The Sun.
London, England, 1862-06-19 00:00:00

THE CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA.

LIVERPOOL, WEDNESDAY.
The Hibernia, Captain Grange, has arrived with
the Quebec mails of the 7th.
In the Washington Senate, on the 4th, a resolu-
tion was adopted allowing hereafter a premium of
2 dols. for every accepted recruit to the regular
army, and allowing soldiers enlisting as volunteers
or in the regular army to receive their first month's
pay in advance. A joint resolution, suspending all
payments under the Act making payments to per-
sons employed in the department of the West, was
taken up and passed. The Tax Bill was then taken
up, and after some debate an amendment levying
a tax on cotton of half a cent. per lb. was adopted.
The amendment to reduce the tax on the receipts
of insurance companies from 3 to 1 per cent., was
rejected, but was subsequently reconsidered and
adopted. Mutual insurance companies were ex-
empted from taxation. Mr. Davis offered an amend-
ment to tax gold and silver plate, not over 50 dols.
in value, 3 per cent., and billiard tables 30 dollars
each, which was rejected.
In the House of Representatives, on the 4th, Mr.
Porter's motion to reconsider the bill to free the
slaves of those in rebellion against the United States
was rejected. Mr. Porter spoke in favour of his
motion, and Mr. Phelps against it. Mr. Vallan-
digham moved to table it, which was lost by a vote
of 65 to 84, and the motion to reconsider the Bill
was then adopted by a vote of 84 to 65. Mr. Porter
then moved to recommit the Bill to the select com-
mittee, with instructions to report a substitute
offered by himi which was adopted by the same vote.
The Secretary of the Treasury in a message sent
to Congress states that the total debt of the Govern-
ment on May 29 was 491,415,984 dols., and that the
interest paid average only 4.35 per cent.
From General Halleck the following advices had
been received :
" Halleek's Head-quarters, June 4.
" General Pope, with 40,000 men, is 30 miles
south of Corinth, pushing the enemy hard. He
already reports 10,000 prisoners and deserters from
the enemy, and 15,000 stand of arms captured.
Thousands of the enemy are throwing away their
arms. A farmer says that when Beauregard learned
that Colonel Elliott had cut the railroad on his line
of retreat he became frantic, and told his men to
save themselves the best way they could. We have
captured nine locomotives and a number of cars.
One of the former is already repaired and is run-
ning to-day. Several more will be in running order
in two or three days. The result is all I could pos.
eibly desire.

"H. W. HALLECK, N ajor- General.
"To the Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War."
A newspaper despatch states that, immediately
on the occupation of Corinth, forces from General
Pope's division were sent out in pursuit of such
Confederates as fled westward. General Granger,
in command of two regiments of cavalry, soon came
in the rear of the enemy, six miles south-west of
Corinth, and engaged in a fight. He lost 50 men,
but was afterwards largely reinforced, when the
Confederates York s
The New York World correspondent, writing
from Cairo on the Ist ;une, says—
As nearly as we can ascertain from parties who
have just arrived from the army, there is no fear of
the army of the rebels speedily uniting. The bulk
of the army has undoubtedly gone down the Mis-
sissippi Central Railroad to Granada via Grand
Junction, and the rest to Okolona, nearly 80 miles
south, on the Mobile and Ohio road. A third and
much the smaller portion of it is scattered along
the country between Corinth and the Mississppi.
These latter are the troops which have been em-
ployed in gnardingk the railroads running out of
Corinth, who, witnessing the general exodus, took
the alarm, and are now hastening over highways
and byways to points further south. The point
Okolona on the Mobile road can have no other
significance than being at a convenient distance
where to disembark the troops and return with the
rolling stock for other freightage. The destination
of all the troops which have gone by that route is
undoubtedly meridian, where a branch road con-
nects it with Granada. These two points will, we
believe, be the gathering points for such remains of
the army as can be gathered together. Large num-
bers of them are reported at Kossuth, Miss., and
some At Grand Junction, but it is likely they will
all remove to the main body further south."
From the valley of the Shenandoah the following
intelligence had been received :
" MARTINSBUBG, JUNE 4.

