The Sun.
London, England, 1862-12-01 00:00:00

AMERICA.

'he New York, Times of the 19th ult. contains
th..:l following summary of intelligence:—
" Our reports from the army of the Potomac are
to the effect that all was quiet along the front—
wherever that, may be. A rumour prevailed in

Washington. last evening that our rear column had i
had an engagement with the enemy, but it could
not be corroborated."
A special despatch from Warrenton, Nov. 17, to
the Philadelphia Press, says:—
The whole army will be in motion when this
meets the eye of the reader. General Hooker was
advancing by daybreak this morning. He will be
followed to-day by the grand divisions of Sumner
and Franklin. Jackson is retreating behind the
Manassas Gap. He lingers in the valley to observe
oar movements and try to entrap a train of stores
occasionally. In this he has failed several times of
late, and he is now falling back toward Charlotte-
Tulle. Our army moves with renewed and buoyant
spirits, and we may look for the happiest results
whenever and wherever the enemy is found."
The Wheeling Intelligeneer is of the opinion that
the apprehension of a raid by " Stonewall " Jack-
son on Cumberland and Creek is without foundation.
It says :
" A highly intelligent gentleman with every faci-
lity for obtaining correct information, and who
made it a part of his business to do so, has just
come through from Baltimore to Hancock. lie has
satisfied himself, from evidences obtained along the
route, that Jackson's main army is ain
stationed at Ste-
phenson's depot, four miles north-east of. Winches-
ter, on the -Winchester and Potomac Railroad. His
men are destitute of tents, and it is believed that he
cannot possibly in their present situation even en-
tertain the idea of such an enterprise as the move-
ment apprehended. He certainly could not perform
it unless the weather were remarkably mild, and
he would hardly risk such a contingency.
In connection with this the Harper's Ferry corres-
pondence of the Baltimore American is of interest :
rising, and when the flow
,‘ The river is slowly
from the mountains comes down, will be fordable
only at the most favourable points. With the rivet
in its present condition, and the likelihood of its
soon being much higher, it is hardly probable that
Jackson will cross into Maryland, unless he should
get possession of the railroad bridge at North
Branch, eight miles below Cumberland. It is to be
presumed that point is so well guarded by this time
as to render it safe.
" The most stringent measures are to be adopted
with regard to those officers of the army who per-
sistently remain absent from their commands with-
out adequate excuse, and proper means are to be
adopted to reduce the number of absentees from the
army generally."
A despatch from Washington to an evening paper

says :
" It is believed here that an attack upon Charles-
ton will not be long postponed. The rebels have
been making preparations for the attack for several
weeks, and if they are to be believed, will not sur-
render the city, simply because it may be at the
mercy of one of our ironclads. The inhabitants will
be ordered to leave, and the town, if necessary, will
be consigned to flames rather than be surrendered.
So far as I can learn, both army and navy desire
that the rebels should take precisely this course,
feeling that it would be fit and proper that this trea-
sonable city should be destroyed: The preparations
for attack are so perfect that there can be no doubt
whatever that one or more ironclads will succeed in
approaching the town, at least within shelling dis-

tance."
Gen. Morgan's Cumberland Gap army has been
ordered into Kentucky from Western Virginia. The
6th Tennessee Regiment passed through Louisville
on Friday, and the other two Tennessee regiments
were en route.
The friends of the admistration, in reply to the
censures of General M'Clellan's partisans, confi-
dently assert that the Government is in possession
of letters from that officer, written during his Penin-
sular campaign, admitting that the force under his
command was ample for the objects he had in view.
They also assert the existence of evidence, that while
be was seemingly anxious to continue his operations
against Richmond from that base he was actually
intriguing to be recalled, and that he anxiously
awaited those orders' to that effect against which he
vehemently rem onstra ted when they were received,
The New York Times says, in reference to the
alleged complaints of foreign powers relative to the
seizure of vessels attempting to run the blockade :
" The sending of a commissioner to New Orleans,
and the appreciation of his impartial report upon
the subjects which he examined according to
the strict principles of law, are regarded as an ear-
nest of the intentions of the administration to
act with circumspection and justice regarding all
matters in which diplomatic relations are involved.
Probably the public will soon know that our own
government has in turn complained about the Ala-
bama, and in other cases of violation of neutrality.
The meeting of Congress will, as usual, bring out
the correspondence, which cannot fail to acquaint
the country with the true condition of our foreign
relations.
The New York Herald's summary contains the
following :
" The Union forces, consisting of over 700,000
men, are distributed and commanded as follows :
Gen. Burnside, with the whole army of the Potomac,
aided by Heintzelmann and Sigel,4s to take care of
Richmond ; Gen. Cox is making a rapid march to-
wards the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad; Gen.
Peck and Gen. Foster are to look after the Southern
communication of Richmond ; Gen. Banks and Gen.
Hunter are to look in at some of the Southern ports

now held by the rebels; General Rosencranz is
moving through Central Tennessee, General Gran-
ger through Kentucky, General Grant into Mis-
sissippi ; General Schofield defends Missouri, and
General Curtis is below him on the west side of the
river ; and General M'Clernnnd will soon be on his
way down the Mississippi river."
The following is the latest intelligence from the
seat of war :

