The Sun.
London, England, 1862-09-15 00:00:00

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THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 15, 1862 fr

THE G.REA7 BATTLE BEFORE BI CH-

Three engines and 140 of the ears belonged to the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and were used to
bring Cox's division around. Banks's corps has
reached Centreville, which we still hold, and ra-
tions are being thrown forward. Porter's, M'Call's,
Hooker's, M‘Dowell's, Kearney's, Sigel's, and

movement. As the mail closes I get news from Cen-
treville. No fighting has been going on this morn-
ing. There are reports from Pcpe's headquarters that
the enemy is falling back ; he certainly did not
push his advantage gained on Saturday either yes-
terday or this morning' A part of Friday's and
Saturday's battle-fields is in our possession, but the
bulk of the wounded are in the enemy's hands. The
telegraph is working to Bull Run this morning.
The operator is on this end of the bridge. It is not
now believed that Banks is cut off. • Fletcher Web-
ster is undoubtedly killed. Captain Hammond, of
his regiment, is at the National Hotel, M ounded.
He saw Colonel Webster when he was shot and sent
four men to help him off the ground. The fire was
so fierce that they could not succeed in bringing
him off. Captain Hammond was immediately
wounded. Webster was seriously wounded, and it
seemed to Captain Hammond that he could live but
a few hours, perhaps minutes. The Intelligencer
states that a flotilla of gunboats has been ordered
here, and there is no doubt that the statement is cor-
rect. The orders went off Saturday night or Sun-
day morning. The Navy Department will be pre-
pared for the worst. Rebel prisoners are flocking
into Alexandria under guard, and are exceedingly
saucy."
City Point has been bombarded and demolished
by the Federal fleet :--.-
" From James River we learn that City Point has
been entirely demolished by Commodore Wilkes's
gunboats. For some time past the rebels have been
firing into the transports passing up and down the
James River. Commodore Wilkes sent the rebels
word that if it was not discontinued he should de-
stroy their rendezvous, City Point. On Thursday
last the rebels brought down to City Point eight
cannon and about 200 riflemen, and opened fire upon
the Union flotilla, which at the time was abreast of
the place, whereupon our gunboats opened fire upon
them and demolished every building in the place
and dispersed the rebel force."
General Buell had a fight with the Confederates
at Chattanooga, Tennessee, on Wednesday and
Thursday. The first day no advantage was gained
on either side. On the second day the Confederates
were repulsed. Buell is reported to have captured
7,000 prisoners. The news is said to have been
telegraphed to Tuscambia, and was brought thence
to Jackson, Tennessee, by General Ross's special
messenger. Later intelligence says the Confederates
have destroyed all the railroad bridges between
Bolivar and Jackson, Tennessee. [This intelligence
is contradicted by later advices.]
L Lexington, Kentucky, has been evacuated by the
Federal forces. The New York papers of the' 2d
say :
" The city of Lexington, Kentucky, was evacu-
ated by our forces yesterday, and a new position
taken up at Covington, on the Ohio river. The Go-
vernment stores were safely removed. It is reported
that General Kirby Smith's rebel troops appeared
before the city and demanded its surrender. Gen.
L. Wallace has assumed command of the Federal
forces at Louisville. The citizens of Louisville held
a large mass meeting yesterday, James Guthrie
presiding, at which a resolution was adopted to re-
quest the mayor to issue a proclamation calling
upon the male citizens to arm against the rebels.
The request was complied with as follows :
" ' I call upon the citizens of Louisville to meet
in their respective wards for the purpose of com-
pleting their enrolment. Citizens are requested to
report the number and character of arms in their
possession. Captains of Home Guard companies
now organised will likewise report the number of
men and the arms in their possession. All citizens
who are able to bear arms, who fail or refuse to re-
port themselves for enrolment for the protection of
their homes and firesides, will be looked upon as a
common enemy. All reports will be made to Col.
Thomas W. Gibson at 12 o'clock on the 2d inst., or
as soon thereafter as practicable, be having been
lempowered by the Governor to take charge of the
home forces of this city.

lIIOND.

QUEENSTOWN, SATURDAY MORNING.
The Cunard mail steamer Europa arrived off the
harbour this morning. Her dates are Boston the
3d, and Halifax the sth inst.
There has been another battle on the 30th of
August in the valley of Virginia, the result of
which was that General Pope was driven back to
Centreville, which place, according to the latest
telegraphic advices, he had been forced to evacuate.
A despatch from Washington of the 31st, 10.55
a.m., says :
" The enemy was heavily reinforced yesterday,
and attacked General Pope's army before the arrival
of Generals Franklin and Sumner.

