The Sun.
London, England, 1865-03-13 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY, MARCH 13, 1865.

According to the intelligence brought by the
Europa, a great battle between the two armies
before Richmond is imminent. The Richmond
papers of the 24th state that General GRANT'S ad-
vance upon the city is looked for every day, and is
thought to be only postponed from the unfavourable
condition of the weather. All non-combatants
have been ordered to leave GRANT'S army, which
seems to confirm this impression, and, as is usual
with the Federals, the Northern General is confi-
dently anticipating a victory. It does not by any
means follow that these expectations will be rea-
lised, although of late the Federals have had for-
tune in their favour. As for Richmond we cannot
accept their occupation of the city, supposing
that event to have occurred, as any evidence of vic-
tory, since the question of evacuation has been for
some time openly discussed in the Confederacy,
and it is impossible to say what line of action
General LEE may have determined upon. It is
evidefit, however, to the most superficial observer
that the course followed by the Confederates is part
of a deliberate plan, and that their continued re-
treats and evacuations are the result of a matured
system of military strategy—not, as some would
have us believe, the consequence of panic and de-
moralisation. The publication of news re-
specting the military movements in the Caro-
linas is still strictly prohibited by the Southern
Government a precaution which would be
quite superfluous if there was no news to tell but
the advance of one party and the retreat of the
other. The same impression of Confederate stra-
tegy has extended to the North, and the Louisville
Journal, the other day, announced that it had good
reason to anticipate a development of the Southern
policy which would startle the country. For this
warning the editor was seized in his office and
marched off to prison, where he will have leisure to
reflect on his indiscretion in supposing it possible
that Northern generals should ever be arrested in
their course of triumph, which is just now smooth
and pleasant. General JOHNSTON has relieved
General BEAUREGARD from the chief com-
mand of the forces opposing SHERMAN, on
account of BEAURGARD'S ill-health, though the
latter will continue to assist him in the command.
This is now the chief point of military interest, and
both sides regard it as the trial of strength. HARDEE
was hurrying to join JOHNSTON on the 25th ult., and
a large Part of HOOD'S army had previously passed
through Augusta with the same object. On the
other hand, SCHOFIELD is about to reinforce SHER-
MAN, so that we may expect a collision between the,
armies before long. It is before Richmond, how-
ever, that the next great battle will take place.
GRANT, according to the latest accounts, was massin,
his troops at Hatcher's Run, and LEE was fully
propared to meet him should he make the attack.
The arming of the slaves is still under active dis-
cussion, and we are glad to find that General LEE
has expressed himself strongly on the subject. in
a letter to one of the Confederate Representatives
he declares that the employmect of slaves in the
army is both expedient and necessary. The white
population alone cannot supply the necessities of a
long war ; while the negroes would, he considers,
make good soldiers, and he recommended that
Congress should at once give the necessary per-
mission for a call for those negroes who will volun-
teer into the army on condition of their freedom.
Surely, the Southern people will not refuse
to heed the plain and earnest language