The Sun.
London, England, 1862-10-24 00:00:00

(sued, and a regiment of sharpshooters were sent out
to feel the enemy, whom it found about Val ee quar-
ters of a mile from the town advancing i full force.
Fire was opened at once, and the r_, iment fell
slowly back to our works. The latt I opened on
the rebels, who despite the rapid th ning of their
ranks, charged the works, broke our lines of in-
fantry, end captured a swan fortification. They
entered the streets of Corinth, but were checked
by the fire from new batteries, and were forced
to fall back. Thus the day was saved.
The enemy lost, it is said, at least 20 to our one in
the charge. Their force numbered about 50,000
men."

The following is M'Clellan's general order thank-
ing the army of the Potomac :
" GENERAL ORDER No. 160.

" Head-quarters Army of the Potomac, Camp
near Sharpsburg, Oct. 3.
" The commanding general extends his congratu

tions to the army under his command for the victo-
ries achieved by their bravery at the passes of the
South Mountain and upon the Antietam Creek.
The brilliant conduct of Reno's and Hooker's corps,
under Burnside, at Turner's Gap, and of Franklin's
I corps at Crampton Pass, in which, in the face of an
enemy strong in position, and resisting with obsti-
nacy, they carried the mountain and prepared the
way for the advance of the army, won for them the
admiration of their brethren in arms. In the memo-
rable battle of the Antietam we defeated a nume-
rous and powerful army of the enemy in an action
desperately fought and remarkable for its duration,
and for the destruction of life which attended it.
The obstinate bravery of the troops of Hooker,
Mansfield, and Sumner ; the dashing gallantry of
those of Franklin on the right ; the steady valour
of those of Burnside on the left, and the vigorous
support of Porter and Pleasanton, present a brilliant
spectacle to our countrymen, which will swell their
hearts with pride and exultation. Fourteen guns,
39 colours, 15,500 stand of arms, and nearly 6,000
prisoners, taken from the enemy, are evidence of
the completeness of our triumph. A grateful coun-
try will thank this noble army for achievements
which have rescued the loyal States of the East
from the ravages of the invader, and have driven
him from their borders. While rejoicing at the
victories which, under God's blessing, have crowned
our exertions, who have laid down their lives upon
the battle-field, martyrs in their country's cause.
Their names will ever be enshrined in the hearts of
the people.—By command of Major-Gen. M'Clellan,
" SETH WILLIAMS,
Assistant-Adjutant-General."
According to the New York 7imes the Federal
forces on the Potomac now number nearly a quar-
ter of a million, and it wants to know what they
are waiting for. It believes the army is stronger
now than it will be in the spring, even if conscrip-
tion is resorted to, and shows the necessity for an
immediate attack.
A fleet of mortar vessels and gun boats had left
Pensacola for Galveston, with a view it was sup-
posed of attacking that place.
A despatch to the _Richmond Dispatch, dated
Savannah, the 4th, states that the Federals attacked
the Confederate batteries on the Ist, and after two
hours' fighting were repulsed. They subsequently
landed in force at Grenville Point, and marched to
the rear of the battery, where a fight commenced,
of the result of which no information had been
received.
General M'Clellan was in Philadelphia on the
night of the 9th on private business, but returned
to his headquarters on the following morning.
Returned prisoners from Richmond mane more

- ----
favourable reports of the state of affairs in that

city. It is stated, among other things, that " there
appeared to be abundance of salt, flour, fresh beef,
and shoes among the soldiers. Good discipline pre-
vailed among the rebel troops. They treated each
other with great kindness and courtesy. No whisky,
no drinking or card playing was allowed among
them. Much comment is made by the rebel troops
as to the careless manner in which our dead were
buried on the plains of Manassas. All the rebel
soldiers denounced Gen. Pope, but speak in most
complimentary terms of Gen. M'Clellan. The coun-
try districts are exhausted of food for man or beast,
and in consequence apprehensions exist of great
distress among the people during the coming win-
ter. Everybody has plenty of paper money of all
descriptions_ The treatment of the Federal pri-
soners has been changed for the better_ The rebel
troops are rapidly receiving their new uniforms,
consisting of dark grey weollen jackets and light
blue pants; and they say there is no lack of arms,
and that they have more cannon than can be used.
The general impression among them is that the
war will not end until the expiration of President
Lincoln's term of office. Everybody, however, is
sick of hostilities, and the soldiers desire to return
home, yet one constantly hears the remark, ' You
may exterminate us, but you cannot subjugate us.'
The new Merrimac is not finished yet. Eight
dollars a bushel was asked for sweet potatoes. Rye,
coffee, and sugar brought one dollar a pound each.

There was little or no molasses for sale. Tin drink-
ing cups sold for 25c. each, and all other necessaries
in proportion."

The Confederate Congress was considering a bill
to tax the people 20 per cent. on the gross income
of each person, in return for which they are to
receive Government Eight per Cent. Bonds. That
body has postponed an adjournment until Oct. 13.
The excitement attendant on the approaching
state elections evinced increasing discord and bit-
terness. The Republicans of New York City had
held a great • meeting to ratify the nomination of
General Wadsworth as their candidate for go-
vernor. The speakers thoroughly approved the
proceeding of the Lincoln administration, even in
the matter of arbitrary arrests. The New York
World says of the meeting :
" The Emancipationists' ratification meeting at
the Cooper Institute last evening was a remarkable
gathering in every respect. A crowd assembled to
hear the Hon. Edward Everett, who was announced
to speak, but who, of course, did not, as it is to be
presumed that he disapproves of the emancipation
proclamation in toto. Instead of the accomplished
Massachusetts statesman, the audience were put off
with an eccentric old gentleman, who not many
years since bitterly regretted in a public speech
that he was not born in Virginia. His performance
last evening was a very sharp personal attack on
Hon. Horatio Seymeur. Hon. Lyman Tremaine
favoured the audience with a second edition of the
late Albany speech. The noteworthy part of this
meeting is the hearty endorsement by the speakers,
the audience, and the resolutions, of the recent 111
and it was
arbitrary arrests of the administration. Liberty of
werewh scoffedte
mend h ano rights
at,
espveideecnhtalyndcoonf thesidei e
which Government were bour d to respect. It is
yet to be seen whether this is also the opinion which
press
ethats s
the people will express by their votes next
November."
At the Democratic State Convention of Massa-
chusetts resolutions were read urging the President
to stand by the constitution ; repudiating the
meeting of the governors ; eulogising General
M'Clellan ; regretting that the President had issued
an emancipation order and suspended the writ of
habeas corpus, and calling on him to grant free
speech and free press. The motion to adopt the
people's ticket, nominated at Faneuil Hall, was dis-
cussed with warmth, but not decided. The convell-

tion adjourned in great confusion, without either
adopting the resolutions or nominating a state

ticket.
The Baltimore election proceeded quietly on the
Bth. General Wool had a squadron of cavalry ready
and a small force of infantry, to be called upon in
case of need. The Union candidate for mayor, J.
L. Chapman. was elected by a vote of 7,694 over
occur-
rence in
Frederick Fick, independent.
Electioneering meetings were of nightly occur-
uemocratic head
vered an eloquent
the hall to '
, against thel
New York. At one of them held at the
and advocated the
. ticket. At another
were made by Judge
asttqwouowarintegr.B,.Richard O'Gorman deli-
vered
speech to an audience that filled
zDelnionHe took strong grounds
erotc.lamations of the President,
of the Democratic state
aatie gathering speeches'
constitutional liberty for whited others, claiming
The elections in Pennsylvania7.ohio, Indi
Illinois, and lowa, were to take place on the ;II