Reno's troops have suffered terribly. Most of our
wounded are still in the hands of the enemy. They
sent word to Pope that he might send surgeons, &c.,
if he would own up he was whipped. He refused.
We can hold our position, unless attacked by fresh
troops to-day. On Saturday, when it was supposed
that the enemy was going to fall back to the moun-
tains, Porter was to attack them on the left and
Heintzelrnan on the right, near Gainesville; but
the enemy fell upon our left and then on the centre.
NPDowell ordered a retreat, and towards the close
Of the day .ileintzelman reinforced him, and finally
all fell back to Centreville, leaving our dead and
wounded, except such us could walk or had been
carried away. The enemy are known to be nearly
exhausted from loss of sleep and privations. Heavy
reinforcements are still going forward." •
The Inquirer has the following
news from the
Confederate lines :

" The attack was boldly met) and a severe battle
followed. The advantage, on the whole, was with
the enemy, and General Pope fell back to Centre-
ville, with his whole army in good order.

"He has now been joined at Centreville by
Franklin, and Sumner was on the march to him
last•night. He occupies the strongest position in the
vicinity of Washington, and is expected promptly
to renew the contest and repeat the successes of
Friday."
Under the same day date (evening) it is added :
"Information received here indicates that there
has been but little if any fighting today.
"Our army is well concentrated, and the men in
good condition and spirits."
From Washington on the Ist the following has
been received

" We learn by one of Captain
Ferguson's Quar-
termaster's agents, who left Jackson's head-quarters
at Sudley Church at half-past 6 o'clock on Friday
morning, and who, with Captain Mercer, depot
commissary, and 639 soldiers, teamsters, and others,
was captured on Tuesday night by Jackson:s forces
—42 d Georgia and three other regiments—the fol-
lowing :—The force at Manassas at the time the
Confederates appeared there•oii Tuesday night was
98 men of the 87th New York or Pennsylvania
Regiment, a part of the 12th Pennsylvania Cavalry,
a battery of seven pieces, 2d New York (Putcaner),
and a number of bakers, commissary men, quarter-
master's agents, and teamsters. The 2d New York
battery ',opened on the right and fired 10 or 12
rounds ; the 12th Pennsylvania Cavalry fell
back, and about 100 were captured. Finding
it useless to continue the contest, the party
were surrounded and captured. The Confederates
marched the prisoners to within a mile of Bristow,
when they returned to Manassas immediately, by
order of Gen. Jackson, reaching Manassas again at
eleven o'clock on Wednesday morning. When
they got back to Manassas they found a fight
going on between the New Jersey division, under
Gen. Taylor, and the forces under Jackson, who
drove back Taylor and took some prisoners. The
prisoners were then marched within a mile of Bull
Run ; there they met Jackson again, returning from
Centreville with some prisoners. He directed the
prisoners to be marched back, when they stopped
opposite the Wier House,' the former head-quar-
ters of Beauregard, where they were put into camp,
being guarded, and staying there till 10 minutes
before 11 o'clock, Wednesday night. They then
were taken to the old Manassas battle-field, and
remained till Jackson's left wing was attacked by
Sigel's forces ; whereupon they were removed to-
wards Sudley Church, about a mile, when Jackson's
right was opened upon. There they commenced
taking a list of the prisoners, preparatory to paro-
ling, and they got the names of the prisoners fur-
nished by Captain Mercer, of the Quartermaster's
Department, United States' Army. They returned
with the papers in about two hours. The prisoners
were then drawn up in line, and the calling of their
names was again commenced. They got half way
through, when the left was opened upon again, and
about that time some other prisoners came in, which
made it necessary to take their names also. They
were requested to sit down, and about an hour by
sun their right was again attacked, the firing con-
tinuing until 9 o'clock. About 11 o'clock a long
string of ambulances from the Confederates passed
along with their wounded, and some men going out
to bury the dead. About daylight on Thursday the
Guards commenced waking up the prisoners, pre-
paratory to a march toward the far South. Heavy
firing was then heard on the left, and the officers in
charge of the prisoners informed Captain Mercer
that they could proceed within the Federal lines;
they could not attend to them any further."

