The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-12 00:00:00

arrowroot, 1 case of revolvers, 2 cams of cavalry
swords, aad 2 cases of stores.
A Boston paper publishes letters from a corre-
spondent at Hilton Head describing the Federal
position there. The following are extracts:--
"HILTON HEAD, Nov. 20.—The heat whereof the de-
fenders of their country's flag had cause to complain upon
first landing has disappeared. In its place have come
Novembrian blasts worthy of New England's olimate, and
the brave volunteer, shivering in his tent, debates whether
it be not a fact that he has been imposed upon ; whether
Port Royal entrance be worth holding; whet her the rebels,
appreciating its usefulness, did not build firm fortifications
for-the sole purpose of inducing the Yankees to expend
powder and shot, and life and limb, upon it, and of having
a laugh at the expense of him who wins. He has this little
consolation, however, that with cold comes torpor to the
copper-heads and rattlesnakes. But, ales I fleas are persis-
tent as ever. Congestive fevers, which carry off the patient
in from ten to fifteen hours, are becom'ing painfully preva-
lent, especially with the Maine 9th. The surgeons say the
disease has been brought from the camp on the eastern
shore of the Potomac. But it would seem that a long con •
filament on shipboard, followed by hard work in transport-
ing merchandise through the surf, from boats to the shore,
will sufficiently account for an extraordinary mortality,
without recurring so far to the pant. The ground upon
which Fort Walker and the encampments are located is
sufficiently high—being a plateau terminating in a bluff,
rising ten or fifteen feet above the beach. But there is
much low land, such as might be profitably used for rice
fields, bordering upon the creeks, and therefrom a miasma
issues which makes it quite impossible to reckon Hilton's
Head a healthy camping ground. Add to this the execrable
character of the water, and you have a list of discomforts
quite long enough to account for the fact that teamsters and
other camp followers who have the privilege of exercising in
some degree a volition in relation to their own movements,
are leaving for the North in droves. And as for the rest,
they wish that the occupation of Beaufort might be ad-
judged a military necessity, for there are comfortable quar-
ters without fever, ague, or the other incidents of Sea Island
plantation life.
"The British frigate Immortalite, Capt. Hawkins, came
into the harbour yesterday morning, and was received with
all the honours prescribed by the army and navy regula-
tions, in such cases made and provided. The ship was sent
hither by Admiral Milne, to receive such British residents
of the neighbouring ports as may desire, in view of the very
uncertain character of the times, to seek refuge elsewhere.
She will remain here some time. Of course they are gen-
tlemen, both of the army and navy, who believe that this
ostensible and innocent design is but a cover for some
scheme for aiding the rebellion. But I learn that Captain
Hawkins discovers no sympathy for the slaveholders' rebel-
lion. A schooner, taken a few days since while at-
tempting to run into Savannah,was brought to this harbour.
She was sailing under English colours, and upon the mani-
fest it was recorded that she sailed from a port in the West
Indies with a cargo of goods such as usually comes from
that region. But her owner, acting as first officer, was
found to be a resident of Savannah, and in the vessel's hold
a considerable quantity of arms and ordnance stores were
found. Upon the arrival of the Immortalite at this port,
the owner of the schooner applied to the English captain
for relief, and received in reply a curt and decisive answer,
which certainly gave no reason to believe that any desire
to interfere in this quarrel existed in the heart of Captain
Hawkins.
" Information has reached the naval officers that all non-
combatants are leaving Savannah, and that a grand stam-
pede in the direction of Augusta is taking place. So exten-
sive has the tide of hurried emigration thitherward become,
that the Mayor of the town has been compelled to issue a
Proclamation forbidding the entry of more of the panic-
stricken into his dominions, as the accommodations are all
taken up, and the danger of an approach to famine is im-
minent. Several of the gunboats have been pretty con-
stantly employed of late in making reconnaissances of
the positions of the rebels hereabouts, They report that
all the heavy guns in batteries upon the neigh-
bouring shores have beeen removed to the inte-
rior. The enemy appears to have abandoned all inten-
tion of making a stand against the navy. Hatteras and Port
Royal have taught them a valuable lesson in that respect.
An army properly disciplined would, there can be no doubt,
find no very difficult march hence to Savannah. Whether
or not such a march is purposed no newspaper correspon-
dent is et-liberty to disclose, if he knows ; and by the same
token he is bound not to furnish any evidence which inclines
his own mind to the one opinion or the other,
"In the engagement of Nov. 7, the Wabash threw 887
shells, the Susquehanna 470, and the gunboats an average
of 120 projectiles of one sort or another. You may judge,
therefore, that very considerable inroads were made upon
the contents of the magazines of the vessels. The return of
a vessel which has been sent north for supplies of ammuni-
tion for the navy, and which will be due here before this
letter will be received, is anxiously looked for, as- a new
branch of the enterprise, in which the expeditionary corps
is engaged, will then go forward.
"Nov. 25. The evidences multiply, and, indeed, may well
be deemed conclusive that the enemy has abandoned all pre-
tence of defending the coast. Hatteras and Port Royal
have shown that mere earthworks manned by Volunteers,
and deficient in effective shells as Confederate magazines all
are, can never withstand the attack of a large naval force.
'-eme heavy guns recently at Tc bee Island, at the mouth of
the Savannah river, have been removed inland. So all
along shore. Resistance is only to be made to troops, and
nn the main land."

