The Sun.
London, England, 1861-11-18 00:00:00

TILE CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA,

(From the Special Correspondent of the Times.)
WASHINGTON, OCT. 31.
4 It may save a good deal of useless speculation
respecting the destination of the ships and troops
Which left Fortress Monroe this week if it be stated,
and if the statement be believed, that the expedi-
tion has actually no definite point of action, and
that it is out on a roving commission, There will
be many." guessings" among the American journals,
and bold hypotheses may take the place of absolute
knowledge, but they are quite in the air in this
matter. If the authorities effect nothing else,
they will show at least that they can keep a State
secret, which is something proved in a country
Where politicians of high rank act as newspaper
correspondents, editors as aides-de-camp or military
secretaries, and the heads of departments are often
"in connexion" with well-known organs. So much
may be said that the expedition is under sealed in•
structions, which would tell the enemy nothing if
they fell into their hands, and that the plan is known
oilly to the President and Cabinet, the Secretary
and Assistant-Secretary of the Navy, to the officers
Who copied the papers, and to ono or two confiden-
Ell servants of the Government. It is purely ten-
tative ; the object is to vary with circumstances,
and the place where the descent will be made de-
ponds on certain contingencies, the force of which
trust be left to the judgment of the commanding
olheers. The first news of the operation and of
the appearance of the fleet on the coast, or of the
success of the armada, will be received from the
South by the telegraph through St. Louis. No
doubt some important port will be menaced. The
expedition dare not return without effecting some
important result. A wide field is open for the
judgment of the officers and the exertions of the men
composing it, and so far Captain Dupont is satisfied
that if there be any failure the fault will be his
rather than that of the officers or men under him.
At least, he has written to the Government to say so.
There is no warlike operation more difficult than a
descent on an enemy's coast, and, notwithstanding
the example of Sir R. Abercrombie's landing in
Egypt, and of the debarcation at Old Fort, prudent
generals and admirals alike dread these attempts on
account of the numerous and unforeseen obstacles to
success. The night after the expedition sailed it
blew a stiff breeze, which must have run up an un-
pleasant sea on the dangerous shore under the lee
of the ships if they kept on their course southwards
by Hatteras. When the Atlantic gets a twist the
'wrong way and the wind sets from the eastward
there is an astonishing roll of water and a crashing
surf on the low spits and sand bars which protect
the shores of Secessia, The entrances to the rivers
tire very unpromising on dark night, or even in fine
moonlight, when the pharos gives out no guiding
ray, and lenses, refractors, and reflectors have been
broken into fragments to the great annoyance of
friend and foe on the waters. As to the coasts,
none are there in the much-becharted world to
*which sailors would more willingly give a good
offing, From what I have seen of Charleston, of
Savannah, of Mobile, and of New Orleans, I am
inclined to think the Federalists would scarcely do
more than effect considerable damage to their
enemy, without any permanent advantage to them-
selves, in any attempt they might make with their
present force. They will suffer considerable losses in
a demonstration against any of these places, which
are protected by sandbanks and difficult navigation,
and in the case of all but one by intricate river
channels, from:any immediate sea attack. Charles-
ton, the most readily accessible, must be approached
by a very contracted, dangerous channel, which
leads right up to the guns of Fort Sumter, under
the batteries of Fort Moultrie, along a line galled
and flanked by sand batteries on Morris Island and
Sullivan's Island. The coast above and below is cut
vp into islands or marshy tracts, and separated by
deep:water channels and lagunes, so that an invad-
ing force would be obliged to make a considerable
detour to approach the city, the occupation of which
-would not necessarily lead to the fall of the fort if
the garrisons were determined to hold out. Besides,
the water is so shallow that no vessels of ordinary
draught could approach within range to cover the
disembarcation, and a slight breeze from sae a w a.
throws up a heavy surf on the beach. Georgetown
above, Wiltown or Beaufort below, might be readily
taken with the force in hand, but the country be-
tween these places and Charleston or Savannah is
cut up by great rivers unknown to European fame,
such as Santee, Cooper, Edisto, Ashepoo, Comba-
bee, Agechee, Cannonchee, and by immense canals
and embankments round the rice fields, which can
be inundated at pleasure. The rivers flow through
primzeval forests, often with no visible banks, ex-
tending their waters for miles through a jungle of
underwood and tangled brake, inhabited exclusively
by water-snakes, alligators, and turtles, and invol-
ving the land in an unsuccessful attempt to keep its
head above water ; while the latter endeavours in
vain to get away off the land. Such a country ! It
lcoks as if it were in the early stages either of being
submerged by the flood, or of draining off after it.
It is, true that railroads run from such points as
"Wilmington, Brunswick, and Fernandina, but they
are in the hands of the enemy, and their course lies
over trestle-work and wooden bridges, spanning
these broad waterways, which could be destroyed
in a moment, at a considerable inconvenience to the
enemy, indeed, but in no way to the advantage of
the invading force, which could not advance in-
wards if it desired it, and must be fed by sea. If
it be sought to effect a lodgment on the coast merely
with the view of securing a future base of opera-
tions, either in war, trade, or treating, Charleston
would be next in importance to New Orleans. In
former letters I described the fortifications of Fort
Pulaski and Fort Morgan as they appeared when I
visited Savannah and Mobile, but there is reason to
believe that much has been done there, as elsewhere,
to strengthen the defences, for the Confederates have
never lost sight of the fact that their enemy was
stronger by sea than by land, as compared with
themselves. As there is a considerable proportion
of the white males at the seat of war, the expedition
will no doubt create a considerable diversion, not-
withstanding the Horse Guards, Coast Guards, and
local militia, or military companies. It is known,
for instance, that a regiment from Georgia which
was engaged at Bull's Run formed part of the force
which attacked the Indiana regiment in camp on the
sand spit above Hatteras the other day. The agitation
and alarm along the Southern coast will be extreme,
and the officers in command of the expedition have
full Powers and discretien to make a dash at any
Point of importance where the best chance of success
exist. New Orleans seems a long way off for such
a number of sailing vessels and bad scaboats, but
the weather is generally moderate at this time of the
year. 1n my judgmeat, however, the composition of
the force indicates an intention to try some place
where the guns of the ea -of war can be rendered
available, and New Orleans men
-rtainly does not fulfil
that condition if a descent be madeh river
on either side of
the delta of the Missiasappi. T
itself is de-
fended by Fort Jackson and Fort St. Phillip, which '
i
cross-fire the channel at a point
scene distance above
the diffusion of the great river through the isles
formed by the precipitate of its waters. They were
originally of no great strength, but it is said they
have been much improved in armament and power,
and they are supported by batteries on the banks
above. They are naturally strong by position, as
the stream will not admit any great front of fire to
converge upon them. Nearer to the city, close to
the spot where the English sustained their dis-
graceful repulse from the cotton bales, earthworks
have bees erected, and the population of the city
would furnish many volunteers to the force to de-
fend them should any officer resolve on the very
hardy and almost hopeless undertaking of marching
10,000 men through marsh and overflows to attack
a town containing 120,000 inhabitants. However,
" something must be done," and before ten days pass
we shall learn what it is; but rest assured, mean-
time, that the actual object at which the blow is
struck will depend on contingencies to be decided
by. actual reconnaissance and observation at sea after
totife..expedition has sailed. The officers in command
tile sea and land forces are considered the most
capable men in
The Goverty the service of the United States.
and expended vast has put forth its utmost strength,
tion, and if S'lras of money on the it fail "I'a results will be of the most