The Sun.
London, England, 1862-04-01 00:00:00

THE CAPTURE OF NEWBURN.

" BALTIMORE, March IS.—Sergeant •Major D. Ii
Johnson, of the 23d Massachusetts Regiment, came
a passenger by the steamer Commodore, in charge
of the bodies of Lieut.-Col. Merritt, of the 23d
Massachusetts Regiment, and Adjutant Stearns, of
the 21st Massachusetts Regiment, who bravely fell
whilst leading on their regiments in an attack on
the batteries of the rebels at Newburn.

"From Sergeant-Major Johnson, who was in the
fight, we gather the following interesting parti-
culars ;

" ' Our troops, under General Burnside, landed
on Thursday evening near the mouth of Swan
Creek, on the wet side of Neils° river, 15 miles
below Newborn. Owing to a dense fog, the naval
vessels did not participate in the fight. Early on
'Friday morning the fight commenced. Our troops
an dense
advanced. along the country road running parallel
w
T'illell the Neuso river, but a mile or two in the rear.
road :aa was skirted on the west side by a rail-
swamp. All along the river side
were a aeries
t:fafbatteries, which were taken by
hand-to-hand contter another, after some bloody
Our troops were divided
into three brigad„ utTiv'th,
rind
.Parke. -we
na.76.iic4 Generals Reno, Forster,
Fortinr;• their r71:19., until g7alinnlly filo enemy de-
N. e reaehui
works uttendiug stress the a line of earth-
c'stld, from the river toj

" Flag Officer,—ln consequence of the wound
of Flag-officer Buchanan it becomes my duty to
report that the Virginia left the yard this morning
at 11 o'clock, steamed down the river past our bat-
teries, and over to Newport News, where we en-
gaged the frigates Cumberland and Congress and
the batteries ashore, and also two large steam fri-
gates, supposed to be the Minnesota and Roanoke,
and a sailing frigate and several small steamers
armed with heavy rifled guns. We sank the Cum-
berland, drove the Congress ashore, where she
hauled down her colours and hoisted the white flag;
but she fired upon us with the white flag flying,
wounding Lieut. Minor and some of our men. We
again opened fire upon her, and she is now in flames.
The shoal water prevented our reaching the other
frigates. This, with approaching night, we think,
saved them from destruction. Our loss is two
killed and eight wounded. Two of our guns have
the muzzles shot off; the prow was twisted, and ar-
mour somewhat damaged ; the anchor and all flag-
staffs shot away, and the smoke-stack and steam-pipe
were riddled. The bearing of officers and men was all
that could be wished, and, in fact, it could not have
been otherwise, after the noble and daring conduct
of the flag-officer, whose wound is deeply re-
nmravee
cs;clifficaedbythaelml soenlvberirna'o-Z jounliihniamlY.
were accompanied from the yard by the Beaufo-rt
Lieut. Parker, and Raleigh, Lieut. Alexander, and
as soon as it was discovered up the James River
that the action had commenced we were joined by
the Patrick Henry, Com. Tucker ; the Jamestown,
Lieut. Barney ; and the Teper, Lieut. Webb, all of
which were actively engaged, and rendered very
efficient service. Enclosed I send the surgeons' re-
port of the casualties.—l have the honour to be, sir,
very respectfully, your obedient servant,
" ' CATESBY AP. R. JONES, Ex, and Ord. Officer.
" Flag Officer F. Forrest.' "

(From the Norfolk Daybook of tit, 10th.)
On the morning of the Bth the steam frigate Vir-
ginia, Flag-officer Franklin Buchanan commanding,
left her moorings at the dockyard, and, attended by
the steamtug Beaufort, Lieut.-Commanding Parker,
and the Raleigh, Lieut.-Commanding Alexander,
steamed down the harbour. It was a gallant sight
to see the iron-clad leviathan gliding noiselessly
through the water, flying the red pennon of her
commander at the fore flagstaff and the gay Confe-
derate ensign aft. Not the least impressive thought
which she suggested was that her gallant crew,
under a commander and officers worthy to direct
their destiny and defend the flag she bore, went
thus boldly with smiles and huzzas to solve a new
problem in maritime warfare—to make the " trial
trip" of the Virginia the trial of battle. Nor could
any man behold the little tugs, with their gay en-
signs at peak and masthead, their battle flags set
steaming in her wake, without an emotion of admi-
ration for the brave men they thus bore, and a
prayer for their deliverance. in the wake of all
came the Port Admiral, with a staff of naval officers.
Thus down the harbour, past the wharves, thronged
with eager eitizens, past the batteries, whose para-
pets were dark with soldiers, steamed the squadron.
Through the two barricades, and then the Vir-
ginia put her helm a-starboard and took the south
channel. Meantime, the morning was as still as
that of a Sabbath. The two frigates lay with their
boats at the booms and washelothes in the rigging.
Did they see the long dark hull ? Had they made
her out P Was it ignorance, apathy, or composure ?
These were the questions we discussed as we steamed
across the flats to the south of the frigate, with the
two gallant little gunboats well on our starboard
beam heading up for the enemy. Our doubts were
solved by the heavy boom of a gun from beyond
Sewall's Point. The reverbation rolled across the
sunlit water and died away, but still the clothes
hung in the rigging, still the boats lay at the
booms. Another gun (20 minutes past 1) broke on
the air, and a tug started from Newport News,
while at the same time two others left Old Point,
taking the channel inside Hampton bar. Steadily,
with a grim and ominous silence the Virginia glides
through the water; steadily and with defiant valour
the Beaufort and Raleigh fellow where she leads.
At 1 50 a rifled gun from one of these little vessels
rang out, then a white puff from her consort. Still
the clothes in the rigging and the boats at the
boom. Was this confidence ? It could not be
ignorance. Did it mean torpedoes, submarine bat-
teries, infernal machines P The gunboats have fired
again, and, lo! here away to the eastward were the
Roanoke and the Minnesota, rising like the prodi-
gious castles above the placid water, the first under
steam, the second in tow. Other puffs of smoke,
other sharp reports from the gunboats, but the Vir-
ginia goes on steadily, silently, to do her work.
Now the in-shore frigate, the Cumberland, fires,
now the Virginia close aboard, now Sewall's Point
battery, now the Minnesota, now the Roanoke,
now the air trembles with the cannonade. Now
the Virginia delivers both broadsides, now she runs
full against the Cumberland's starboard bow, now
1 the smoke clears away, and she appears to be head-
ing up James River. This is 22 minutes to 2. The
Congress now lets fall foretopsail and then the
main, and so, with a tug alongside, starts down
the north channel, where the Minnesota has
grounded, and presently runs plump ashore. Mean-
while the Virginia op
ens upon the Yankee fort ;
slowly she Stearns back, and the Cumberland
sunk now to her white streak, opens upon her
again. A gallant
man fought that ship—a man ;
worthy to have maintained a better cause. Gun
after gun he fired;; lower and lower sank his 1