" Despatches received from Fairfax Court House,
seven miles from Centreville, state that no firing
has been heard up to 12 o'clock today.
" General Banks's forces were heard from last
night, and were in a favourable position for joining
General Pope's army."
An official despatch from the War Department,
of the 30th, relative to the military commands, has
been published :
" The Command of the Armies operating in Vir-
ginia :

" General Burnside commands his own corps, ex-
cept those that have been temporarily detached and
assigned to General Pope.
" General M'Clellan commands that portion of
the army of the Potomac that has not been sent
forward to General Pope's command.
" General Pope commands the Army of Virginia
and all the forces temporarily attached to it.
" All the forces are undeithe command of Major-.
General Halleck, General-in-Chief.
" E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant-Adjutant-
General."

A letter from Washington of the Ist says—
" A gentleman who returned from the battle-field
this morning reports that in Saturday's (August
30th) fight our left wing was commanded by Gen.
M'Dowell, but, owing to the murderous enfilading
fire of the rebels, he was compelled to fall back.
General Sigel commanded the centre and General
Kearney the right. It appears that our forces at-
tacked the enemy in the woods, from which the
latter opened numerous batteries, causing great
slaughter. The rebels suffered equally as much
as our own troops. Our men, fearless and deter-
mined, fell back about a mile, leaving oar dead
and wounded on the field. Our informant says
that our main forces were five miles from Cen-
treville on Sunday, in battle array, and prepared
for all emergencies, having been strongly rein-
forced. All the wounded have been removed
from the battle-field of Thursday and Friday,
which was yesterday still in our possession, the
enemy still occupying the scene of the conflict on Sa-
turday. The cars came in the morning from the first-
named field, bringing many wounded, some to Alex-
andria, and others to Washington. The most de-
voted attention is paid to this description of our
soldiers. The Ladies' Soldiers Relief Association
of Washington were engaged all day yesterday,
most of the night, and again to-day, in preparing
lint and bandages, and making compresses, &c.
They have made a good use of their linen sheets,
&c. Many ladies have made liberal contributions
from their private stores, and have been unremit-
ting in their care and attention to the wounded.
In fact, all the people of this district are acting
nobly and not a few men have volunteered as nurses.
Our informant, when passing through Centreville,
saw thousands of stragglers at that place—men of
different regiments, all mixed up together, exhibit-
ing a scene of disorganisation. An officer remarked
that these men would be all right the next day,
after they had recovered from their fatigue,' and so
it proved. Our informant, while returning to the
city this morning early, saw them all marching
back, properly companioned to their respective re-
giments. They appeared to be cheerful and anxious
to rejoin their comrades. When the ambulances,
in large numbers, reached the battle-field yester-
day to bring away the wounded, a stampede com-
menced among them—the drivers having turned the
heads of their horses towards the road leading to
Washington, and commenced a hasty retreat with
their empty vehicles. Some frightened driver
imagined that General Stuart's revel cavalry was
dashing up, and accordingly gave the alarm. The
repa
uona
consequences
eedc
ades
uupfebronterl :teed:
se awlhwmiateodhus tl
ndpwoothii
nta httvheedet hhgege
ueunsanprsedpes
radenloodi fn fl
eet
hletehrfceetearietrecri
nioetaeeyade,
to shoot the drivers unless they returned to the
field. This conduct on the part of the guards
had the desired effect--as, after a while the am-
bulances again reached the field, and performed
their appropriate duty in bringing away the
wounded. There seems to be no doubt that the
pickets of the enemy were hovering around the
persons engaged in their humane work on the
field, but up to an early hour this morning they had
not been interupted. Ambulances are constantly
gathered
oritvi
oi nng
of tehr ee
sickw i t h. the
From w uanlld
that
ta
en ahsemal pro-
parr
we have suffered severely. Oar men are confident
of retrieving their loss of Saturday. It was owing
to their impetuosity and daring in charging the
enemy in the woods that they suffered so many
casualties. A large number of stragglers on their
way to Washington and Alexandria were picked up
by the rebels during last night. The write of this
lbeatitle,r yesterday saw a silver watch belonging to one
of the officers of the Excelsior Brigade, which, wnile
in
ni
snrtntel
life.enev gle
merry,e t
Ts i
uhd pewio t caykthe
tht
-aodefoat
yehdi si
sa vs
le
isavt
e,
lswyh
eis
nl
ds taar unmcdki
ls bat
vay
re
yda
completely reversinc, its shape from convex to
r
but sad as to the constant exhibitions of re-
view,
invalids. There was no fighting of conse-
quence on Sunday—only occasional skirmishing, or
poured into the woods from time to time
a few shot
About as if to try the range of our guns.
Fbortohniparties were engaged in repairing damages.
tohneessevere conflicts previously, it was evident
of cars at
stores, were
o'clock yesterday afternoon several trains
Manassas Junction, with ammunition and
having
preventun them burntfrom falling in
by the militarytothe d
authorities,
f the
rebels,
,toe
rebels, which emed
to be imminent—the bridge
at Lull u
been destroyed by the rebels,
an
saystherefore,theproperty,place
` \juhaleManassasthe
st
u Railroad. e d from Fairfax Station,
n :1 There is no battle rag-
ingte isa t con-
tinual rni s h gthe
enemy arereceiving
of any account to-day (Monday) T
,and a fear is expressedh There h
reinforcements and provisions,
and are going to come some flank movement
enemy
upon
Washington,
cutting cif our supplies.
All c.
us, and get between Centreville and
ur trains, wag-
gons, &e., are now safe in Washington, or near
there. The bridge over Ball Run Was
rebuilt last
night. The five engines and /85 ears supplies,
ammunition, &c., which WDowell had
near "W
renton were all bunt by him on Sunday p-
.
Aorning.

