The Sun.
London, England, 1862-08-25 00:00:00

TUE CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA

ARRIVAL OF THE AUSTRALASIAN.
LIVERPOOL, AUG. 23.

The Royal Mail steamer Australasian, Captain
Cook, which sailed from New York on the 13th
inst., and called at Queenstown yesterday to land
mails and passengers, arrived in the Mersey shortly
before eleven o'clock this morning.

A telegraph summary of her news has alreaity
been published.

The New T ark, Herald of the 13th says :

" George Pope reports to Gen. Halleck that Jack-
son's rebel forces retreP.hied under cover of Monday
night across the Rapidan river; that the rebel rear
guard was crossing the river towards Orange Court
House yesterday morning ; and further, that the
Union cavalry and artillery were in pursuit.
It is plain from the result of the action that
Gen. Jackson's forces must hP.ve suffered severely.
The prisoners report thP.'c their own troops were
mowed down like glass, and that they were three
times heavily reinforced.

" Over 20,000 of the rebels took part in the action,
hut only two divisions of Gen. Banks's army were
engaged. A telegvam, dated Culpepper Court
Rouse, Virginia, evening of the 12th, says :-
44' The battle of Saturday, the 9th, is one of the
most important of the war, not merely on account of
the desperate valour and unfaltering discipline dis-
played by our troops, the obstirmy of the contest
and the heavy loss on both sides, but because of
its important effect on the campaign of which it
makes a part.

The campaign on the part of Jackson is an at-
tempt to penetrate and recover the valley of the
Shenandoah, whence the richest supplies of the
enetay are drawn, and the possession of which was
of a practical importance in the endeavour to hold
Virginia as a part of the attempted Confederacy
hardly to be estimated. At the same time the rebel
leaders hoped by this movement to so threaten
Washington and Maryland as to relieve Richmond
and withdraw oar armies to the line of the Poto-
mac. To secure such objects as these, and know-
ing that the Government was now relatively weaker
and the 'rebellion stronger than could again occur
in the 'war, the Richmond leaders sent the flower of
the Southern infantry under their most popular
and enterprising generals; a large body of cavalry
under their most distinguished cavalry officer,
Major-General Stuart, and an abundance of artil-
lery.

" When Jackson had arrived with his forces as
far as Louisa Court House and Gordonsville, and
found the dispositios of General Pope's troops such
that not only his purpose to enter the valley was
foiled, but his own direct communications with
Richmond were interrupted, he called for further
reinkrcements, and with those which were freely
furnished attempted to stem General Pope's
further advance upon that railroad, the destruc-
tion or even the permanently threatening of which
must bar from Richmond all hope of the mate-
rial or political control of Central Virgi.
nia. Jackson attempted by a feint upon
Morrison Court House and Sperryville to detain
our force at the latter point, While at the same time
he threw the mass of his forces, numbering 35,000
men, by way of Orange Court House, upon ns at
Culpepper, expecting to find only a portion of our
forces there, which he could overwhelm, and then
-march on Sperryville from Culpepper, and crush
the army corps of Sigel. His plans were com-
pletely foiled by the rapid concentration of our
forces at Culpepper, and their advance to meet him
at Cedar Run. The cool and determined temper
of Banks accepted the proffered battle as soon as
offered, and the battle of Saturday afternoon was
fought between the advance of Jackson under him-
self and Ewell. After endeavouring in vain t o
rout and drive Banks's corps, Jackson found him-
self compelled at night, by the rapid movements in
front of him, to fall back to a strong defensive po-
sition in Cedar Mountain, and finding his line of
retreat growing insecure, on the succeeding night
he retreated altogether, retiring beyond Robert-
son's River, and again beyond the Rapidan.
The result is Jackson is again foiled and forced to
abandon his operations, and his prestige is seri-
ously impaired. He will be rapidly followed.'
" The following is Gen. Pope's official report :
" Cedar Mountain, Virginia, Aug. 12.

" The enemy has retreated under cover of the
night. His rearguard are now crossing the Rapi-
dan towards Orange Court House. Our cavalry
and artillery are in pursuit.
JOHN POPE, Major-General.
" ' To Major-General Halleck.'
" There is no news of importance from General
M'Clellan. The camp is very quiet, and the health
of the command has been greatly improved.
" The rebel General Morgan is reported to hav e
taken possession of Gallatin, Texas, which he has
occupied with a large force of rebels. Col. Boone,
of Kentucky, and four companies of troops from
that state, are said to have been captured.
" From Missouri we learn that Independence was
captured by the rebels, 1,500 strong, under Colonels
Hughes and Quantrell, after an hour's fighting.
There is great excitement at Lexington, and every
one is arming for the conflict.
" It has been semi-officially announced that draft-
ing cannot be put in operation in New York State
until Ist September; as it will take until that time
to complete the preliminary arrangements."
The following Southern telegrams give the de-
tails of the reported capture of Baton Rouge and
the destruction of the ram Arkansas. A special
despatch to the Mobile Advertiser and Register,
dated Jackson, Bth, says :
, General Van Dorn permits me to copy the fol-
lowing despatches

" Amite River, Aug. 6, 1862.
44 About one o'clock this morning the Federal
gunboats attacked the Confederate ram Arkansf s.
Messengers inform rue that she fought them well
for some time, inflicting great damage. She was
then blown up by her crew. The messenger thinks
they all escaped.

JOIIN C. 'BRECKENRIDGE.'
; Collett's River, 10 miles from Baton Rouge,
August 6, 1862.

" ' We occupied the whole of the town
and the
battlefield till evening, but no decisive result was
gained after my last despatch.
Therebeing no
water between here and the MisiissiPPi River corn-
pelted me to come here. I moved at my own
time and in order. The Arkansas laid With
her machinery injured 50 miles above the town
all day yesterday. Her commander sent
me word last evening that he would try to
get her up the river, and asked if it
be possible
to send her a boat to aid him. From the reports
she is permanently unserviceable. We burned
nearly all of their camps and a large amount of
stores. and cut them up badly. General Williams
and other prominent officers are killed.
" J. C. BRECKINRIDGE.

" Rumours says that General Clark is a prisoner.
Parties from the field say that our victory was com-
plete. The ground was strewed with the dead and
wounded.

The Richmond fl 'Mg, of the 9th August, says:
—' The confederate sloop of war Arkansas, Lieu-
tenant TT. K. Stevens, of South Carolina, command-
ing, left. Vicksburg on Monday to co-operate in the
attack on Baton Rouge. After passing Bayou Sara
some portion of her machinery became disabled,
and she was hauled in towards the shore for re-
pairs. Whilst in this position she was attacked by
a fleet of Yankee gunboats from below. After a
gallant resistance she was abandoned and blown
up. The officers and crew, we are informed,
reached the shore iu safety.'
ic A special despatch to the Mobile Advertiser and
er, dated Knoxville, yesterday, says:—
Heavy skirmishing commenced on Tuesday with
a large portion of the enemy at Tazewell, seven
milcs front Cutnlicrlud Gap. one
G.neral S:f.venson•s force was engaged oburiiro...44_lesidoef:
r ianngd cut
11“, ,leqign was to gain the enemy's rear our
The artillery
tio,nt off rront the gap• was
very heavy. Several prisoners have been brought
in from Tazewell. No particulars of the fight re-
ceived. General Rains, at last account, was mall_
ing a forced march to gain the enemy's rear.
Brigadier General W. R. Caswell was this after-