The Sun.
London, England, 1861-09-13 00:00:00

THE CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA

( From the AFpeoial Correspondent of the Times.)
WASHINGTON, AUG. 29.
In the first place, let me express the belief that
the unanimity of the North in this war is likely to
be disturbed by the introduction of an element the
strength of which, however, can scarcely be under-
stood by those who depend on the journals for in-
formation, because the organs which were its ex-
ponents have either been destroyed by mobs, are
in dread of suspension, or are defended by police
and men armed with revolvers. There are, however,
minions of earnest, sincere, and honest men willing
to peril their fortunes and their lives in the defence
of the Republic, and in the assertion of the Union,
the whole Union, and nothing but the Union. Capi-
tal sighs for peace—trade and commerce languish
for it. But capital knows that what she has ex-
pended will never be regained by submission, and
trade and commerce feel that a peace on the present
status of affairs would probably deprive them of
their home markets. The madness of politicians,
the self-seeking of parties, have led to an awful
calamity, the end of which no one can foresee or
predict. Peace is no longer a panacea for the evils
which afflict the United States, and war has pro-
produced some of its usual results in the necessity
which has arisen for the beaten party to regain
their prestige. Of all the parties in the United
States, that which desires peace, quoad peace, is at
present the most hopeless; because peace could only
now be obtained by the submission and cession of
everything for which the North is fighting, and by
the loss to the North of all, or nearly all, its advan-
tages. But still it works on, and the end would
justify the means indeed if an absolute peace could
be the fruit of its 'labours. There is no chance of
such a settlement, so far as I can see. There are
in the North itself the materials of trouble in the
anger of the great parties, which accuse each other
of the offences that brought on the greater war ;
and on the whole there is, in my judgment,
greater probability of a peaceful adjustment
offered by the actual success of the North, so
that she could reconstruct the Union, or allow
the South to go out as a dependent re-
public, than by any other form which the con-
test can assume. It is impossible for the North
to retire from the contest in a moral Bull's Run.
The South may resist long, and will certainly do so
with energy ; but there are new and formidable
combinations. Her troubles will come by water. The
first of the operations which she will have to submit
to is already in course of execution. The expedition
which sailed from Fortress Monroe, under the com-
mand of the senior officer of the United States'
squadron on the West India station, as to the object
of which nothingis known to the public, is destined
for the destruction and closing of the extraordinary
series of passages and inland waters in North Caro-
lina, extending from Old Currituck Inlet down to
Cape Lookout. Within a narrow belt of reefs and
sandbanks lie Pamlico Sound, Albemarle Sound—
inland seas running into innumerable creeks, and re-
ceiving a system of rivers by which communication
is opened to railroads and towns far in the interior
of the country. Here lurk the privateers, which
sally out through the openings of the outer bank
and prey upon the passing trader ; and here the
coasting vessels have been plying up and down with
security. 150 small vessels laden with stones, con-
voyed by the United States' ships of war,are on their
way to block up the few passages by which these
vessels can enter, and the men-of-war have also re-
ceived orders to destroy the forts and defences which
the rebels have occusied along the coast. A similar
process will be applied to other points of the coast
further south, with what success it is not yet pos-
sible to predicate. The external line of reefs and
sandbanks is one of the most curious instances of
recent change, and of the effect of water deposits
and currents, in the world. At the place where
Raleigh sailed in, with 14 feet of water under his
keel, there is now a sandbank, which is entitled to
the appellation of Kill-devil-hill, high above the
surface. These banks extend almost to Tampico,
all round by Florida ; and in other places the nature
of the shores and the great lakes and lagnnes in-
sipe, show that the process has been carried
on till the banks became united to the
mainland. There is inside the most extensive
and unique internal communication by water in
the world. Energetic efforts will be made to sus-
pond it, and the result will be serious suffering and
inconvenience to the inhabitants, and the destruc-
tion of their privateering efforts. Perhaps before I
send off this letter I may be able to give more pre-
cise information as to the proceedings of the expe-
dition, but the weather has been very unfavourable
to its rapidity, as it has been raining and hazy.
But the expedition which is in the course of or-
ganization, under General Fremont, to proceed
down the Mississippi, offers the most important re-
sults if it be successful, and is pregnant with the