" Reliable statements from Strasburg say that
Jackson's whole force, with his train and prisoners,
succeeded in passing through toward Newmarket.
" The firing on Monday was an attack by Gen.
Milroy on 'Jackson's rear guard at Fisher's-hill, a
strong strategic point a mile and a half south of
Strasburg.
is From the best information attainable the
enemy held their ground and resumed their retreat
during the night.
"It is reported that Jackson's advance guard
were in Newmarket on Monday night. Generals
Smith and Long-street were in the valley with
15,000 men, but their exact position was unknown."
WASHINGTON, JUNE 4.
" No intelligence of public interest has been re-
ceived from the valley of the Shenandoah. The rise
in the Shenandoah embarasses military operations."
" HARPER'S FERRY, JUNE' 4.
" Mr. Eichelegar, formerly of New York, but
recently engaged in business at Winchester,
reached here to-day. Himself and partner were
taken prisoners by the rebels, but he managed to
escape, and walked to this place. The rebels took
2,100 prisoners, forty of whom were officers and
sixty civilians. They were taken to Lynchburg.
Our foreeit hold Martinsburg, and by this time
are at Winchester. Colonel Kenly of the Ist
Maryland, left Martinsburg on parole for Balti-
more, by way of Frederick, this morning,
Nine
deserters from Jackson's army were sent to
Baltimore this afternoon. Mr. Smith, master of
transportation of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad,
has gone to Martinsburg, He thinks that all the
damage done to the'railroae. by the rebels may be
repaired without difficulty, and the road put in
order by Saturday?,
Advices from Fort Pulaski to the 15th ult. state
that two boats'crews despatched by a reconnoitring
expedition had been captured by the Confederates
in Wilmington Narrows. Oa the 14th, a boat with
a flag of truce was sent up the river, and as it did
not return the Mayflower steamer was sent with a
flag of truce to inquire after it. The result is thus
reported
" lie(LteUt.Porter) return©d this evening,h,L,lns,
as is understood, not effected definite arrange
ment in regard to the subject of his. mission. He
learnt that the party sent yesterday were taken
prisoners by the enemy's
con-
finement to Savannah. picket, and sent in con-
For this gross outrage two
pretexts were alleged—first, that the party did not
carry a national flag, and second, that the flag of
truce was not sent by the hands of .a commissioned
Both these pretextiarO
into utterly
nt
officer.
Bacon, who bore a flag of truce the enemy's
lines last November, carried no national flag, and I
presume that in a majority of instances when com-
munications have passed over the lines, since the
landing of the expedition, no national
flaghas been
shown. And as to commissioned officers, a flag may
be sent by the hands of a civilian, or any person
whom the commander shall select. All that is re-
quired in flags of truce is that they shall be sent in
good faith, and not for the purpose of delay or
espial; that they shall be unarmed, and in no
stronger force
On the 18th the missing men were returned.
Gen. Dix, commanding at Fortress Monroe, had
relaxed all restrictions upon trade with Norfolk.
An order, datGeceln!antii
Wright,vracisco, April 30, issued
by Brigadier- i commanding the
Department of the Pacific, confiscates the property
of certain persons for aiding and abetting the Con-
federates.
The entire route of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road was open.
A letter, dated Mi
s"-13Pi Flotilla, above Fort
Pillow, May 29, says
" Here we are in front of the enemy's works with
a fleet larger, better protected, and better appointed
than at Fort Henry, Fort Donelaon, or Island No.

