The Sun.
London, England, 1861-11-09 00:00:00

THE ENGAGEMENT AT THE MULTI

OF TEE MISSISSIPPI.

The following despatch from Captain Pope, of
the United States navy, relates to the affair of the
12th ult. :

United States steamer Richmond, S.W. Pass of
Mississippi River, Oct. 13.

Sir,—l have the honour to make the following report :
At 345 a.m. Oct. 12, while the watch on deck were em-
ployed in taking coal on board from the schooner Joseph
H. Toone, a ram was discovered in close proximity to this
ship. By the time the alarm could be given, she had
struck the ship abreast of the port fore channels, tearing
the schooner from her fastenings, and forcing a hole
through Ithe ship's side. Passing aft, the ram endea-
voured to effect a breach in the stern, but failed.
Three planks in the ship's side were stove in about
two feet below the water line, making a hole about
five inches in circumference. At the first alarm
the crew promptly and coolly repaired to their quarters, and
as the ram passed abreast of the ship, the entire port battery
was discharged at her, with what effect it was impossible to
discover, owing to the darkness. A red light was shown as
a signal of danger, and the squadron was under way in a
very few minutes, having slipped their cables. I ordered
Preble and Vincennes to proceed down the South-West
Pass. while I covered their retreat, which they did at about
4.50 a.m. At this time three large fire rafts, stretching
across the river, were rapidly nearing us, while several
large steamers and a bark-rigged propeller were seen astern
of them.

The squadron proceeded down the river in the following
order :—First, the Preble; second, the Vincennes; third,
the Richmond ; fourth, the Water Witch, with the prize
schooner Frolic in tow. When abreast of the pilot settle-
ment, the pilot informed me that he did not consider it safe
to venture to turn this ship in the river, but that
he believed he could pass over the bar. I accordingly
attempted to pass over the bar with the squadron, but in
the passage the Vincennes and Richmond grounded, while
the Preble went over clear. This occurred about eight
o'clock, and the enemy, who were down the river with the
fire steamers, commenced firing at us, while we returned
the fire from our port battery and rifled gun on the poop,
our shot, however, falling short of the enemy, while their
shell bunt on all sides of us, and several passed directly
over the ship.
At 9.30 Commander Handy of the Vincennes, mistaking
my signal for the ships outside the bar, to get under way,
for a signal for him to abandon his ship, came on board the
Richmond with all his officers and a large number of the
crew, the remainder having gone on board the Water
Witch. Captain Handy before leaving his ship had placed
a lighted slow match at the magazine. Having waited a
reasonable time for an explosion, I directed Commander
Handy to return to his ship, with his crew, to start his
water, and, if necessary, at his own request, to throw
overboard his small guns, for the purpose of lightening his
ship, and to carry ont his kedge with a cable to heave off
by. At 10 a.m. the enemy ceased firing, and withdrew up
the river. During the engagement a shell entered our
quarter port, and one of the boats was stove. by another
shell.

I have this morning succeeded in getting this ship over
the bar. The M'Clellan and South Carolina are using all
exertions to get the Vincennes off. The Nightingale is
hard and fast ashore to the end of the bar. I have suc-
ceeded in reducing the leak of this ship so that our small
engines keep the ship fres. This is only temporary, and
the ship will have to go to some place and have three
planks put in. I have received rifle guns, and placed the
32-pounder on the forecastle and the 12-pounder on the
poop. ;Could I have possibly managed this ship in any
other way than keeping her head up ;and down the river,
I would have stopped at Pilot Town to give battle bu
this was found to be too hazardous, owing to her extreme
length. The attempt was made, but a broadside could not
be brought to bear without running the ship ashore. I
then concluded, as advised, to start for the bar, and trust to
the chance of finding water enough to cross.
In narrating the affair of the river, I omitted to state
that the ram sunk one of our large cutters, and a shot from
the enemy stove the gig.
I am pleased to say that the Vincennes is afloat, and at
anchor outside on my starboard quarter. The Master of
the Nightingale will deliver 50 tons of coal to the M'Clel-
lan. This, together with what I will take out, will, I
trust, lighten her so that we can haul her off—Very re-
spectfully, JOHN POPE, Captain.
To Flag-officer W. A, M'Kean.

Viscountess Jocelyn arrived in town yesterday
from Broadlands, Hants.

Lord Brougham left London yesterday by the
special tidal train of the South-Eastern Company, and
crossed to Boulogne in the afternoon by the company's boat
Prince Ernest. His lordship, who is proceeding to his seat
at Cannes, in the south of France, appeared to be in im-
proved health.

Count V. Karolyi and Count S. Karolyi have ar-
rived at-Fenton's Hotel, from Hungary.
The Right Hon. Sir G. Grey arrived in town
last evening from his seat, Fallodon, Northumberland.

Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Pennant have arrived at
Fenton's Hotel, from Penrhyn Castle, Bangor.
DISPATCH OF AMMUNITION TO CANADA.—Three
hundred million rounds of rifle ball cartridges are ordered to
be got ready for transport by the mail packets to Canada.
The orders for the despatch of the 12-pounder batteries of
Armstrong guns to Quebec have been countermanded in
consequence of the advanced state of the winter season.—
Liverpool Post.
FRA DIAVOLO.—The Gazette de France states
that the grandson of the famous Fra Diavolo of 1799, after
a desperate struggle with the National Guard in the pro-
vince of Benevento, was lately taken and shot.

