The Sun.
London, England, 1862-07-03 00:00:00

to be hanged for aiding the escape of a spy. If 1
this was so, the President of the Confederate States
informed Gen. Butler that he should inflict the
same punishment of death upon a co ize,n of the
United States in retaliation.
In reply, Gen. Butler stated that t. e information
received by Mr. Davis was incorrec", and Mr. Van
Bentheysen was pursuing his ordinary avocations
in New Orleans, having been released some time
since on parole. Gen. Butler closed his note to
Gen. Lovell with the following remarks
To prevent the necessity of flags of truce con-
taining threats to me hereafter, allow me to add
that in no degree will they change the course either
of punishment or of justice which my judgment
may determine.

With respect to the attack on Charleston the
Boston Traveller says :—We have received a pri-
vate note from our correspondent at Port Royal, in
which he states that the effective Federal force en-
gaged in the attack upon Charleston does not ex-
ceed 5,000 or 6,000 men. Notwithstanding the
large numbers opposed to them, cur troops have
fought with great bravery, and in every engage-
ment have put to flight superior numbers. There
is, however, a loud call upon the Government to
send forward reinforcements,which are much needed
to garrison Port Royal and other points. With
the reinforcements which the enemy have undoubt-
edly been able to send to Charleston, we should
consider Gen. Hunter's army in a very dangerous
situation, were it not for his gunboats. These
having entire command of the water passages
around the islands, will doubtless be able to protect
him until he has a sufficient army to attack the
city.

The reported surrender of Fort Morgan, near
Baton Rouge, was premature. The power of de-
fence seems to have been greater than had been an-
ticipated. Both the gunboats and the flotilla had
hard work, while a severe land engagement had
been reported.
A Memphis despatch of the 17th says :—The
shipments north ap to-day have been—Cotton, 3,000
bales ; molasses, 5,000 barrels and 3,000 half barrels;
sugar, 6,000 barrels. There was much coming in
yesterday.
Provost Marshal Gould administered the oath of
allegiance yesterday to three hundred persons, in-
cluding 150 deserters from the rebel army, and five
commissioned officers.
.Beauregard's left wing extended to Hernando
South.

It is supposed the cotton burners are within six
miles of Memphis.
Last night there were reports of turbulence
among the slaves in Crittenden and Mississippi
counties, Arkansas.
The Provost Marshal General of Missouri had

issued an order instructing the Provost Marshal of
St. Louis to cause all persons in the city suspected
of disloyalty or sympathy with the rebels to take
the oath of allegiance to the United States Govern-
ment; and that all persons known to be disloyal
shall be required to give bonds for their observance
of the oath. The Marshal also directs the arrest of
all persons guilty of disloyal conduct, whether such
consists of acts, or knowledge of the acts of others.
Ex-Senator Pierre Soule and Sheriff Mazeran, of
New Orleans, reached New York on the 19th, and
were forthwith placed in Fort Lafayette as poli-
tical prisoners.
A Washington telegram of the 19th says :
The Post-office department has concluded an ar-
rangement with the Hamburg, Bremen, and Liver-
, pool line of transatlantic steamers, by which the
fastest steamer of each of the three lines are ac-
cepted for the United States Mail service through-
out the year, thus securing a fast steamer for the
conveyance of the mails on each of the United
States sailing days, viz., on Saturdays from New
York, and on Wednesdays from Southampton or
Liverpool.
English papers by the last steamer assert that
the Circassian condemned for attempting to run the
blockade could not have entered oar Southern ports
on account of her great draft of water, but it is
known by the Government that the Circassian was
not only bound to Charleston, but the facts show
she could easily have entered New Orleans, Mobile,
-Pensacola, tia-vannah, Unarleston. or wkimington.
The vessel and cargo are valued at about one
million four hundred thousand dollars, after paying
all the expenses of the prize court, which it is said,
are extravagant; one half of the remainder goes to
the Government, and the other moiety to the offi-
cers and crew of the vessel which seized the prize.
Congress has inquired why the prize courts of
Philadelphia and New York do not take any action
towards condemning some of the rebel vessels
which have been captured. The result of the in-
quiry may produce facts of a startling character.
Three or four thousand seamen for the naval ser-
vice are immediately wanted. At present there are
only 39 men available in all New England. The
question is asked, where are all the New England
fishermen ?
In the House of Representatives on the 19th Mr.
Arnold, of Illinois, from the committee, reported a
bill establishing at Chicago a national foundry for
the manufacture and repair of ordnance and muni-
tions of war, and appropriating 200,000 dols. for
the purpose. Also for establishing naval depots
and yards on Lakes Erie, Michigan, and Ontario—
appropriating 250,000 dols. The bills were referred
to the committee of the whole. A resolution was
adopted in favour of the adjournment of Congress
on the 30th June, provided the Senate concurred.
The city of Philadelphia tendered, through one
of its representatives, as a free gift:to the govern-
ment, the property known as League Island, for
the purposes of a navy yard.
The bill to free from servitude the slaves of cer-
tain " rebels" engaged in or abetting the rebellion
was passed in the house by a vote of 82 against 54.
The latest dates from Mexico, via Havannah, are
to the 2d June. General Douai had left Vora Cruz
with 800 men and a convoy of provisions for the
French encampments. There was no news from
the interior.
IThe Canadian news is unimportant. The latest
INew York telegrams to the evening of the 21st
quote sterling exchange at 118 for bankers' and 117
for commercial bills; gold, 61 per cent. premium ;
United States Sixes of 'Bl, 103. Cotton was ad-
vancing under the poor prospects of supply from
the South. Sales of three days, 4,500 bales. Mid-
dling Upland, 32c. Flour sells at 4 dols. 60c. for
extra State ; mixed corn, 53e. Spirits : turpentine
j dull at 1 dol. 35c.

CAPTURE OF A -CONFEDERA7E GUN-
BOAT BY A NEGRO.

A brave deed has just been done by a negro,
one of that race that slaveholders tell us
are not able to take care of themselves. Nine
coloured men, comprising the pilot, engineers, and
""v of the rebel gunbcat Planter, took it under
their exclusive control, passed the batteries and
forts
flag, lirl ran out
Charleston harbour, hoisted the white
thence to pout to the blockading squadron, and
Broad River": Royal via St. Helena Sound and
the flagship Wabash at ten
o'clock in the eainchg
evening, The guiding spirit was the
pilot, Robert Small, who
that harbour. He entered
upon his duties
planned the expedition
and carried it out.
Re is an intelligent negro,
born in Charleston, and employed for many years
and
onboardabout t
as pilot in
Planter some six weeks
as he says, adopted
since, and, the idea of
running
the vessel to sea from a joke which
one of his
companions perpetrated. He immediately cautioned
the crew against alluding to the matter in any Ncy ay
on board the boat, but asked them, if they Wanted
to take it up in sober earnestness, to meet at his
house, where they would devise and determine upon
a plan to place themselves under the protection of
the Stars and Stripes instead of the stars and bars.
Various plans were proposed; but finally the whole
arrangement of the escape was left to the discretion
and sagacity of Robert, his companions promising
to
to obey him and be ready at a moment's notice
accompany him. For three days he kept the pro-
visions of his party secreted in the hold, awaiting
an opportunity to slip airY• At length on Mon-
day evening, the white officers of the vessel went
on shore to spend the night, intending to start on
the following morning for Fort Ripley and to be
absent from the city for some days. The