The Sun.
London, England, 1862-09-20 00:00:00

TIIE CIVIL WAR iN AMERICA.

(From the Times' Correspondent.)

BALTIMORE, SEPT. 5.
Acturn est de Bepubhca. The Republic, one and
indivisible, is at its last gasp. These words, which
elicited such indignant and angry vituperation when
ventured on by impartial foreigners many months

ago, will, seemingly, be more calmly read when
they return to this distracted country, sick with
civil broils, a few weeks hence. The truth is still
very far from being known in New York and Phil-
adelphia, and possibly may never be known in all its
features. The wail of a nation in its agony will
probably not ascend to Heaven till many weeks
have passed, and hope has long fled. But few im-
partial persons can doubt that the last few days
have seen the crisis of the American Republic.
It must be premised that the full and trustworthy
history of the scenes which took place during the
whole of last week, and up to Tuesday of this week,
can never be told upon earth. Bat when Stonewall
Jackson and Lee have time to take the pen, which, un-
like Northern generals, they have never throughout
this struggle considered mightier than the sword,
but have, as far as possible, abjured the use of, we
shall learn succinctly and intelligibly the plan of the
recent campaign and its method of execution. As
it is, we are tossed about, without rudder or com-
pass, on a sea of rumours, and much that is now be-
lieved in the North may require subsequent modi-
fication. The following is something like an outline
of the incidents which are supposed to have oc-
curred.
Gen. INl‘Clellan's army broke up in a pitiable con-
dition from Harrison Landing. Little is said in
the North about their sufferings there, but modern
warfare has witnessed nothing worse. The South

seems to have been satisfied that, after M'Clellan,
through the alleged incompetency of Magruder,
had escaped by the skin of his teeth, it was not ne-
cessary to watch and harass his broken and shattered
army further. All eyes were turned northwards,
and On to Washington !" was universally the cry.
It was intended that the decisive battle before
Washington should be fought long before it was
possible for M'Clellan to join Popo. Dut duriug the
first 15 days of August a most unusual spell of heat
fell upon Virginia ; the glass for many days was
above 100 deg. of Fahrenheit in the shade, and
Jackson's bold operations were delayed. The scene

of his recent movements is through one of the
thirstiest and least-watered regions of Virginia, and
it is impossible that his men should not have suf-
fered grievously from lack of water, judging from
the account of the few prisoners taken and brought
to Washington. It is not necessary to say more in
this rapid sketch than that Pope, driven to the
northern bank of the Rappahannock by Lee, was
there kept by the latter, and amused by many
manceuvres, which afforded him matter for several of
his characteristic despatches, in which he announced
that his enemy was falling back to Gordonsville.
Nothing was further at that moment from Pope's
intentions than to fall back one step further towards
Washington. Was he not committed to abandoning
lines of communication, and recognising no retreat
except that of his broken end discomfited foe P Lee
continued to fool him to the top of his bent, in
order to gain time for Jackson to cross the
Rappahannock, and turn Pope's right. At this
perilous moment Jackson was disconcerted by a
tremendous thunderstorm and heavy fall of rain—
the breaking up of the torrid heat before mentioned
—and found the Rappahannock impassable. He
boldly made towards its head waters, got across
there, struck into the mountains, and passing out
through Thoroughfare-gap, followed the line of the
Manassas-gap Railroad, and gained Pope's rear
without being observed. The first notice of an
enemy behind him vouchsafed to Pope was the
raid of Stuart's cavalry upon Catlett's-station, on
which occasion Pope's private baggage, official
papers, and those of his staff fell into Stuart's hands.
It is related that among the spoils General Pope's
commission was secured, but Stuart hastened to re-
turn it, apprehending that it might be revoked and
another general substituted in Pope's place. The
first raid on Catlett's-station was thought a most im-
pudent and daring proceeding, but did not alarm
General Pope. It was only when the subsequent
descent upon 1/mamas-gap Junction was made,
and property estimated at the value of 5,000,000
dols. captured and destroyed, that Pope became
seriously alarmed, and discovered upon investiga-
tion that Jackson with a large force was in the rear,

