The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-19 00:00:00

LATEST INTELLIGENCE,

THE CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA,

NEW YORK, JAN. 8 (Morning).
Federal despatches, dated Cairo, the 7th inst.,

say :

The Confederate entrenchments and fortifications
extend back from Vicksburg six miles.
General Sherman's troops advanced to within
two miles of Vicksburg, when he was attacked by
a superior Confederate force.
The fighting upon Sunday, the 28th ult., was
very severe. Batteries were taken and retaken, and
the 4th lowa Regiment lost 600 men in killed,
wounded, and missing.

The Federal General Iforey, with 1,500 men, was
sent out to execute a special order, but has not
since been heard from. Fears are entertained for
his safety.

Confederate steamers are conveying reinforce-
from Louisiana shore to Vicksburg.
The Confederates have concentrated all their
forces from Jackson to Grenada, and along the line
of the roads, amounting to 65,000 men, at Vicks-
burg. This force attacked General Sherman on
Monday, the 29th ult., and caused him to fall
back to his first line of defence.

Fighting occurred on the 30th, after General
Sherman had fallen back, but it was thought he
could maintain his position.

Confederate General James E. Johnston com-
mands at Vicksburg.
General Sherman has not been reinforced by
General Grant, who is still at Holly Springs.
The Federals have destroyed the Vicksburg
Shreveport, and Texas Railroad as far as Delhi, a
distance of 33 miles.

It is supposed General Horey's mission was to
destroy this railroad, and, as he has not since been
heard from, fears are entertained that he was cut
off and captured.
Southern accounts, dated Vicksburg, 30th ult.,
represent that the Federals attempted to storm the
Confederate lines that morning, but were repulsed
with heavy loss.
Despatches from General Burnside's army say :
—" Although the Confederate force on our front has
been greatly reduced, and the army at Port Royal
entirely withdrawn from view, it is not believed
that any have been sent to reinforce General Bragg
from this point, but they have merely fallen back
upon the line of railroad for greater facility in pro-
curing supplies."

President Jefferson Davis passed through Au-
gusta, Georgia, on the 2d Jan., on his way direct
to Richmond. During his tour he inspected the
military situation at Murfreesboro', Jackson, Vicks-
burg, and Mobile.

General Butler had held a reception in Phila-
delphia, where he made a speech justifying the
hanging of Mumford in New Orleans. He said :
" Mumford tore down the Federal flag in daylight
in presence of the Federal fleet, leading the Fede-
ral commander to believe that the mayor of New
Orleans had concluded to renew the contest, and, if
it had not been for the caution of Commodore Far-
ragut, the city might have been bombarded." It
was in mercy to the town, that was hereafter to be
taken, that General Butler considered it necessary
to punish Mumford, according to the just laws of
war, after the restoration of quiet, whether rightly
or wrongly. The act still commended itself to
General Butler's judgment. Throngs of rowdies
and gamblers were assembled before the execution,
and resolved Mumford should not be hung. It
became a question whether they or Butler ruled
New Orleans, and from that day there was never
any question upon that subject.

Arrangements are being made to give Butler a
public reception in New York.
General Halleck has ordered General Grant to
rescind his order excluding Jews from the military
department in Mississippi.
The New York journal contain Washington de-
spatches, stating that the French Min ist. rat Wash-
ington had removed the French Consul at New
Orleans and appointed M. Fauaounet as his suc-
cessor.

Four ballots have been taken for the Speakership
of the Assembly of the New York State Legislature,
resulting in a tie vote each time, Dean, Democrat,
receiving 63 votes, and Sherman, It publican, the
same number.

General Grant has issued a general order de_
nouncing as disgraceful the surrender of Holly
Springs by the Federal forces, with all the cotton
and Government supplies. Grant says it was per-
fectly practicable to have defended the place until
the arrival of reinforcements.