10 ; better protected, and more effective, probably, '
than either of the squadrons which achieved such
signal success at Port Royal or Hatteras Inlet ;
before us a work, certainly not superior to some of
these in strength, and in some respe2' s more dan-
gerously fatal to its defenders in the event of a brisk
attack than most of the above named. Beyond, and
with only intervening some few defences not pro-
bably very formidable as yet, but becoming more
so with every day's delay, lies the city from which
the rebels are now drawing the chief supplies for
their vast army at Corinth, acknowledgedly their
last hope in this struggle. Already deserters repre-
sent that their stock of provisions is becoming short,
and at the same time reports from Memphis indi-
cate that all the available stores in that city are
being seized by the Confederate Government for the
sustenance of its troops. Arkansas, and Texas also,
which h:.ve latterly contributed largely to the main-
tenance of the rebel army, are new compelled, by
the occupation of New Orleans by the national
forces, to make Memphis their route of communica-
tion. Let these sources of supply be now cut off by
the occupation of Memphis, and the huge army col-
lected at Corinth must fall by its own weight.
" Yesterday afternoon one of the newly-arrived
'rams' made a reconnaissance below the Point, ap-
parently to watch the effect of our shells, and re-
mained in full view of the rebel fort some 20 minutes
without any attention apparently being paid to her
presence."
Later despatches are as follows
" CHICAGO, 6TH.

gi Cairo despatches say the steamer Shinghers has
arrived from the fleet. At the time she left flames
werebreaking out from the barracks at Fort Wright,
and the gunboats had dropped down the river. The
steamer De Soto is expected this forenoon with full
particulars.

" Cairo, 6th.

" Fort Wright is evacuated, and we are now in
possession. The fleet has passed Fort Randolph,
en route to Memphis."
The following is General Banks's report of the
engagement near Winchester on the 25th ult :
" Headquarters, 3d Brigade, Camp near
Williamsport, Maryland.

" Agreeably to instructions received from head
quarters of the division, I have the honour to report
the movements of my brigade in an engagement
with the enemy on the 25th inst., in front of, and
less than a third of a mile from, the town of Win•
cheater, Virginia. At dawn in the morning I re-
ceived information through the officer commanding
the pickets that the enemy in large numbers were
driving them in and approaching the town. I im-
mediately formed my brigade in line of battle, the
right resting upon the commanding ridge, the left
extending into the valley.- The ridge surrounds the
town, which it holds as in a basin. It is less than
one-third of a mile distant, and presents many key-
points for positions.. I placed my artillery, battery
M of the let New York, composed of six 6-pounder
Parrott guns, under Lieutenant Peabody, upon the
ridge, and thus awaited further developments.
About 5 a.m. skirmishers from the 2d Massa-
chusetts, on the right and crest of the hill, became
sharply engaged. At about the same time I
directed the battery to open on the columns of the
enemy, evidently moving into position just to the
right and front of my centre, This was done with
admirable effect, the columns disappearing over
the crest. For more than an hour a fire of shell
and canister from several rebel batteries was directed
upon my position. My brigade, being somewhat
protected by a ravine, suffered but little loss.
The fire of our skirmishers, and the spirited re-
plies of the battery, with heavy musketry and
artillery firing on our left in Donnelly's Brigade,
were the only marked features of the contest until
after 6 a.m. At about 6 30, perhaps nearer 7 a.m.,
large bodies of infantry could be seen making their
way in line of battle towards my right. They
moved under cover of the dense woods, thus con-
cealing somewhat their numbers. I directed the
29th Pennsylvaniaßegiment, Colonel Murphy, and
the 27th Indiana Regiment, Colonel Colgrove, to
change position from the left to the right of line,
holding the 2d Massachusetts Regiment, Lieute-
nant-Colonel Andrews, first on the right in the
centre, the 3d Winconsin Regiment, Colonel Rnger,
forming the left. This movement I had hardly
completed, despite a new battery which opened
upon my line, when three large battalions of in-
fantry, moving in order of battle, came out from
their cover, and approached my brigade. They
were received with a destructive fire of musketry,
poured in from all parts of my brigade that could
reach them. Confident in their numbers, and rely-
ing upon large sustaining bodies, suspicions of
which behind the covering timber in our front were
surely confirmed, the enemy's lines moved on, but
little shaken by our fire. At the same time, in our
front, a long line of infantry showed themselves
rising the crest of the hills just beyond our position.
My little brigade, numbering in all just 2,102 in
another moment would have been overwhelmed.
On its right, left, and centre, immensely superior
columns were pressing ; not another man was avail-
able, not a support to be found in the remnant of
his army corps left General Banks. To withdraw
was now possible ; in another moment it would have
been too late. At this moment I should have as-

