The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-26 00:00:00

perhaps it may be as well to add that on the Bth of
September the fall of the Redan would have deter-
mined the enemy to precipitate their retreat to the
north side as effectually as the loss of the Malakhoff,
with the addition of causing them very great loss,
and a possible surrender of masses of men, from the
command of the Redan over the bridge, which
could not be touched by the Malakhoff. How little
did the young officer dream of his future destiny,
or the events in his country so near at hand, when
ho wrote his " Second Deduction from the Siege
of Sebastopol"—that mere individual courage can-
not suffice to overcome the forces, " &c.," but that
it must be rendered manageable by discipline, and
directed by that consummate and mechanical mili-
tary skill which can only be acquired by a course of
education instituted for the special purpose and by
long habit, and earnestly advocated the extension
and improvement of Militia and Volunteer systems.
The bulk of his report relates to the organisation
of European armies, in the cavalry arm especially,
and does infinite credit to his industry, is well
written, and must prove valuable to the officers of
the regular army who read it.
Thursday, 10th.—The movement of troops con-

tinues, but I think there is not more than could be
accounted for by supposing the General is shaking
them into their places and feeling his way down
the river ; and, with the exception of the cautious
advances towards the centre of the enemy's posi-
tion at the other side of the Chain-bridge by the
troops under Brigadier-General Smith, no forward
step has been taken. Violent winds have accelerated
the work of autumn, and stripped the trees, which
yield their leaves most readily before their time, but
there are pines enough left to screen positions to
some extent, and the liberal use of the balloon,
which contributes a good deal to the knowledge of
the Federalists respecting the numbers of the enemy,
does not prove equally satisfactory as to the nature
of the ground they occupy. There is considerable
uneasiness or vigilance manifested in reference to
the north or left bank of the Potomac, and patrols
and detached parties of the Federalists appear from
time to time in the country below Port Tobacco,
and, in conjunction with the night watches on the
river, must render intercourse between the Con-
federates and their friends in Maryland rather
hazardous. Very exciting times for the people who
like adventure ! Not a night but a chase, an
escape, a ruse, passes on the broad waters of the
river, and the canvass-backed ducks, which are
just now due, will no doubt be surprised at such un-
usual activity in their haunts. Romances, little
and big, are working themselves out; large and
small novels are ready for us down among the wood-
embosomed roads, the sedgy creeks, the lonely cot-
tages of Virginia and Maryland every day, and
slouched hats, folded requelaures, muffled oars, jin-
gling spurs, clanking swords, sudden pistol shot, and
all the business of effective melodrama, are here in
grim earnest. Solitary horsemen, and groups of the
same, shrouded female forms and gleaming eyes,
lovely sunsets, moonlit nights, the flashing of steel,
mysterious cutters and schooners gliding about in
storm or in calm, with snow-white sails and raven-
ous black teeth—all these are in the life and terribly
serious. But how can any one deal with the names
Who is to be pathetic on " Big Muddy ?" Can one
be tender even on "Turtle Creek ?" " Punch Bowl
Point" refuses to become romantic without a devil
before, and with a point after it. On " Posey's
Bluffs" no flower of fancy will bloom, and Dumas
himself could not " locate" a tale at " Persimmon
Rock" or "Port Tobacco." But there are strange
and stirring scenes about them nathless.
Ladies padded with copper wire and chlorate of
potass, animated by love or secession proclivities,
and bloated out of shape by treasonable correspon-
dence, who have lost all their figures by communi-
cation with the rebels, are caught, or hunted, or
frightened every week ; and now and then there
comes up a United States' cruiser to the navy-yard
below us, with a prize of three Confederates and a
cask of whisky, taken in a row boat, or with news
of a brush down the river, which never sweeps any-
thing away. What a winter there is before the
dwellers in these lands ! But, gloomy as it may
be for the North, the prospect for the agricultural
people in the South is far worse. There is the con-
stant fear of arson and murder, conspiracy, up-
risings, and insurrections, which must come with
the long winter nights to the aged and infirm, who
will be the sole dwellers in lone country houses in
great woods, and in distant farmhouses. There is
the want of warm clothing. Even in the North
there is a scarcity of blankets, and the Sanitary

Commissioners are appealing to the charitable for
contributions. There will be also the deprivation
of luxuries, almost necessaries, such as tea and
coffee; fresh provisions will not be generally pro-
curable—in fact, the enumeration of the miseries of
this civil war would exhaust the fire and touch the
heart of a prophet.
M.P., whose arrival at
Sir James Ferguson,
Richmond is reported in the Southern papers, is
stated on the same authority to be the bearer of
letters and despatches from Mr. Dudley Mann, the
Commissioner of the Southern Confederation, to Mr.
Jefferson Davis. The statement is scarcely credible,
for such an act would seriously compromise the
position of an English subject. Lord Adolphus
Vane Tempest left Washington some time ago with
the object of working round the Federal lines and
getting into the seceding States; and among our
few English visitors there is generally a consider-
able amount of interest and curiosity evinced in
reference to the Southern Confederation and the
condition of the Southern army. Lord Adolphus
Vane returned in the Persia, impressed with the
idea that the South cannot be subjugated, and with
a high opinion of General Beauregard. There was
a ridiculous report that his lordship had applied for
service in the Federal army, and we shall be told
perhaps that Sir James Fergusson, who has been
exposed to the usual vulgar abuse, has taken service
in the Southern army.
• Mr Mure, her Britannic Majesty's Consul, arrived
hero last night, in order to open communication on
business with Lord Lyons, after a difficult journey
of 23 days, owing to the state of the roads, inter-
ruption of trains, and detention at stations, arising
from military movements. There is not one single
word of truth in the statement in a New York paper
that Mr. Mure was under surveillance at Bowling-
green or anywhere else, that he had a servant whom
he left behind him to bring in despatches, and that
a communication announcing the appearance of
the Federal fleet off New Orleans, intended for
him, had fallen into the hands of General Ander-
son. The whole of the elaborate story is a fiction.
Mr. Mure has arrived here in person, because he
had no means of transacting business of the greatest
consequence to British subjects, and has been for
two months without official intercourse with his
Minister, and it is highly desirable that a regular
communication should be opened for the sake of
British interests with the representatives of our
Government in the blockaded ports. Vast inconve-
nience is experienced by the total cessation of all
means of making remittances, such as premiums on
insurances, policies, and the like. The question is,
however, full of difficulty. The United States' Go-
vernment naturally watch any communication with
the seceded States very closely and jealously, and
it is not to be expected that war can be carried on
without inconvenience to all exposed to its influence.

A painful accident happened at Liege just as
King Leopold's carriage was leaving the railway station.
An immense crowd had collected in the street, and in the
foremost rank was an old invalid with a wooden leg, who
wanted to present a petition to his Majesty. Just as the
Royal carriage approached the old man stepped forward,
but was thrown down by the pressure of the crowd, and
fell under the wheels, which passed over him, the cheering
of the crowd having prevented the postillions from hearing
the order to stop. The King and Princes, who saw the
accident, uttered an exclamation of horror, but were greatly
relieved when told that the poor old man had received no
serious injury. His Majesty directed that every necessary
attention should be paid to him, and also sent him a present

in money .
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