" WAshington, Nov. 17.
" The army of the Potomac is again on the move,
not toward Richmond by way of Gordonsville, but
toward Richmond by way of Fredericksburg. In
other words, the basis of operations has been
changed to Acquia Creek, and the advance is to be
made along the Richmond and Fredericksburg
Railroad. Fredericksburg, is nearer to Richmond
than
Gordonsville, and will be occupied without a
battle. This change in the programme was known
in Richmond twelve hours before the Federal army
commcnced to move."
General Burnside has officially informed the War
department that
no resignations of officers in the
old army of I\l`e,ellan have been tendered. and that
everything i,
going on as smoothly as could be ex-
peered.
The Washington correspondent of the New York
7 imes observes
upon
of
..
tho the fact of the change in the
imtiocvhemmoehndts:_ Federal army being known in
44 To stop the leaks of intelligence in the adminis.
trative vessel seems
a i task. Not a day
passes but some important Vet
tecsiree la o f the government,
guarded with savage
jealousy against
or its agents.
against inquisitive
loyalty, comes to us from
Richmond
fully de-
The latest was the I..roposed change on
operations of the Potomac.
after It Ras ,tiof base in the
termined on 'Thursdayursday
night,
theon headquartersscttur the
v i Bio
tf
(generalof General Halleck to
(general Burnside ; and
e learned via Baltimore of the quaking night
isaP l
r.n
e-
liension which this decision had inspiredP
the minds of the citizens of Richmond.
Thisis
was
twelve hours before the army had struck its tents
end commenced its new movement.
like this si:ow Hilt the fatal defects
" Incidtrits
in the Admini2tration of our War Department, so
whether
low, deplored, are still in existence, und
they result from treachery or
babblings of senility
imbecility—tbe reve-
lations of official spies or the
—must be cured if we are in earnest in our work."
Major-General Nl4Clellan is expected to visit New
York in the latter part of the present or early next
week, and measures are being taken by his friends
to give him a public reception. The Common
Council has already complimented the general by
resolution, and it is more than likely that at the

neat meeting of the aldermen, the committee on
National Affairs will be authorised to tender him

he hospitalities of the city, including 4 public

dinner.

It is rumoured that President Davis has offered
a million bales of cotton for sale at 7 nts a pound

payable in gold. lie agrees to give permission for
its shipment, the buyers to arrange with the United
States Government as to exemption from seizure on
the high seas.
The draft ordered for to-day (Nov. 19) in Con-
necticut has been postponed indefinitely, and the
governor has called the General Assembly to con-

vene on Dee. 9 to organise the militia.
The National lntelligencer says:—
"We learn that at the Navy-yard on Friday last
an experiment was made with ale-inch Dahlgren
(smooth bore) gun. A solid shots weighing 1301b5.,
was thrown at an iron clad target at a distance of
500 yards, perforating the iron plating four inches
thick, as also 10-inch oak planking, passing out
the other side. The plating was torn into fragments,
one piece flying backwards into the joiners' shop
200 yards in the rear of the gun and 700 from the

target."
The New York, Times says
The statements that Gen. Fremont is to be as-
signed to the defence of Washington are emphati-
cally denied by his friends."
The United States steamer Dacotah arrived at
New York on the 17th inst,, from a craise in
search of the steamer Alabama. She sailed on the

sth inst., and has been cruising between the east
end of Long Island and Cape Hatteras, in the track
of our treasure ships, but so far without finding the
rebel pirate.
The New lark herald says :
" It has been rumoured that, another rebel steamer
sailed on a trial trip from Liverpool recently, which
is ascertained to be the Columbia, late of the Gal-

way line, which has been rebuilt by Mr. Laird,
M.P., the constructor of the Alabama. Several
vessels of known speed and drawing little water
are being purchased in England by rebel agents.

The St. Louis News of Nov. 14 says :
" The movements on the river and on land in the
West indicate that a movement of considerable im-
portance in the South-west is about to be made. It
is not yet given out what the exact character of the
movement is to be, but its object is pretty well un-
derstood and heartily approved throughout the
West. The rebels themselves have had wind of it
for at least 10 ten days past. They construe it as

an intended expedition against Vicksburg, designed
to reduce that place and re-open the Mississippi to