On the 27th the steamship Constitution, with the
advance guard of Butler's expedition left Hampton
Roads.
On the 28th the Federals pushed a reconnaissance
Close up to Fairfax-courthouse, when they came
tpon the Confederate sentries, and retired after a
few shots had been exchanged.
A steamer, erroneously reported to be the Nash-
/ilk, had run the blockade of Charleston with a
cargo of woollens, arms, telegraph wires, percussion
caps, &c.

The following telegram contains some informa-
tion respecting the steamship Fingal, which re-
cently ran the blockade of Charleston :
" NE-w Yonit, Nov. 29.—The Fortress Monroe cone-
-BPondent of the Philadelphia Enquirer announces the ar-
rival there of the gunboat Cceur de Lion from Washington.
she had 42 shots aimed at her, but only received one, doing
little damage. She had Professor Lowe and his assistants
°II board, also Professor Starkweather, who goes to Port
,110)-al to make reconnaissances. A man calling himself
Tuesday,
O'Hara, of Porto Rico, who came from Norfolk on
4tlesday, on a flag of truce was detained by General Wool,
and his trunk examined. It contained valuable papers,
some sealed and stamped by the British Consul at Charles-
t°l3, and directed to Lord Lyons. They were sent to Seers-
.l,l'3" Seward for inspection. O'Hara, it is suspected, has
'leen an officer aboard the Fingal, which he says is to be
Att
-0d out for a man-of-war at Charleston, and is to carry a
pl4aidable battery of Whitworth rifled guns. He says the
gal arrived off Tybee Island two weeks since from
Southampton, via Puerto Cabello, where she had seen the
t
1:11 er often. Some of the arms brought by the Fingal
are being used against Fort Pickens."
Lord Monck was sworn in as Governor-General
e'reanada on the 28th. Winter had commenced to
set in, snow having fallen.

LIVERPOOL, DEC. 11.
The Liverpool, New York, and Philadelphia
°Olpany's screw steamer Etna, Capt. Kennedy,
Lich left New York on the afternoon of the 30th
111 t,, and which touched at Queenstown last night
10 land despatches, arrived in the Mersey at 7.15
thl6 evening.
This arrival adds but few details to those already
received through the Boston and Portland journals.
The Pensacola Observer, in its number of the 22d
November, thus announces the beginning of the
action at that place :
ill t, `` At five minutes past 10 this morning heavy and con-
fr"us firing commenced at the forts below. We learn
4°lll a person just arrived from the navy yard that the
ate was opened by Fort Pickens upon the Confederate
The
Times, and was returned by our batteries and forts.
b" tufted States frigate Niagara is trying to cross the
ar for the purpose of entering the harbour. The excite-
:le/It in the town is intense; the business places are all
t.,...°8°(1, and the tops of the houses are covered with an ex-
'd Population."
The same journal of the following morning says :
`` The firing of Fort Pickens during the morning was
I;l'ected at the steamer Times, with very little effect ; the
I°, es came up last night, and with the exception of two
0,. three little holes made by rifle shots, is unhurt. The
in°anmer Nelson was also in the engagement at the begin-
(Ally one shot struck her, and did but little damage. The
ter,,e'is°ll 'went over to the mainland and found the Fiorida
tb! ',lent all right. In passing Wilson's batteries she gave
°re a couple of shots, which were returned.
‘`
the frigate Niagara tried hard to come in, but her re-
lotti°4 was too warm, and she had to back out. The only
°f life we can learn of was a private of the Louisiana
Lorlent and the wife of a sergeant of the Marine Corps,
Of whom were killed by shells in the yard. A great
-Y shot and shell fell in the yard, but did very little
and age to the buildings. Our guns were worked all day,
hicie,,,ast have told with terrible effect upon the other

ghjAll F AMERICAN SHIP ON IRE.—The American
41Belo Greely, 1,000 tons, Captain A. G. Cutter,
n a' .a
!rig to Portland, Maine, having been discovered to be
tw "re in the Channel on Tuesday morning, was towed. by
-.L.1(1b1,1,6111ing smacks, the Sophia and the Charles, rinto
kibY
:Th Cove, near Brigham. At this place Mr. James
We
nc-
h A the commanding officer of the Coastguard,
sne on board and by the assistance of the town engine
the Zded at three o'clock in the afternoon in extinguishing
Bhi 'Lames which were confined to the after tart of the
The Elephant Greely, in consequence of the civil
froill thatng under Hamburg colouts, and was bound
city in ballast for Akyab.