Some detention occurred on board the Virginia on
Sunday morning, we learn, or she would have com-
menced the engagement much earlier than half-past
8 o'clock, at which time she, together with the Pat-
rick Henry and Jamestown, and our other gunboats,
opened fire on the Minnesota, which still lies hard
and fast aground. The tide being at the ebb, the
Virginia did not take the channel where the Minne-
sota lay, probably for fear of grounding, but getting
within a good range of her, she opened fire with
terrific effect, completely riddling her, and render-
ing constant exertion at the pump ne3essary to pre-
vent her from filling. Early in the morning the
Ericsson battery, now called the Monitor, was dis-
covered off Newport News Point, she having gone
up there during the night. A sharp encounter
soon took place between her and the Virginia, dur-
ing which time they were frequently not more
than 30 or 40 yards apart. Unfortunately, the
Virginia ran aground, and the Ericsson, using
her advantage, poured shot after shot into
her, but without doing any serious damage. In a
short while, however, the Virginia succeeded in
getting off, and, putting on a full head of steam,
ran her bow into the Ericsson, doing her, as it is
thought, great damage. We are rejoiced to say
that, notwithstanding the firing was much heavier
than on Saturday, there were no casualties in either
of our vessels, not a man being in the least injured
by shots from the enemy or otherwise. Several of
the enemy's gunboats being within range, they
were favoured with a shell or two from the Vir-
ginia with telling effect, and in every case disabling
or sinking them. One of these lying alongside the
Minnesota had a shell thrown aboard of her, which
on bursting tore her asunder and sent her to the
bottom. Having completely riddled the Minne-
sota, and disabkd the St. Lawrence and Monitor,
besides, as stated above, destroying several of the
enemy's gunboats—in a word, having accomplished
all that they designed, and having no more material
to work upon, our noble vessels left the scene of
their triumphs and returned to the yard, where
they await another opportunity of displaying their
prowess.

MEXICO.

NEW YORK, MARcll 18.

The steamer Roanoke, from gavana, on the 12th
inst., has arrived at New York. She brings dates
from Vera Cruz to the 4th inst.

The Spanish troops were returning from the in-
terior. A portion of the Spaniards are roturning
to Cuba, and the rest have gone to Orizaba.
General Prim commands the allied forces. The
English forces were to leave the country. The
French reinforcements hai not arrived. The French
troops were en route for Tehuacan. The Spaniards
started on the Ist inst. for Orizaba. Marquez, with
5,000 troops, holds the roads from Vera Cruz to
Mexico. An American citizen, belonging to Lowell,
Massachusetts, bearer of despatches from the Wash-
ington Government to Minister Corwin, was mur-
dered on the 24th ult., while going from Vera Cruz
to the city of Mexico. His name was Addison T.
Arlen. Negotiations between the Mexicans and
allies were to commence at Orizaba Ist April.

Honduras dates are to the 27th Feb. -A
formi-
dable reaction had occurred, and order was being
restored. Medina had been chosen president pro
tem. From Havana it is stated that the Spanish
barque Tercita had been captured by one of the
United States squadron, and been declared an
illegal prize.
It appears that one of the stipulations made at
the conference between Gens. Prim and Doblado
was, that no more troops should be landed. Under
this, some Spanish troops returned to Cuba, and
the expected French reinforcements, under General
Lorencez, were to return without landing. The
English forces will return in the Bermuda to
England. Their mules, horses, &c., were sold to
the French, who started for Tehuacan on the 27th.

r ("i s
The Diario de la ill arina publishes the following
important news brought to Havana by the steamers
of war Alva and Lealdad :
" The Government of Juarez has ratified the con-
vention agreed to at Soledad between the Marquis
o
os and Signor oblado—the troops had
commencedfCastllij D
e
their march to Cordova, Tehuaean, and
z
and everything announced that the rend-
rcements would have a paCific solution,
anod i
that i:aa'g
ample
guarantees would be obtained for
the future."