New Orleans. They are, therefore, exerting them-
selves to the utmost to meet us there, and make a
desperate resistance. It is reported that nearly all
the rebel forces in Arkansas have been withdrawn
east of the Mississippi, and stationed near Vicks-
burg, and the disappearance of the enemy recently

in front of General Schofield, in North-western

Arkansas, gives colour to this conjecture. It is
probable also that they will abandon all northern
Mississippi, and withdraw the larger portion of their
army now in front of General Grant to reinforce
their forces at Vicksburg.
Should Vicksburg prove to be the point of con-
test, it will prove no child's play. The rebels have
not less than 50,000 men massed to defend it, and
it is certain they will defend it with desperation.
What the strength of our forces will be we are not
prepared to say ; but one thing is certain—if the
object of the movement be to capture Vicksburg, it
will be accomplished.
The barque Clara Rosa Sutil, Captain Scandella,
arrived at New York on the 18th inst., bringing ad-

vices from Maracaibo to Oct. 23. The revolution
in Maracaibo continued. The town and bar were
being strongly fortified. A fleet of five schooners
and a number of smaller craft were about the
harbour. The Government of Caraccas had five war
schooners outside the bar blockading. Capt. Scan-
della managed to get out his vessel through the
French Consul, who had gone down to the bar to
get in a French barque that was anchored outside.
The barque Yeate was outside the bar.

The New York Tribune says:—
" All statements that there is any variance be.

tween General Halleck end General Burnside are
pronounced erroneous. They are in perfect accord
with respect to the conduct of the war."
The report of General Rosencranz on the battle
of Corinth has been published. He summarises the
results of the battle as follows :
" We fought the combined rebel force of Missis-
sippi, commanded by Van Dorn, Price, Love!, Villi-
pigne, and Rust in person, numbering, according to
their own authority, 38,000 men. We signally de-
feated them with little more than half their num-

bers, and they fled, leaving their dead and wounded
on the field. The enemy's loss in killed was 1,423
officers and men ; their loss in wounded, taking the
general average, amounts to 5,692. We took 2,248
prisoners, among whom are 137 f eld officers, cap-
tains and subalterns, representing 43 regiments of
infantry, 16 regiments of cavalry, 53 batteries of
artillery, and 7 battalions, making 69 regiments, 7
battalions, and 13 batteries, besides separate com-
panies: We took also 14 stands of colours, 2 pieces
of artillery, 3,300 stands of arms, 4,500 rounds
of arms, and a large lot of accoutrements. The
enemy blew up several waggons between Corinth
and Chewaila, and beyond many ammunition
waggons and carriages were destroyed, and the
ground was strewn with tents, officers' mess
chests, and small arms. We pursued them 40
miles in force and 60 miles with cavalry. Our loss
was only 315 killed, 1,812 wounded, and 232 pri-
soners and missing. It is said the enemy were so de-
moralised and alarmed at our advance that they set
fire to the stores at Tupello, but finding we were not
close upon them, extinguished the fire and removed
the public stores, except two car loads of bacon,
which they destroyed.
It is stated that the formidable iron-clad steamer
Roanoke, now finishing at the Washington navy-
yard, and which is to be ready within a short time,
has been definitively assigned by the Government to
the defence of the harbour of New York.
The Federal Navy Department has received vo-
luminous despatches from the Gulf, stating that the
United States gunboat Sagamore, on Oct. 28, cap-
tured the English schooner Friar, of and from Nas-
sau, with a cargo of Ino bags of salt and miscella•
neons articles. On the 23d the same gunboat cap-
tured the English schooner Francis, of and from
Nassau, with salt, powder, gin, &c.
The schooner Rachel Seaman, on Oct. 6, cap-
tured off Sabine Pass the English schooner Dart.
The steamer Kensington recently captured the
English schooner Adventurer attempting to run the
blockade off the coast of Texas.
On the alernoon of Oct. 30, the United States
steamer Connecticut, Commander M. Haxton, cap-
tured the English "whitewashed', brig Hermosa.
She is deeply laden with a full cargo, consisting of
drugs, dry goods, army blankets, hardware, powder
shoes, wines, quinine, and a well assorted cargo ge-
nerally. When captured, she was close under the
shore, say about two miles, and about 15 miles east-
ward of Sabine. Com. Haxton put a prize crew on
board the brig, and sent her to Key West for legal
adjudication.
The trial trip of the Federal iron clad steamer
Passaic took place on the 15th. The Nem ark
Herald publishes the following account of the trip :
The Passaic left the wharf at the foot of 13th-
street, between 10 and 11 o'clock in the morning, and
steamed up the North River against n strong ebb
tide and a heavy northerly wind. Her speed from
the start averaged about seven knots through the
water, and her screw only making 58 turns, which
is 22 less than she has the power to give. But the
boilers foaming, it was not deemed advisable to
drive
her up to her maximum speed, the trial being
more for the gun than the vessel. Her speed was
remarked by all on board, many thinking she was
going faster th...n she really was, but the log gave
the true
The air wa figure
cold and the breeze very piercing,
fi
s .
but the anxiety astoook.
On arriving
the result of the experiment
kept everyone on deck.
On a point opposite Fort Washing-
&us headedunder
thein towardsthe western
shore
hoe
fPathses Passaic w
river
or
a
Pallisades, when, selecting uninhabited spot, cliffs of thep
was determined to see the Effect against the ot, it
rocky
bulwarks of the noble Hudson. The steamer was
stopPed, and the 15-inch gun was loaded with 20