The Sun.
London, England, 1865-04-11 00:00:00

THE CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA,

(From the Times' Correspwzdent.)

NEW YORK, March 28.
The roar and din of battle have recommenced
along the lines of Petersburg and Richmond, not on
this, as on so many previous occasions, at a signal
given by the invader ; but by the deliberate act of
the invaded. Lee's, ormore probably Beauregard's,
attack upon the supposed weak point of Grant's
army at Fort Steadman was brilliantly successful
for awhile ; but for want of adequate force to retain
what was won against the fresh troops and superior
numbers of the adversary, the result was unsatisfac-
tory as well as dearly purchased. Military critics do
not, however, imagine that the object of the Confe-
derate generalissimo has been entirely frustated by
the unexpected stand of the Federals at this point,
but are of opinion the movement was intended to
derange the plans of General Grant for a combined
naval and military attack upon Richmond, and that
to this extent it has been successful. However this
may be, Admiral Farragut's fleet of Monitors, iron-
clads, and other vessels is still in Hampton Roads,
awaiting orders, while Mr. Lincoln protracts his
visit to Grant's headquarters as if he expected to be
a spectator of the final catastrophe. It is not im-
possible, however, and, according to many who
sympathise with the South and, in spite of its recent
disasters, hold firm to the faith that it will yet tri-
umph over all obstacles—it is not improbable that
the abandonment of Richmond may be a necessary
link in the chain of some scheme of strategy which
General Lee has formed to retrieve the falling for-
tunes of his country, and transfer the brunt of war
to regions where he may inflict more and receive
less damage than in his present capital.
The struggle between Grant and Beauregard—
if the latter be, as is believed, in command of the
defences of Richmond—has not been ended or
delayed by the capture and recapture of Fort Stead-
man, but at the time at which I write is still raging.
On the line of Sherman's march it would seem, at
first glance, as if he were carrying all before him,
and that having been joined by the supporting
columns of Generals Terry and Schofield, the Con-
federates can no longer successfully withstand him.
But careful investigation of the confused and con-
tradictory telegrams that Mr. Stanton receives and
publishes, and of the confessions of Federal writers
and spectators, shows that Gen. Johnston is syste-
matically, if not successfully, impeding and harass-
ing Sherman's advance ; that the army under his
command, composed at first of but loose materials,
increases in numbers, improves in discipline, and
warms in spirit every day; that it is not his purpose to
risk a great battle, but to retire gradually, doing
his enemy all the mischief he can, and detaining him
as long as possible at every stage of his progress, suc-
cessively abandoning to him every city and town at
which he appears disposed to halt, and either draw-
ing him on to Raleigh and beyond it to the line of
the Roanoke, or forcing him to the lines of the Neuse
and the Cape Fear River, or even to Wilmington, if
he, by a march too protracted in another direction,
should find himself in danger of interrupted sup-
plies. The final stand, if Sherman persists in ad-
vancing, will be made on the Roanoke—a position
said to have been deliberately chosen for the purpose
by Gen. Lee, strong by nature, strengthened still
further by art, and admirably adapted by the con-
figuration of the ground for protracted defence by a
comparatively small army against an opponent thrice
as numerous.
So confident, however, is the North of speedy
victory that it is considered treason or fatuity, or,
at the best, a very virulent form of Copperheadism,
in any one to hint that the end may not be so near
as it seems. No one cares to listen to such treason-
able hints. The World newspaper, the organ of the
War Democracy—or that portion of the Deiriocratic
party which, in consideration of the submission of
the South and the re-entrance of all the States into
the Union, would grant the South every favour and
immunity it could fairly ask, including complete
amnesty, the repeal of the Confiscation Acts, the
better definition and more solid guarantee of State
rights, and the perpetuation of negro slavery—is, or
appears to be, as thoroughly convinced as the most
joyous and sanguine member of the Abolitionist and
Republican party that the struggle of the South is
within a few weeks of its final collapse, and that the
number of those weeks maybe counted on the fingers
of one hand. The Republican party is even more san-
guine than the Democratic in its anticipation of the
immediate close of the war. In the New York, Times of
yesterday—a journal which represents that section of
the Republicans of whom Mr. Seward rather than Mr.
Lincoln is the leader—an article appears, which fore-
shawdows a war on behalf of Republicanism in Mexico
as not only the necessary, but the immediate conse-
quence of that peace between the North and South,
which it looks upon as certain to result within a few
weeks from the operations of Generals Grant and
Sherman. The writer states in effect that whether
the Federal Government may or may not feel dis-
posed to take part in such an undertaking, it may
and probably will be compelled to do so by thespon-
taneous action and irrepressible enthusiasm of the
American people, who, he believes, will rush in mul-
titudes to that rich and coveted land. " -Whatever
may be the policy of our Government," says the critic,
" sixty days will not elapse after the disbandment of
our armies before Maximilian will see the gleam of
American bayonets. Thousands of soldiers in both the
national and Confederate armies have contracted a
taste for war that would of itself draw them into any
military field within their reach. Other thousands,
who would be willing enough under ordinary cir-
cumstances to return to peaceful pursuits, would be
eager to join in clearing the continent from Imperial
usurpation. Our Government has no power to pre-
vent any such soldier, after his discharge, from going
to Mexico and enlisting after he gets there under the
Republican flag." The worst part of this statement
is its undeniable truth, as far as the North is con-
cerned. " Could," the writer continues, " those
who had been American soldiers fight foreign mer-
cenaries for any length of time on behalf of Repub-
licanism without so firing the American heart at
home that the Government would have no alterna-
tive but to launch into to the conflict ?"

Once more New York is to witness the renewal of
the draught. The bounty money contributed by in-
dividuals, municipalities, and counties is exhausted,
and volunteering has come to an end. No Irish,
English, or German mercenary, and no Yankee
patriot offers himself at the recruiting-office ready
to sacrifice his life or his limbs for a cause he is told
to believe the noblest in the world. The fiat has
consequently gone forth from the Government and
from the Provost-Marshal for the turning of the
wheel that is to make compulsory soldiers out of
thousands of citizens who would rather chop wood,
drive a plough, sit behind a desk, or wait upon the
ladies in a palatial Dry Goods Store than take part
on the battle-field in conquering the valiant and par-
ticularly obstinate South. To-morrow, it appears,
is the day of destiny ; but as most people believe
that General Lee is not only awaiting a graceful op-
portunity to give up the contest, it is highly
probable that few of the conscriptible class will

manifest any anxiety for the result, or greatly care
whether their names be or be not drawn from the
wheel, unless it be among those who have the means

to pay for a substitute, who have determined not to

serve in person, and with whom it is wholly a ques-
tion of money, and not of principle, who can there-

'ore afford to possess their souls in patience.

Ma. MUTT'S MISSION TO VIENNA.—On Friday
last the Emperor of Austria received the Right lion. W.

Hutt, 31. P., at a private interview, the tenor of which is
said to have been highly favourable to the success of the
right hon. gentleman's mission to Vienna, although it is
not to be concealed that the difficulties are still formidable.

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