most vital consequences if it fail to attain its object
There is no doubt that the General is displaying
zeal, judgment, and vigour in his preparations, and
gives good promise of conducting his expedition, as
far as he is concerned, with every guarantee that
failure will be obviated if possible. It is, as I under-
stand, not to be unaided by demonstrations equally
serious, as it is intended to form another expedition
to send up the Mississippi at the same time, which
will go right into the heart of the seceding States.
New Orleans and the river in the hands of the
United States, the South will have its constancy
and resources strained to the uttermost, for a great
blow has been dealt which violates Missouri and
opens all the Southern States along their western
boundaries—not to speak of its influence on Ken-
tucky. Gen. Freroont intends to cover the flank
of his flotilla by an army, which shall be able to
clear away the enemy as it advances; and 10 power-
ful steam gunboats, armed with heavy rifled ord-
nance, are intended to dispose of any fortified places,
earthworks, or hostile towns which may attempt to
oppose their progress. The closing up of the inlets
on the coast will prove very embarrassing, and we
shall hear no.more of vessels sailing out of such places
as Wilmington and running the blockade if the ex-
pedition carries out its object, Some trouble will
be saved to the British Legation, which has had its
full share of annoyance and correspondence in re-
ference to British vessels seized after they have left
ports supposed to be blockaded, not to speak of the
great increase of work connected with the new
passport system, and the sufferings of British sub-
jects who are seeking to get home, or to any place
out of the States, which no longer afford them either
a home or employment.
I presume it is known in England that the
United States' Government have abandoned their
project of collecting duties outside the ports of the
South by armed vessels, owing, I believe, to the re-
presentations of Lord Lyons, aided by the manifest
inconvenience and illegality of the intended process.
Although the position of the forces is such that an
encounter may take place on the other side of the
Potomac at any moment, General Ms 'Clellan has no
desire to precipitate an engagement, nor will he
snake an offensive movement till he has got his sol-
diers in hand, and formed the fine materials at his
disposal into an army. The movements made by
the Confederates may be intended either to amuse-
their men or to reconnoitre the whole of the works
from Alexandria to the Chain bridge,above Washing-
ton. They are not more than two miles and a half
from Alexandria, and are at the same distance from
ivashington, but it is not possible to ascertain their
force without the risk of bringing on an engage-
ment, which,
if they proved very strong, might be
unadvis i We: if they were found to be weak the recon-
mitssanc
• s would certainly prove that they were busy
in so
me other quarter. The country is very difficult,
cut up with watercourses and covered with undula-
ting woods, which are fast yielding, however, to the
vigorous efforts-of the Federal axemen, who, in re-
liefs of 50 strong, are clearing the ground in front
of their works, and leaving before them vast abattis
of great trees and branches interlaced together, and
almost impassable for infantry. Now and then a
long range shot or shell is sent from either side at
the pickets or sentries (the American writers, by
the waY,nerversely use the word picket as meaning
a single soldier or s t and there has been a
littleso
uselessmore i shooting which
au:di/et:Are:- Srtayl)k, in g and
of the animus orangninary and is yet indicative
General tl2outherners towards "the
ra,, kaellan has refused pules to

The officers of the regular army do not depend as
much as they might on the volunteers; they re-
member Mexico, where they would go away before
the war was concluded, at critical periods, causing
by their departure debility in the operations and
an increase of expenditure and loss of life to the
country.
It will be some time before the discontented
spirits are rooted out; but they are already beginning
to feel General M'Clellan's hand, as an untrained
horse gradually recognises the ferce of his rider.
That some good grounds for discontent existed,
particularly among officers, cannot be denied; but,
as far as food and rations, tentage, and general
military accommodation are concerned the men in
the service of the United States are not by any means
ill-treated. The di=ssatisfaction connected with the
payment of the men in some regiments was caused
by the officers, who did not furnish the paymasters
with the proper lists ; and, if delay was occasioned
by want of money in some instances, the patriotic
feeling of the men should have induced them to
have borne the privation with a little more patience.
In the quality of their clothing, however, there has
been just ground of discontent ; the contractors have
been at their usual work. General Butler pointed
out to me at Fortress Monroe soldiers who were clad
in a sort of gray stuff which looked like the worn-
out linings of infantry tunics—fluffy yet threadbare,
hard yet ragged, looking as if wool laud been glued on