sumed the responsibility of requesting permission
to withdraw, but the right fell back under great
pressure, which compelled the line to yield. I fell
back slowly, but generally in good order, the 2d
Massachusetts in column of companies moving by
flank, the 3d Wisconsin in line of battle moving to
the rear. On every side above the surrounding
crest surged the rebel forces. A sharp and wither-
ing fire of musketry was opened by the enemy from
the crest upon our centre, left and right. The yells of
a victorious and merciless foe were above the din of
battle, but my command Was not dismayed. The 2d
Massachusetts halted in a street of the town to

reform its line, and then pushed on with the column

which, with its lotig train of baggage waggons,
division, brigade, and regimental, was making its
way in good order towards Martinsburg. My
retreating column suffered serious loss in the streets
of Winchester ; men and women vied with each
other in increasing the number of their victims by
firing from the houses, throwing hand grenades, hot
water, and missiles of every description. The hellish
spirit of murder was carried on by the enemy's
cavalry, who followed to butcher, and who struck
down with sabre and pistol the helpless soldier
sinking from fatigue, unheeding his cries for mercy,
indifferent to his claims as a prisoner of war. This
record of infamy is preserved for the women of Win-
chester. But this is not all. Our wounded in hos-
pital, necessarily left to the mercies of our enemies,
I am credibly informpa. W0l• Ft bar.........,1 ur 4u.
rebel infantry, in the same apartments where we,
when victors on the fields of Winchester, so ten-
derly nursed the rebel wounded. The rebel cavalry,
it would
d
doubted appear, gave no quarter. It cannot be
thatt they butchered our stragglers, that
they fight
ender -a black flag, that they cried as
they slew he
weary and jaded, ' Give no quarter to
the -Yankees,
• The actual number of my
brigade engaged
vita as follows:

2d MaSSachusett Restramt . Officers. Enlisted men.
Col. Andrews ........ .. , Lieut.-
3d Wisconsin Regiment, Cc:l...i; '' ' 27 580
24 550
27th Indianaßegiment,C?l.ool-Ig%
29th Pennsylvania RegimentMvl. 20 431
murphy . ...................... 17 452

Total ......................
88
2,014

Grand total ................
2Q
, from 102
From the testimony of our signal offiecreen
fair estimate of the number in rebel lines drawn nap
on the heights, from fugitives and deserters, the
number of regiments in the army opposite Winches-
ter was 28, being Ewell's division, Jackson's and
Johnson's
forces, the whole being commanded by
General Jackson. These regiments were full, and
could not have numbered much less than 22,000
men, the corresponding proportion of artillery,
among which were included two of the English
Blakely guns. Less than 4 000 men in two brigades
with 16 pieces of artillery, kept this large and un-
equal force in check for about three hours; then
retreating in generally
good order, preserved its
entire train, and accomplished a march of 36 miles."
A despatch from Nashville of the 4th inst. an-
nounces the arrival of 1,600 Federal prisoners cap-
tured at Pittsburgh Landing; 400 more expected.
It is said that the Confederates released them be-
cause provisions were soarce.

THE AILTIY.

