The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-11 00:00:00

THE ARMY.

A rumour was current in military circles at
Chatham yesterday that, in consequence of the
menacing news recently received from America, the
Government intend to despatch some additional
troops to augment the forces already in British
North America. The troops at present stationed in
our American dependencies include the let battalion
of the Grenadier Guards, the 2d battalion of the
Scots Fusileer Guards, the Ist battalion of the 16th
Regiment, the 4th battalion of the 60th Rifles, the
62d Regiment, the Ist battalion of the Rifle Brigade,
and the 10th battery of Royal Artillery, forming
the garrison of Montreal; the Ist of the 15th Regi-
ment, and the 63d Regiment, at New Brunswick;
the 3d battalion of the Military Train, the 15th
battery of Royal Artillery, the 4th company of
Royal Engineers, and the 2d battalion of the 16th
Regiment, at Nova Scotia; the 30th Regiment, at
Toronto ; and the 47th Regiment, at Kingston.
The whole available force of the Royal Engineers
at head-quarters, Chatham, have been employed
for some months past at the practising-ground at-
tached to the Royal Engineer establishment,
Brompton, in making the necessary excavations,
forming parallels, driving galleries, and preparing
the batteries and subterranean earthworks in antici-
pation of some siege operations on a most extensive
scale which are to be carried out at the garrison in
the course of a few days, and in which all the avail-
able troops will take part. The whole of the opera-
tions up to the present time have been carried on
under the superintendence of Lieut.-Col. Lovell,
C. 8., the director of field-works, and, in order that no
delay may arise in the completion of the siege works,
the officers and men of the Royal Engineers have
been employed night and day for some time past. All
the batteries are now completed, and these are model
works of their kind. Although no day has been
officially announced for siege operations, it is pro-
bable that they will take place on Friday next, by
by which day the entire works are to be completed,
orders to the effect having been issued to the Royal
Engineer department of Chatham garrison. It had
been anticipated that the Prince of Wales might
have been present on the oceasion, but as his
Royal Highness has proceeded to Scotland it does
not seem now probable that he will visit the gar.,
rison to witness the siege operations.

An order has been received at the camp at Col-
chester permitting soldiers to volunteer into any of
the regiments now stationed in New Eealand—viz.,
the 2d battalion 18th, and the 40th, 57th, and 70th
Regiments. All men who volunteer and are found
fit for actual service will receive the same bounty of
£l. A number of men from the different depots at
Colchester have come forward for service in the
colony. Capt. Jones, of the 97th, has received
orders to join the service companies of that corps,
and Capt. Pocklington, of the 2d battalion 5111
Regiment, will join the depot companies. Silver
medals for long service and good conduct have been
presented at the camp to the following non-com-
missioned officers and privates :—Privates Barrugn
and Crookshanks, of the 44th; Sergeant ;Pearson
and Private Lovelock, of the 97th ; and Sergeant
Craig, of the Army Hospital Corps. These medals
are in•some instances accompanied by gratuities of
£lO and £5. They were presented by Col. Guy,
C. 8., commandant of the troops in camp.

A circular bas been issued from the Horse
Guards stating that his Royal Highness the Field-
Marshal Commanding-in-Chief has been pleased to
direct that the last post shall beat off at 9 30 p.m.
from the Ist of May to the 30th of September, and
at 9 p.m. from the Ist of October to the 30th of
April at all camps and garrisons, unless the rule be
specially altered by the general officer commanding
the district, who is to report his reasons for taking
such a course.

The gentlemen cadets studying at the Royal
Military Academy at Woolwich will close their
half-yearly vacation on Wednesday next, and re-
sume their studies on the following day, Thursday,

Colonel M'Murdo on Volunteer Discipline.

On Saturday Col. M'Murdo inspected the St.
George's Rifles in High Park, and at the close, in
the course of a very complimentary speech, he re-
marked on the subject of Volunteer discipline, in
connection with which he took occasion to refer to
the recent accident at a Volunteer review in Devon-
shire. He said :--