" ' J. M. DELru, Mayor.'
The public archives of Kentucky, together with
1,000,000 dols. of the State funds have been re-
moved from Frankfort to Louisville for safe keep-
ing, and the Legislature has also been transferred to
the latter city. Governor Robinson has issued a pro-
elamati authorising Thomas W. Gibson, of Louis-
ville, to organise and bring into the field all, the
able-bodied, men in_the county of Jefferson and city
of Louisville, Morgan and his band of guerillas left
Glasgow at 4 o'clock on Saturday. While there'they
destroyed all the indictments for treason returned
by the grand jury at the last term of the court, over
100 in number. They also mutilated the records
of the courts, so that no traces of the indictments
are left. Horses, mules, and other property of
Union men were either destroyed or taken away."
_ _ _ _ .

A communication from Washington states that
the reason why the Federal forces tell butt on the
30th was that they were out of ammunition, and
were without food.

Fredericksburg has been evacuated by the
Federals

" General Burnside evacuated Fredericksburg on
Sunday afternoon. Several bridges and, a con-
siderable quantity of Government stores were de-
stroyed by our forces. The heavy baggage and a
part of the commissary stores had been sent to
Aquia Creek, in order to relieve the army of all
unnecessary encumbrance and put it in good fight-
ing condition. After the order for the removal of
the commissary and quartermaster stores to Aquia
Creek, the roads leading from Fredericksburg
thither were filled with waggons conveying the
property to the creek. Preparations for the de-
struction of certain property were made as follows :
—ln Fredericksburg a large machine shop, where
the railroad engines have been repaired, was under-
mined with powder, and at the last moment was
blown up with a tremendous noise. The destruc-
tion of the three bridges across the Rappahannock
was accomplished by covering the woodwork with
pitch and hay and setting fire to this combustible
material after our troops had left the city. At Fal-
mouth, on the other side of the Rappahannock, all
the newly.erected Government bakehouses, con-
structed for baking bread for the army in that
burnty n i tiyn,
twheer
se
am e manner
a demolished.nneT
r a
sthhee railroads depot
A
cramounteek f oorf
safety,
lumber theaantd th
e depotretiring as alsotr
oop
s m a destroyed.rched
The railroad engines and cars were left at Aquia
over a shocking bad road from Fredericksburg to
Aquia Creek. General Burnside himself super-
intended the removal of the troops
and stores and
the destruction of the property which could not be
carried off."

____
There has been heavy fighting in the State of
Kentucky, with severe disadvantage to the Fede-
rals. The latest despatches are :
" CINCINNATI, AUG. 31.