The Meeanee, SO, screw steamship, 400-horse
power, was removed from the basin, in Sheerness-
yard, on Tuesday, after her bottom had been cleaned
and several serious defects in the coppering made
good. She is now ready for removal to her station
at Leith, where she is to take the place of the Edin-
burgh, 60, screw, coastguard ship, Captain C. F.

Schomberg.
The Rattler, 17, screw steam sloop, 950 tons, 200
horse power, is in the basin at Sheerness, being
fitted with all despatch for the Ist division of the
Sheerness steam reserve. The Rattler is a new vessel
recently launched at Deptford, and is fitted with a
pair of horizontal direct acting engines, by Messrs.
Maudslay, Son, and Field. She will be taken on
the contractors' trial 'of her engines in a few days.
The vessel is to be supplied with one 401 b. pivot
Armstrong, two 401 b Armstrong, 16 321 b. broad-
side guns, and a 121 b. howitzer for the boats.

The Resistance, 18, iron screw ship, 3,668 tons,
6UO horse power, is being brought forward for the
penant with all despatch, under the superintend-
ence of Capt. W. C. Chamberlain. Six gangs of
shipwrights belonging to Sheerness yard are busily
employed making alterations. She is to be commis-
sioned at once.

The screw steam sloop Columbine was yesterday
undocked at Woolwich, preparatory to being for-
warded to Sheerness, and the Rapid, lately com-
missioned, was docked for final examination.
The paddlewheel steam sloop Alecto, commander
Raby, V.C., recently arrived at Woolwich from
the West Coast of Africa, with disabled machinery,
is ordered to be paid off on Wednesday, next, the
25th. Commander Raby, whose signal acts of
bravery had already procured him the decoration
of the Victoria Cross, was wounded in the face in
his late successful onslaught on the insurgents at
Porto Novo in which one of the seamen was killed.
He is now suffering severely from the effects of the
climate. The Prometheus, also from the West Coast
of Africa, will be paid off on Saturday.
Mr. Holder was yesterday promoted to second-
class clerkship in Woolwich Dockyard, vacant by
the decease of Mr, Roy.

The construction of the various defences for the
protection of Pembroke Dockyard and the haven at
Milford have been vigorously carried on during the
spring. Batteries are now in course of erection on
four commanding sites—viz., Popton Point, Hub-
berstone Point, and South Hook Point, while new
fortified barracks are in progress at Scoveston. Up-
wards of 500 men are engaged on these fortifica-
tions.

The Eclipse, 4, screw-gun-vessel, 200-horse power,
and th eLilly , 4, screw gun-vessel,2oo -horse power, are
being brought forward with all despatch for the
first division of the steam reserve at Sheerness.
Each of these vessels will carry an armament of one
1101 b. Armstrong, one 681 b., and two 321 b. spherical
shotguns. Several gangs of ship Wrights are actively
employed upon them, and the vessels are to be ready
by the middle of July.
A court-martial was held on Tuesday on board
the Formidable flagship, at Sheerness, to try Peter
Kennedy, stoker, belonging to the Virago, for
assaulting, on the evening of the Bth of June, Mr.
H. J. Sones, assist.-engineer of the ship, in Blue
Town, Sheerness. The charge was preferred by
Commander William G. Hope-Johnstone. The
Court found the prisoner guilty, and sentenced him
to receive 48 lashes, and undergo three years'
imprisonment.
Several shipwrights from the Sheerness Dock-
yard are employed
,at Shoeburyness in preparing
the -Warrior target for further experiments. This
target has proved more invulnerable to shot than
any of those which have been tried,
In order to keep pace with the advance which has

been made during the last few years in the size of
ships, the new wet and dry docks and floating
basins in course of formation of Chatham will be
sufficiently capacious to receive vessels at least 100
feet longer than any of those now attached to the

navy. The works now in progress will include
three basine, the smallest of which will be larger
than that of either of our Royal dockyards. The
area of the three basins, exclusive of the additional
large docks also to be constructed at Chatham, is
considerably more than that of the total area of the
docks and basins at all our dockyards, including
two small basins at Woolwich and Deptford, which
are altogether useless for large ships. The total