that his own communication with Washington was
cut, several bridges burnt, and his army in immi-
nent danger. Seeing that instant retreat was his
°Lily hope, rue— seal eeele in three columns, two
of them retiring towards Centreville, tux the third,
under Gen. M'Dowell, having been despatched to
gain Thoroughfare-gap and intercept Jackson's re-
treat, Jackson, having secured at Manassas station
such an amount of supplies as to suffice for his men
for several days, and having then burnt a large
amount of rolling stock on the Orange and Alex-
andria Railroad, sent a hasty messenger to Long-
street to hurry up through Thoroughfare-gap, and
turned himself fiercely upon General M'Dowell.
Then was fought, on Friday, August 29, what
is called the Battle of Groveton, concerning
which Pope's despatch has long been before the
public, claiming the victory and promising to cap-
ture Jackson the next day. A telegraphic message
from General M'Dowell to Mr. Chase was simul-
taneously published, requesting Mr. Chase to
make known to Mrs. M'Dowell that her husband
bad safely passed through another battle of Bull
Run, and had gained a decided victory. It appears
now that the actual despatch sent by General
M'Dowell was that he had passed through another
battle of Bull Run with a worse result than before.
Instead of the victory claimed by Pope, instead of
Thoroughfare-gap being closed by M'Dowell, Jack-
son had more than held his own ; and upon Satur-
day, August 30, he again advanced, reinforced that
morning by Longstreet and Ewell; and, supported
by Lee advancing from the Rappahannock, drove the
Federals with great loss back towards Centreville.
From this moment, in spite of the constant asser-
tions in the Northern papers that there had been no
fighting on Saturday, the Confederates pressed con-
stantly upon the Federals and drove them first off
the battle-field of Friday, then back to Centreville,
then through Centreville to Fairfax Court-house,
near to which, at a little place called Chantilly, fell
one of the most gallant officers of the Federal army
—General Kearney. The Englishmen who passed
last -winter at Washington, and especially those
who witnessed General M'Dowell's review near
Alexandria, will well remember his alert soldier-
like form, his empty sleeve telling of the Mexican
war, his grey charger, the partner with him of
Mexican battle-fields, A better and more dashing
officer served not in the Federal army, or one more
adapted to conduct such raids as those which have
made lituart famous. Throughout this lamentable
war there hes never been, an the Federal side, any
to search out men
disposition Peculiarly adapted for
special services, and to detail theeefor the discharge
of congenial duties, Had any sad, disposition
Kearney would not
existed, General have fallen
without leaving a reputation behind him commen-
surate with his worth and ability as a soldier.
From the time of his death and that of General
Stevens on Tuesday, the 2d of September, the re.l
treat of the Federals has been rapid and continuous,
On Wednesday, September 3, the whole army was
safe, cowering behind the fortifications so long
occupied last winter, which gird the southern bank
of the Potomac opposite Washington. -Within those
fortifications it is absurd to think for a moment
that they will be attacked by such a general
as Lee. Immense reinforcements have constantly
been pouring for days past from the North into
Washington, and there must be at least 150,00()
men defending the forte which protect it. The de-
signs of the Confederates are already patent, and
4e6ea to be to make a dash between Lessburgh and
irarper's Ferry into Maryland, where a Confede-
probably be a snowball growing and
rate force will
gathering step
by step as it advances northward.
Meanwhile
Gen. Pope, under whose guidance the
Federal fortunes, which have long ceased to he
brilliant, kid fallen to their lowest ebb—without
clothes, without papers, with nothing but his re-
covered commission, beaten, baffled,, disgraced, has
taken np his position close to the quarters occupied
Is 4 wintu, by Gienersi wodovrch on Upton'it