" Friday afternoon, the rebelsbeyond Richmond
Kentucky, drove in our cavalry. Gen. Munson,
with the 69th and 71st Indiana, moved up, and
after throwing in a few shells the enemy retreated
rapidly beyond Rogersville, leaving one gun be-
hind. Munson bivouacked for the night, and on
Saturday morning advanced with two regiments
and four guns, and coming up with the enemy and
artillery fight began, with heavy loss on both
sides. The enemy attempted to turn our left
flank, when sharp figbting occurred between the
skirmishers. The 69th Indiana advanced through
a dense fire of shot and shell to the relief of our
skirmishers, and behaved like old soldiers, but the
rebels finally turned our left flank and advanced in
full force on our column. General Munson ordered
a retreat, fell back three miles, and reformed in line
of battle on high hills, with artillery in position on
the right and left flanks. The firing by artillery
was recommenced and kept up by both sides very
briskly. After fighting about two hours the enemy
advanced on our right flank under cover of the
woods, and after hard fighting succeeded in turning
it. Retreat immediately took place to the origin al
camping ground. Hero General Nelson came up,
and after great efforts succeeded in rallying the
men, and formed another line of battle_ Our ar •
tillery ammunition was nearly exhausted, and
some of the guns were left without a man to work
them, all having been killed or wounded. General
Nelson was wounded at about three p.m., when the
men again fell back, retreating to Lexington.
The enemy's force numbered 15,000 or 20,000.
The Federal force engaged were the 95th Ohio,
12th, 16th, 66th,,69th, and 71st Indiana, Mundy's
and Metcalf's cavalry. The loss in killed
and wounded is heavy on both sides. The num-
ber is not yet known. Lieutenant-Colonel Top-
ping and Major Kunkle, of the 71st Indiana, were
killed. General Wright left this morning to take
the field. A large number of regiments are en
route to Lexington."
"LOUISVILLE, AUG. 31.

The excitement and alarm in Washington are
very great, arid a gunboat flotilla had been ordered
to the defence of the capital. The correspondent of
the Evening Post, writing under date September 1,
says :
The capital remains in a very excited state.
Yesterday evening capped the climax in this respect.
Nearly the entire male population of Washington
was upon the streets till after midnight. The agi-
tation was intense. A few wounded soldiers had
come in from Saturday's battle-field, and the citi-
zens sent out by the War Department to the scene
of the conflict as nurses returned with somewhat
alarming accounts of the results of the battle up to
Sunday morning. The stories retailed by these
persons added much to the excitement, but there
was no panic in the city, only a profound anxiety
for the immediate future. Nearly all the incomers
from Centreville and Fairfax concur in stating that
the field of battle on Friday and Saturday fell into
the hands of the enemy, and, in our
consequence,
wounded men are within the enemy's lines. It
seems to be admitted by all that our loss in pri-
soners on Saturday was heavy. The Republican
states this positively this morning,
and the evidence
conies from other channels, so that the conviction
is irresistible that we were badly beaten on our
left wing. 'rho train of ears from New York last
night did not arrive this morning, and the panic
makers had the story instantly afloat that Jackson
had crossed over into Maryland and bad destroyed
the track between Baltimore and Washington
Washington is just now the hotbed of false rumours.
As the Government shut down the gate very tightly
again yesterday in the matter of telegraphic news
respecting military affairs, the public should be on
its guard. The wild stories of ' passengers from
Washington' should be taken with great allowance.
The situation is critical Without a doubt. An
("Acid messenger in from Centreville this morning
1 reports, however, that Jackson's army has left Pope's
front. If this be true he must have fallen back for
food and ammunition, or lie iii attempting a flanX

"In the battle fought near Richmond yesterday.,
as near as can be ascertained, the Federal forceG was
between 8,000 and 9,000 under command of
ral Nelson. They drove the rebels back untilbeisaboutw_r
four o'clock in the afternoon, when the reeky c
river,
largely reinforced and crossed the K.
endturouted our
capturing nearly all our artillery, an
from 15,000
of the
men. The rebel force is estimated t
rted at 150 to
of the 71st
to 20,000. The Federal loss is rerpchaei
loss is not
200 killed and wounded. The
General Nelson
known, but it is said to be beaevalei
was wounded slightly. C ~,, ;
el° loPPaig'
18th Kentucky, and Cokloinw. Warner,
At Lexington last
Indiana, are reportedll
and all the male citizens
night the bells were slept on their arms. Major-
were ordered out a and
Wallace are there, The
Generals Wrightprepared in case the rebels make
Federals are fullY -al Nelson left en route to Cin-
an attack. Gene!
.r,
Bowling
Green a
g
cinnati to-day- A 13des etch says a
large rebel force under Buckner is at Tompkins-