CONFESSION OF MURDER.—Liebert, the man
suspected of having committed the two murders at Grand-
lup, department of the Aisne (says Galignani) has given
himself into custody, and confessed that he is guilty. It
was in the village of Froimont that, after wandering about
for several days, he surrendered, and thence he was without
delay conveyed to the prison of Laon. On arriving there
he said " I murdered my wife at five in the morning of the
27th October, and I did so because for a month before I
had reason to suspect that she was not faithful to me. I
murdered my aunt at nine o'clock, because she had some
money, and I wanted it to pay my debts." Ile added,
" Neither of the women raised any cry as I strangled them,
and that consoles me."

WILLS AND BEQUESTS.—The will of Sir Wm.
Cubitt, F.R.S., civil engineer, formerly of Great George-
street, Westminster, residing at Clapham-common, Surrey,
was proved in the London court on the 28th ult. by his son,
Mr. Joseph Cubitt, and Mr. Francis T. Bircham, solicitor,
Parliament-street, the executors. The personally was
sworn under £90,000. The will was executed Jan. 9, 1852,
and Sir William died the 13th of last month, aged 70. Sir
William has bequeathed his fortune to his relict and family.
To his widow, Lady Cubitt, he has left an annuity of
£l,OOO, with other specific bequests. To his son and two
daughters, each of whom take ceiltain specific bequests, he
has bequeathed one-third each of the entire residue of the
estate. The above bequests, with the exception of a few
small legacies to his brothers, sisters, and executors, are the
contents of the will.—The will and codicil of the Rev. John
Wm. Cunningham, M.A., rector of Harrow-on-the-Hill,
Middlesex, were proved in London on the 30th ult. by his
three sons, the Rev. Francis Macaulay Cunningham, M.A.,
Mr. John W. Cunningham, and Henry S. Cunningham,
executors, and the personal property sworn under £12,000.
The will bears date the 4th, and the codicil the 21st, May
last, and the testator died on the 30th Sept. The rev. tes-
tator has left his property to his family, devising to his
son John W. Cunningham a freehold estate, and bequeath-
ing to him and his other two sons the residue of his estate,
real and personal, equally amongst them. There are nu-
merous specific bequests to all his children and grand-
children. 'I he Rev. Mr. Cunningham had the power of
disposition over certain trust property, which lie has be-
queathed amongst his children, giving the residue of this
trust property to his two sons Francis and John. There
are some charitable bequests mentioned in the will, consist-
ing of £lOO to the poor of Harrow for warm clothing, sze.,
and legacies of £25 to the Church Missions to Africa and
the East, and the British and Foreign Bible Society ; and
legacies are also bestowed by the rev. gentleman upon all
his servants.—lllustrated _London 1F ews.

THE " NEW YGRK HERALD."—At the present
time the efforts, scarcely disguised, of the Herald, are di-
rected to the object of producing or increasing ill-will be-
tween the North and England. 'Whether that paper is
actually hired with Southern money to do this, or whether
its policy be merely dictated by a desire to extend its sale by
pandering to the worst feelings of the worst men, we have
no means of knowing. The Herald was, but a short time
ago, entirely in the hands of the South, when the Southerns
had the mastery in the Government. The foulest abuse was
lavished upon the President, and he who is now the
Herald's " honest Abe," and " our manly and patriotic
chief governor," was then an " ignorant old wood-chopper,"
a " stupid clown," and a " Forcible Feeble." The con-
version of the paper was effected with weathercock celerity,
and it is now as vituperative in behalf of Mr. Lincoln as it
used to be against him ; but its dearest sympathies are with
the slavery-men, and it still keeps up volleys of slang
against all who desire the abolition of the slave-system.
Mr. Horace Greeley is always nicknamed "Massa Greeley,"
and many names of a coarser description aro perpetually
stuck upon any one who disbelieves in man's right to sell
his fellow-man. The Bible has been most profanely
dragged into the fray, and scriptural quotations are flung
about in support of slavery, by writers whose scoffs at the
deep and real religious feeling of the States show the blas-
phemous holtowness of their advocacy. It is therefore- a
moot question whether the Herald is simply a hired tool of
the South, or a reckless and selfish speculation.—Once a
Week.
THE FIELD OF MAGENTA.—A correspondent of
the Opinione Nationale writes from Turin to say that in
crossing the field of the battle of Magenta on All Saints'
Day, he found the crosses placed above the graves of the
French soldiers illuminated, in accordance with an Italian
custom to place lights at that jets on the graves of persons
loved or honoured.

LATEST NEWS.

PARIS, Nov. 9.

The 211 oniteur, in its bulletin of today, says :
" Several journals, in announcing that General
Goyon has been named Commander-in-Chief of the
Corps of Octupation at Rome, have endeavoured to
find in this appointment a signification which there
is nothing to warrant.

" The Emperor simply wished to place the title
of the Commander of the French Forces on a level
with his real position.
" This does not, however, alter the character of
our mission at Rome, which is essentially pacific
and protective."

The bulletin of the llioniteur also contains the
following :
" A report, made by the Commander of the 7th
Military Division, states that no detachment of the
troops under his command has penetrated into the
Valley of Dappes, and that he has confined himself
to taking up a position at the extremity of the
French frontier in order to observe the movements
of the Swiss gendarmes."

TRIESTE, Nov. 8.

Letters received here from Ragusa deny the
rumours of a defeat of the Turkish army by the in-

surgents at Piva.
Vukalovich, the chief of the insurgents, has set a
price of 1,000 sequins on the head of Omar Pasha.
Great exultation prevails among the insurgents.

The necessary funds for carrying on military
opetations are being sent to the insurgents from
different quarters.