The Sun.
London, England, 1861-11-25 00:00:00

LAT EsT N E WS.

THE CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA

NEW YORK, No. 12, EVENING.
(PER EUROPA, via QUEENSTOWN.)

Tho statement that excitement prevailed among
the troops in camp at Springfield on receipt of the
news of General Fremont's removal is reported to
be totally unfounded.
General Rosencranx reports that he can sustain
his position in Western Virginia.
General Halleck has beea appointed to the com-
mand of the Western Department.
The Governor of Pennsylvania has addressed a
communication to the State Department in reply to
Mr. Seward's circular recommending the fortifica-
tion of the sea coast. The Governor, in this com-
munication, states that he cannot understand why
individual States should be asked to fortify them-
selves if, as stated in the circular, there is no pros-
pect of a disturbance of foreign relations. He does
not doubt that Congress would reimburse the States
for their outlay, but calls attention to the delay in
the payment to Pennsylvania by the Federal Go-
vernment of the sums advanced for the equipment
of Volunteers, and suggests that it would be better
for the general Government to erect the fortifica-
tions. If necessary, however, Pennsylvania would
respond patriotically to the calls of the country.

It is rumoured that the Federals will abandon
the Hatteras forts during the winter.
According to alPhiladelphia despatch, the steamer
Bermuda ran the blockade at Savannah on the 2d
inst. with 2,000 bales of cotton for Liverpool.
The New Orleans papers mention that a large
fleet had been seen off Ship Island.
Another Federal expedition will, it is reported,
sail immediately:
Private letters received from Washington again
report the capture of the privateer Sumter.
Cincinnati despatches state that en the Bth inst.
General Nelson met the Confederates at Pikeville,
Kentucky, whom he engaged during two days.
Four hundred Confederates are stated to have been
killed, and 1,000 taken prisoners. The Federal loss
is reported to be small.
No lives were lost in the wreck of the North
Brition.

The French war steamer Prony has been totally
wrecked off Hatteras. The crew were saved.

A meeting of New York merchants is taking
place for the purpose of drawing up a national
Bankruptcy Bill for presentation to Congress.

(LATEST BY TELEGRAPH TO HALIFAX.)

NEW YORK, Nov. 14.

Advices received by the Federal Government
announce that the fleet commenced the bombard-
ment of Port Royal on the 7th inst.
After a fight, which lasted four hours, the Con-
federates abandoned the forts and retreated pre-
cipitately. The Federals captured two forts, 43
guns, military equipments, and valuable papers.
On the Bth inst. the Federal army, numbering
15,000 men, landed and established themselves at
Beaufort, South Carolina, which, with the neigh-
bouring plantations, was totally destroyed by the
whites. Large numbers of negroes came into the
Federal camp. Beaufort is to be held as the seat
seat of future operations.

Eight Federals and 100 Confederates are reported
to have been killed during the bombardment. Fcur
Federal vessels were lost or missing during the late
severe gale.

It is reported that a Federal collector will be im•
mediately appointed at Beaufort, and that the place
will at once be opened to commerce.

(From the Boston Herald of Nov. 12.)

The Darnestown correspondent of the .Aretv York
Herald says it is not at all probable that any fur-
ther operations in the field will occur in that vici-
nity before the close of the present campaigning
season. At least it is unlikely that there will be
anything of importance undertaken by our army.
The groat barrier is the Potomac, which denies the
assailing party a base of operations, if the enemy
should oppose a landing on the opposite bank. To
effect a landing in spite of the opposition, and
when the river is swollen as at present by the
autumnal rains, would be a work of rashness and
attended with great loss of life. To throw a
bridge across the river would be an operation of not
less hazard than to cross by boats. The recent
rains have swelled the Potomac so much that logs
of wood, trees, weeds, &c., are swept rapidly down
the stream, and nothing but heavy masonry could
resist their momentum and the volume of the
stream in the form of a bridge. The erection of a
bridge of masonry is a thing entirely out of the
question, and from the experience of Ball's Bluff
before Gen. Banks, it is by no means expected that
there can be much fighting on this section of the
Potomac .for some time, or until a change takes
place in the position of the rebels. There is good
reason to know that the rebel force on the opposite
bank is about as large as ours.

THE ATTACK ON PORT ROYAL AND
BEAUFOR'I'.
(Front the Boston Advertiser, .Yov. 13.)

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 12.—The Inquirer has the
following from Fortress Monroe, derived from rebel
sources :

4, In anticipation of the arrival of the great expe-
dition, the rebels had been engaged in erecting bat-
teries upon a point at Hilton's Head, and opposite
the neck of land. The principal fortification on
Hilton's Head was denominated Fort Walker. It
is situated on low land, and partially concealed by
trees and underbrush. Adjoining it were other
batteries of smaller size, but so connected as to prove
a formidable bar to the entrance of vessels.

" Fort Beauregard was of considerable importance,
having been mounted with heavy guns. The gar-
risons are believed to have been South Carolina
regiments, with several additional regiments, sent
from Richmond. The batteries at Bay Point, oppo-
site Hilton's Head, were equally formidable. Inside
of Port Royal entrance, behind the batteries, lay
the fleet of Commodore Tatruall, consisting only of
small vessels, carrying a few heavy gues, but prin-
cipally light ones. Tugs constituted a greater por-
tion of the fleet. Many of these remained outside
the mouth of the entrance until the arrival of our
fleet, where they formed in miniature line of battle
behind the guns of their own forts and across the
entrance on the morning of Thursday.
" On Tuesday, the United States fleet of 42 ves-
sels, headed by the flag ship, approached the mouth
of Port Royal. Several transports remained off
the coast. The approach of the fleet created a
great stir in the batteries. Arriving at a suitable
position, the guns of the fleet opened continuous
fire on Forts Walker and Beauregard, as well
as those upon a point. Under cover of this fire, an
effort was made to run the gauntlet of the batteries.
The result was eminently satisfactory. A number
of vessels passed through the shot and shell from
the shore batteries with very trifling injuries. At
last 15 succeeded in passing up beyond the reach
of the land batteries.

"As the Union fleet sailed up, the mosquito fleet
of Tatnall opened fire, but seeing' the impossibility
of resistance, soon dispersed. Some were forced to
run on shore, while others were driven up inlets,
until most out of sight. Commodore Tatnall went
on shore with his men, to assist in working the bat-
teries and directing them against other vessels of
the Union fleet which were endeavouring to follow
the advance force. One of the Union gunboats was
believed to be burnt and three disabled.
" It is acknowledged by the enemy that they had
20 men killed in Fort Walker, bat it is impossible
to state their loss at the other batteries.
"The passage of the vessels through the channel
was not accomplished until the firing continued
from half-past nine in the moaning to nearly five