Devonshire, the day before yesterday.
" I will tell you what happened at Haldolne,aiwn
nearly 3,000 men of all arms pass me. As they
were wheeling at the moment of marching past
the grand stand, on which were seated some 200
of their dearest relatives and friends, gave way
with a terrible crash. Those dear friends
were, I myself thought, precipitated into eter-
nity. Men of St. George's, what was the effect
of discipline on those 3,000 Devonshire Volunteers
who were then being inspected ? At that awful
moment not a man moved out of his rank. Although
the hearts of those brave men must have sunk
within them at the thought of some near relative or
friend being crushed to death, like good soldiers
they kept their ranks, trusting their commanding
officers would do all that was possible for the relief
of these so dear to them. (Much applause.) They
knew the best way of rendering assistance was by
remaining firm, and being employed under the
direction of the commanding officer. I ordered a
hruomaei
ads could u l d
couple of troops of cavalry to keep back the crowd
fm
an pr
onefftheeuersufferers. The other volun-
teers, knowing that everything nt
their
ewi
ra
ranks
abnoki ne g.
(Cheers.)done tht
t
Not a sound was to be heard- amongst them. (Great
If one man had said, My wife is there,'
oappr,lmauyse.) daughter is there, I must go to see her,'
what would have been the result ?
It would have
been one mingled mass of confusion. I therefore
say it is most creditable to the volunteers that,
when tried under such painful circumstances as
those, they showed the good effects of their disci-
pline. (Hoar, hear.) But therremiesananoththaetr
time
areand by ;
brought
in front of an
that
when
mthaey vocalumnateebrsy
enemy. It is almost like child's play now com-
pared with the realities of that time when you
would be going into action. But a man
in judici-
ously rearing his children teaches them so that
they
may be best prepared for the stern experiences
of
after-life. I tell you this : if ever you are brought
in face of an enemy, and you see your dear friends
falling around, and your hearts prompt you to fall
out of the ranks to help them, don't do it. Never
forsake your own post. Let the man lie where he
falls. You must stand to the point in which you
are placed, so that you may achieve the object for
which you are there—victory for your glorious
country. (Applause.) And when victory is secure
it will enable those who are specially appointed to
render the greatest service to those who have been
wounded. Your gallant officers who have medals
on their breasts--(cheers)--can bear me out in say.

ing that it is too much the custom of men to fall to
the rear by way of helping comrades. However
desirous they may be to assist a wounded comrade,
it exposes them to the suspicion that the service is
one for the friend and two for themselves. (Hear.)

Enormous Capture of Blockade Runners.

LIVERPOOL, Monday.
From advices received here by the Persia we
learn that the Federal cruisers were making sad
work of the steamers and sailing vessels engaged
in running the blockade. Letters from Nassau
state that between the 6th and Bth of July the
following vessels cleared for St. John's, N. 8., but
in reality for Wilmington and Charleston :—The
Charleston, Racoon, Antonica, Ella and Annie,
Hebe, Kate, Elizabeth, Pet, Cronrtadt (just arrived
from Hull), and Lizzie. On the 3d and 4th the
steamers Banshee and Juno sailed. Of these
steamers four have been captured—namely, the
Racoon, Charleston, Lizzie, and Kate, while it is
reported that the Ella and Annie had been chased
ashore at Charleston, and destroyed by the Federal
gunboats. The other steamers captured are the
Emma, Merrimac, and Kate Dale, together with
about a dozen schooners and brigs. The Merrimac
was captured by the United States gunboat Iro-
quois, on the morning of the 25th ult., after a
chase of seven hours, having run the block-
ade of Wilmington the night previous. She
is a side-wheel iron steamer, of 535 tons
measurement, 600-horse power, and built in
London in 1862 fox the Confederate Govern-
ment. She had a cargo of 576 bales and
34 half bales of cotton, 11 kegs of tobacco,
and a quantity of turpentine, &c. The Lizzie
was captured on the 15th ult., after a chasing
of two hours by the Santiago de Caba, while at-
tempting to run into 'Wilmington. Her cargo con-
sisted of dry goods, brandy, soap, provisions, &c.
The Emma was captured on the 24th ult., in lat.
33.41 N., and long. 76.13 W., by the United States
transport Arago, Captain Godsen. The Emma was
observed early in the morning of the 24th, and as
she looked somewhat suspicious chase was at once
given by Captain Godser, although the Arago was
conversation took place. Capt.
anvessel
unarmed
the
following vessel. On
w with the strange
Godsen being the interogator :—Q. What's the
name of your vessel ?—ii. She has not got one.—.
Q. What's your name —A. David Leslie, Q.
Where are you from ?—.l. Dixie.—Q. Where are
you bound ?—A. I don'; know. Q. Who does
know ?—A. Nobody. c Why did you throw
cotton overboard?—A. To lighten ship, and to get
out of your way.—
Q. Wtere are you bound?—A.
ilawful
of prize. The
Nowhere; but its no use talking any more. The
Emmaship i s
hadf roma Dixie,m oa t
valuable
ai
bs yourecargo cotton, resin,
and turpentine, and is Pell-known as a famous
blockade runner. The arrivals of blockade run-
ners at Havanna are as follows;—July 13th, Eng-
lish steamer Alice, three cloys from Mobile, with
cotton, was chased by Federal cruisers, and had to
throw overboard 249 bales-15th, steamer Ala-
bama, three days from Mobile, with cotton, was
chased, and threw overboard 180 bales-16th, Spa-
nish steamer Isabel, two bye from St. Mark's,
with cotton, and steamer Fanny, three days from
Mobile, with cotton and turpentine.