoes
being detrimental to health, I am of opinion that it
is not only a mistake, but quite the reverse. I even
purpose, if the Yankees don't nail me, to start a
series of lectures on the subject, and although some
of those who become converts to my theory may die,
of course it will be their fault and not mine. In
consequence of the heavy state of the roads at pre-
sent, and little chance of the enemy moving, we
have gone into winter quarters since the beginning
of the month. That is to say the men have con-
structed a species of mud huts, and the officers have
got a tent—one for each comu
pany—m
fixed ineisaa m
small
a
fireplace
laacnedatbyonae leinttdl,e
andingenuity,
amn
o I have
w
luxuriating along-
side of it with my paper on my knees (for we have I
not yet come to the luxury of a table or of a seat
other than the bare ground) listening to the rain
pattering away outside and to the wind howling
through the pines among which we are camped.
I had got thus far when I was interrupted by the
adjutant. By Jupiter, -- it is enough to make a
man swear ! After all my trouble to make myself
so comfortable, I have to go cn outlying picket to-
morrow, and to remain there for a week, as the dis-
tance is pretty considerable. It is on the banks of
the Rappahannock, and the Yankees are on the
other side. It is too bad; my splendid fireplace, the
envy and admiration of all, my comfortable bed of
dead leaves, all gone, and to be exchanged for a
bleak pine forest and half frozen roads. Well, there
is no use in growling.
Before bringing this to a close I will give you a
brief summary of my career in the C.S.A.:—In
Febraary,lB6l, I volunteered as a private, and joined
a company of riflemen then organising at —. In June
we were ordered to Camp Moore, and incorporated
into the C.S.A., and with nine other companies
formed into the There were several other regi-
ments forming at the same place, and I used to be
highly amused at some of the extraordinary notions

of most of these holiday soldiers, indeed, I may say
of all, for none anticipated what was to follow. I,
too, was out also, for although I looked forward to
a little work, I candidly acknowledge that I never
expected anything like what has taken place.
Shortly after our formation we were moved by cars
to Virginia, and, after a little marching and coun-
ter marching, pitched into the enemy at Bull Run
and at Stoney Bridge (commonly called the battle
of Manassas). The -, as our company was called,
was not present there, being on duty over the stores,
&c. Little or no fighting took place after that, both
parties being busy preparing for a grand pull. The
authorities then began to drill the gentlemen volun-
teers, to knock some notions of discipline into their
heads, and a great number of ridiculous ones, about
equality and such stuff, out of them. At this time
companies elected their own N.C.O. and officers. I
knew well enough that under these circumstances I
stood no chance of promotion among them. They
were all brothers, cousins, or somehow related to
each other; and besides, my ideas of military disci-
pline rather scared these gentlemen. I may here
mention that the right of election, except in the case
of the junior lieutenant, has very properly been long
since abolished. In October of that year, the colonel,
without consulting anyone, promoted me to be ser-
geant. In March, 1862, we retired from Manass_s,
and then the boys began really to feel what the
hardships of a soldier's life on service are. The wea-
ther was awful, and the roads all but impassable.
Next came the Valley campaign, as it is called,
where onr brigade showed what it was made; and
though you may think me a little too much my
own trumpeter, I will mention an incident
relating to myself which occurred there.
At -- our company, along with other
companies of the brigade, were ordered out as skir-
mishers to cover the advance. It was the first time
that our boys had been under regular hard fire.
As we moved on the enemy opened upon us from
the skirts of a wood in front. The fire was very
hot and heavy, and some of our boys began to tum-
ble over, and although not scared, yet the others
were certainly anything but comfortable.
Just in front of us was a fence; so, giving a rat-
tling shout, I yelled out, " To the fence, boys; take
the fence !" and, suiting the action to the word, I
rushed at it, cleared it, and, without firing, dashed
at the enemy with my bayonet. The skirmishers
all followed. The enemy's skirmishers were driven
back, and in a short time the day was ours. . .
Thus things went on until after the battles at
Richmond, when I was again promoted by the
colonel to be sergeant-major. A few more fights, a
lick or two more for me, and then came the three
days of Fredericksburg, and another Yankee army
had disappeared. Two days after the battle, being
at the colonel's tent on some duty, he handed me a
letter he was about to despatch to General Lee, onr
commander•in-chief, recommending me for a com-
mission for repeated acts of gallantry, &c. Pending
the reply, one of the companies having a vacancy,
offered me the lieutenancy, which, of course, I ac-
cepted. A most flattering approval of the colonel's
application was sent by the commander-in-chief;
and so determined was he to grant me the step as a
reward, that, as the company electing me happened
to have no officers remaining, I was at once gazetted
as captain, and ordered up the same day, without
previous warning, before the Board of Examiners,
stood a three hours' examination, and came off with
flying colours, compliments, &c. And thus, my dear
ends the yarn. And the late -, of the
-, is now a Captain of Rebels. How say you to
that, old fellow

[The friends of the writer of the above, not having
heard from him since the beginning of the war, suc-
ceeded in communicating with an officer of high rank
in the Confederate army. His kindness in replying
to their inquiries does so much credit to his heart,
and affords so interesting a finale to the preceding
narrative, that we cannot refrain from giving his
letter. Both communications came by the same mail.
" Headquarters, -- Brigade, Jan. 26, 1863.
" D ar Sir,—Yours of the 12th, making inquiries
of Mr. --, of my brigade, has just been received.
I am happy to inform T.O that he is still attached
to my brigade, and is in perfect health. He has
been wounded in some two or three different battles,
but his wounds though severe have left no ill effects.
Mr. -- joined as a private in one of the compa-
nies of my old regiment, and it may be gratifying
to his relations to learn that he is now a captain in
command of one of my finest companies, having
been promoted to this position for gallant and meri-
torious conduct. He is in all respects one of the
finest soldiers I have met with in our army, and is
unexceptionable as an officer. Captain —is at
present on picket duty. When he returns, he will,
I presume, avail himself of the opportunity of writ-
ing to his friends in England, and sending his let-
ters through you.
" —, Brigadier General Commanding."