area of the existing docks and basins at the various
naval ports is 41 acres, but the three new basins to
be formed at Chatham will give an area of 591
acres, the largest basin being 301 acres in extent,
or about five times the size of the principal basin at
Keyham, the largest of the kind in England. The
second basin will cover an area of 22 acres, and a
smaller basin, mid-distant between the two others,
with which it is connected, will be seven acres
in extent. The new works to be undertaken at
Chatham will make that naval establishment
considerably larger than the Cherbourg dock-
yard, where there • is a floating basin 50 acres
in extent. They will include three large docks
each 500 ft in length, and nearly 100 ft clear, and
two of about 400 ft in length, and 80ft clear. The
new docks will be formed on the south side of the
large basin, with which they will communicate
with locks, two locks also communicating with the
largest basin. Each lock will be 85ft clear, with
a depth of water on the sills of 30ft, by which the
Warrior, Black, Prince, and other vessels of that
class drawing 27ft of water, will be docked without
having occasion to be lightened, an operation ren-
dered necessary to all line-of-battle ships entering
either of the existing docks, with the exception of
Keyham. In the last, under certain circumstances,
as much as 27ft of water can be obtained at spring
tides. The length of the largest basin at Chatham
will be little short of 2,000 ft, with a breadth of
700 ft, which will enable six of the largest line-of-
battle ships to lie alongside each other at the quays,
while under pressing circumstances double and
even treble that number can be accommodated.
The length of the second basin will be 1,600 ft,
with a mean breadth of 700 ft ; and that of the
smallest basin 700 ft, with a breadth of 430 ft. Each
basin will have 30ft of water at neap tides. In order
to obtain the necessary depth of water for ships of
the largest size to ascend the Medway as far as
Chatham dockyard—which, from the numerous
shcals allowed to accumulate in the river, they are
now unable to do—a complete system of dredging
the river will be carried out. By this means the
necessary depth of water will be obtained, while
tha navigation will be rendered less difficult by
flaw Aral of Ch. sa.ftrrs ..m.-raa, wnd
a complete embankment of the river formed. Al-
ready the whole of St. Mary's Island, extending
towards the Medway some two or three miles, has
been embanked by 'means of convict labour, and
this will be continued towards the estuary of the
Medway. The river from the dockyard to Garri-
son Point, at Sheerness, a distance of about 12 miles,
will be deepened to form a channel 600 ft wide, and
27ft deep at half-tide, which will give 31ft at neaps,
and 35ft at springs. At present the depth of water
at low tide in Chatham harbour is only about 17ft.,
rendering it necessary for the Wellesley, 72, and
other vessels of war moored in the interior, to be
lightened of all their heavy stores to prevent their
taking the ground. In addition to the now basins
and docks the proposed enlargement of Chatham
dockyard will include the erection of large build-
ings for the steam factory, boiler-shop, and fitting-
shops, with the necessary stores, The entire works,
including the excavations for the proposed docks
and basins, will be executed by the convicts at
The
for t
Chatham, who have been occupied for several
months past in the manufacture of the bricks re-
qttired in the undertaking.
barkh
eOdi
Coastn, ofof
A frLiverpool,Africa,
w farso mt
towed
we nisnetao,
pwiths
coals.
Ply-
mouth last evening. She was disabled in the gale
of the 12th
instant off Cape Finisterre.
The Lady locel noutward bound, has passed
Y ,
Plymouth.
The followingUp n s liointme t were made yesterday
at the Admiralty --s
• arauel Bradd on , master, to the
Black Prince, commissioned
; Wm M. Chambers,
in the Cumberland, for the p ylades, confirmed as
chief engineer ; and Edward Taylor,supernumerary
in the Fisgard, promoted to engineer,