The Sun.
London, England, 1862-09-30 00:00:00

whipped. I am hurrying everything forward to
endeavour to press their retreat to the utmost.
GEORGE B. Nl' CLELLAN.
Head-quarters of the Army of the Potomac,
Bolivar, Sept. 15, 10 a.m.

To H. W. Halleck, General-in-Chief.

Information this moment received completely
coufirms the rout and demoralisation of the rebel
army.
Gen. Lee is reported wounded, and Garland killed.
Gen. Hooker alone has over 1,000 more prisoners,
700 having been sent to Frederick.

It is stated that Lee gives his loss as 15,000.
We are following as rapidly as the men can move.
GEORGE B. M'CLELLAN, Major-General.
From Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, a despatch,
dated Sept. 16, 10 p.m., says :
A despatch received at head-quarters says that
Jackson recrossed the Potomac, and Gen. M'Clellan
has engaged him with a tremendous force this side
of Sharpsburg 10 miles. The whole rebel army in
Maryland will be annihilated or captured this
night.

No rebels can be found about Hagerstown and
illiamsport, and there are none for two miles on
the other side of the Potomac.

The prisoners, 100 in number, captured yesterday
by the New York and Illinois cavalry, and sent to
Chambersburg, were this morning brought to this
city and sent to Camp Curtin. Cugget Fitzhugh, a
resident of Chambersburg, was among the number.
He has been furnishing information to the enemy
since their raid into MarylaLd.
The dead body of Gen. Garland was found con-
cealed in one of the waggons captured by the same
party of cavalry between Hagerstown and Williams-
point.

The wires of Hagerstown are again in working
order.

The Associated Press Washington despatches,
dated Sept. 17 (evening), say :
Intelligence from near the front of our army shows
that at noon yesterday the retreating columns of the
rebels under Gen. Longstreet were overtaken by
General M'Clellan's advance division, when they
formed in line of battle on the range of the small
hills on the west bank of Autitam Creek, between
Rohoesville and Sharpsburg Ford on the Potomac.
Late in the aftet noon more of our division came up,
and shortly after 5 o'clock attacked the enemy, the
battle lasting four hours, and the rebels, according
to all advices, getting the worst of it, being nearly
surrounded and almost exhausted in provisions and
ammunition. This morning the battle was renewed,
leading to the more than probable inference that
during last night Jackson's or some other division,
which left Harper's Ferry yesterday morning,
ostensibly for Martinsburg, has reinforced the rebel
army. The battle continued during the whole of
to-day. No official news of this day's contest is at
hand to-night, but the War Department, neverthe-
less, has not an unfavourable word at a late hour.
No official news has been received from the battle-
field of yesterday and to-day, owing to interruption
of the telegraphic communication. A messenger
who has arrived from the army reports everything
was progressing satisfactorily when he left, and that
there could be no doubt of a successful result. The
fight has raged some 12 hours, and has undoubtedly
been most desperate. Wounded officers arrived here
to-night from Western Maryland say when they
left at 7 o'clock this morning a battle commenced
at Burketsville, about two miles from Centreville.

THE BATTLE AT HARPER'S FERRY.
NEW YORK, SEPT, 18.

The Federal forceswhich surrendered at Harper's
Ferry consisted of the 12th New York State Militia,
87th Ohio, Bth New York Cavalry, 111th New York
Volunteers, 126th New York Volunteers, two com-
panies of sth New York Artillery, and one Mary-
land regiment.

The battle at Harper's Ferry commenced on the
12th by a Confederate attack on the Federals sta-
tioned on Maryland Heights. The Federals sen t re-
inforcements from Harper's Ferry to Maryland
Heights, and the engagement continued during the
12th and 13th. The Federals evacuated Maryland
Heights on the 13th, and crossed on a pontoon bridge
to Harper's Ferry, previously spiking the guns on
Maryland Heights. On the 14th the Confederates
un .i.ondon Heights, and opened Laolr
batteries from that point, and also from Maryland
Heights. Skirmishing continued during the 14th.
During the night of the 14th the Confederates
planted additional batteries on London Heights, and
another battery on the opposite side of the Potomac
to the right of the Federal position, thus enfilading
the whole of the Federal entrenchments. The Con-
federates opened fire from these batteries on the
morning of the 15th, when a Federal council of war
was held, and a white flag displayed. During the
hoisting the white flag a shell struck Col. Miles,
who commanded at Harper's Ferry, wounding him
mortally. The Federals surrendered to Gen. Jackson
on the following terms :—" Officers and men to have
ready parole. Officers to retain their side arms and
private property. All United States property to be
turned over to the Confederates." The Confederates
paroled about 8,000 prisoners, and the New York,
Tribune correspondent says they captured 10,000
stand of arms, 40 cannon, and cartridges and stores.
Fifteen hundred cavalry succeeded in escaping
previously from Harper's Ferry, and captured en
route Confederate General Longstreet's baggage
train. Rumours from various sources state that
the Confederates immediately evacuated Harper's
Ferry, and that the Federal General Burnside has
since occupied it.

The Federal General Morgan, who is surrounded
at Cumberland Gap, writes that his troops are in
good health and spirits, and that his condition is
in every respect better than that of the enemy who
surround him.

It is stated that the reported investment of
Charleston by the Federal gunboats has received
some confirmation in a letter received from the
Federal squadron, stating that Fort Sumter had
been fired upon with shot and shell, resulting in
serious damage.
Fighting continues at Mumfordsville, Kentucky,
between the Confederates under Bragg, and the
Federals under Wilder, with a portion of Buell's
army. It was reported on the 16th that Buell him-
self had arrived and joined in the engagement.
The Governor of Pennsylvania states that 72,000
have responded to his call for the defence of the
States, and he expects the number will be increased
to 100,000.

These men are being furnished with equipments,
and being moved to the State border as soon as
possible.
Drafting is to commence in the State of New
York on the Ist of October.

An explosion occurred yesterday at No 8,
Arsenal, at Pittsburg. One hundred and seventy
boys and girls were employed. Eighty were killed
by the explosion.
The medical director-general of General M'Clel-
lan's staff has telegraphed to New York for surgical
aid for the wounded in the late battles.
The Federal Commodore John Percival died yes-
terday at Boston.

DEBATE IN THE CONFEDERATE
CONGRESS.

A debate occurred on the 12th in the Confederate
Congress on the resolutions thanking General Lee
for his brilliant victories, and stating that the Con-
gress heard with profound satisfaction of his cross-
ing the Potomac.

reso-
lution which was in favour of portion of the
anathe plan of relieving
Mr. Lyons disapproved that
marching into theld
Mr. Miles strongly
the oppressed in Maryland,
favoured the
invasion policy.
they could,
enemy's territory.
Mr. Lyons did not think the :0
go so safely into the heart of the North. could
Mr. Miles, however, fully believed the
and said, " Now was the time to strike.
gular armiei, of M'Clellan and Pope were unabeleret-
meet cne-fifth of the number they ought to be. If
the the resolution was struck out, the Congress would
not favour the aggressive policy so much desired by
the country."
Mr. Ayre, of South Carolina, thought that the
people desired the war to be carried into the enemy's
country, and ho wished the army to dare, and dare
again' and still to dare.
, Mr, Smith was of opiuion that the voice of the