The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-11 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 11, 1861.

AMERICA.

SOUTHAMPTON, THURSDAY.

The North German Lloyd screw steamship New
York, Capt. G. Wenke, bringing mails from New
York to the 28th ult., arrived off Cowes at 3 30 p.m.,
and went on to Bremen after transshipping mails,
&c., for this port. She brings four passengers for
Southampton, 21 for Havre, and 169 for Bremen,
with 500 dols. specie and a large cargo for the
last•named place.
During the passsage the Bremen spoke the fol-
lowing vessels :—Oct. 7, lat. 49 9 N., 21 16 IV., the
American schooner Black Swan, steering east; Bth,
lat. 49 31 N., 14 41 W., the American ship Senator,
steering westward; 9th, off Scilly, the English
schooner Volga, steering about N.E.
The Belgian steamer Congress, from Antwerp,
arrived at New York on the 27th in a disabled con-
dition, and was towed up the bay.
Affairs at Washington were quiet, and along the
lines of the army across the Potomac. The Con-
federates were keeping remarkably still, not even
showing themselves at any point. It had recently
been discovered by the Potomac flotilla that new
batteries had been erected by the Confederates at
Freestone Point, and on the 25th two or three ves-
sels approached the place and threw in a few shells,
which elicited a response. The location of the batte-
ries having been ascertained, it was thought that
measures would soon be taken to capture them, as
.they had rifled cannon, which proved a consider-
able annoyance to vessels passing up or down. The
only occurrence of moment near Washington on
the 27th was the discovery of another Confederate
battery on the Lower Potomac, at the mouth of the
Occoquan Creek. The schooner William Allen,
from New York, loaded with hay, was fired upon
by it, some 12 shots in all. Two shells entered her
deck-load, and another struck her cabin, but fortu-
nately did not explode. These shells were fired
from a 30 pound rifled cannon, supposed to be the
Parrot gun captured at Bull Run. A despatch
from Washington of the 27th says :

" The steamer Yankee arrived at the Navy-yard
to-day without being molested by the rebel battery
at Freestone Point, which is about 25 miles below
Washington. The transport Delaware was Fred at
yesterday as she passed that point, seven shots being
thrown, striking over and around her without the
least damage. The battery is represented as being
a large one, with the rebel flag prominently flying.
It is thought by others attached to the Potomac
flotilla that there are other forts or batteries be-
tween Freestone Point and Acquis Creek, but that,
as yet, they are concealed by the trees, which are
thick along the shore. The policy of the rebels
seems to be to first build their offensive works and
then to clear the woods in their front. This view
of their operations is strengthened by the report of
a farmer from Occoquan that the rebel troops are
in considerable force between Occoquan and Acquia
Creek. He further says they are building forts
and drawing cannon thither.
"Paymaster Gallagher, having given satisfactory
security to the Government for the settlement of
his accounts, embracing a long cruise in the East
Indies, at the Naval Academy, and4tt the Washing-
ton Navy-yard, has been released from arrest."
The latest intelligence from General Lane re-
ported him to be moving towards Oceola, in Western
Missouri. He had a fight on the 21st ult. at Papins-
vine, with a superior force of the Confederates,
whom he surprised and routed. His loss was 17
killed and a large number wounded, while the Con-
federates lost 40 killed, 100 prisoners, and all their
tents, waggons, and supplies. General Lane had
issued a proclamation to the citizens of Western
Missouri, guaranteeing protection to all not in
arms against the Government.
From Cairo we learn of a skirmish at Lucas Bend,
on the Mississippi :fiver, between a cavalry com-
pany, commanded by Captain Stewart, numbering
75, and a company of Confederate cavalry. The
latter were pursued into Jefferson Thompson's camp,
at Belmont, with the loss of four killed, five cap-
tured, and many more wounded. The remainder
scattered into the woods. A report prevailed at
Cairo that the Confederates had crossed the river
below, but it proved to be untrue. Jefferson
Thompson has under his command about 2,000 men.
Occasional reports were received of a privateer
down the coast in the vicinity of Cape Hatteras,
notwithstanding the proximity of the Federal crui-
sers at Hatteras Inlet. The brig Arabella, Capt.
Lindsley, arrived at New York from Aspinwall,
reports that on the 20th, in lat. 33 deg. 56 min,
long. 74 deg. 56 min., she was chased by a schooner,
with the English ensign set union down, but the
Arabella, by altering her course and squaring away
before the wind, soon left her astern, upon finding
which the schooner hauled her wind, took down the
English flag, and boldly set the flag of the Confede-
rate States. Capt. Lindsley also states that upon
the following day he saw the same schooner far
astern, chasing a brig, but she did not succeed in
overhauling her.
Another flag of truce was reported to have arrived
at Fortress Monroe, from Norfolk, accompanying
25 ladies desirous of proceeding north. The steamer
carrying the flag was stopped near Sewall's Point,
and the passengers were taken off by one of our
vessels, Commodore Goldsborough having very pro-
perly decided that no more flags of truce shall come
near our fleet. There was nothing later from Hat-
teras Inlet or the other points of interest below.
According to a despatch from Cincinnatti, John
C. Breckinridgc, on the 25th, had a narrow escape
from falling into the hands of the Federal autho-
rities. A detachment of one of the Ohio regi-
ments succeeded in capturing James B. Clay and
16 others, white on their way to join Zollicoffer,
and Breckinridge was understood to have been
in Cincinnatti with the party, but succeeded in
making his escape.
The commander of a vessel which arrived at
Boston on the 26th from Demerara, which port
she left on the 4th, reports that the pirate Sumter
had been at Surinam, where she was supplied
with coal by an English planter. She left on
the let, steering southward. She was supposed
to be in the track of coffee-laden vessels from
Rio Janeiro.

" Since our last," says the New York Shipping
Gazette of the 28th ult. :

"There have been several important seizures of
vessels at this port by the surveyor. The ship
Great Republic, which arrived in ballast yesterday
off quarantine, was boarded there by a revenue
officer and taken possession of. 5-16ths of the vessel
is owned by W. 13. Whitehead, of Virginia, and
s.l6ths by Richard A. Riddock, of North Carolina.
The schooner Danville, the brig Kensington, and
the schooner Medora have also been seized. The
Danville arrived in port on Thursday from Rio
Janeiro, in ballast. The owners reside in Rich-
mond, Virginia, from which port the vessel sailed
four days after the bombardment of Fort Sumter,
with a cargo of tobacco. It is said that this vessel
attempted to run the blockade with a cargo of
coffee, but was ordered off by one of the United
States' frigates. The schooner Medora also arrived
on Thursday in ballast. She is wholly owned in
North Carolina. The brig Kensington is entirely
owned in South Carolina."

The telegraph on the 27th announced a most de-
structive break in the high embankment of the old
portion of the Erie Canal, at Holly, Orleans county.
The whole embankment was swept away. The
bottom of the canal was also gene out to the depth
of 80 feet. Dams would be constructed at the junc-
tions of the old canal, which would probably take
two or three days. Navigation could then be re-
sumed. It was feared that the track of the Niagara
falls road was damaged and a grist mill destroyed.
A telegram from Boston says the ship Harriet,
from New York for Rotterdam, off Highland Light,
Cape Cod, in. distress.

THE SIEGE OF LEXINGTON.

The Chicago Post gives the following graphic
account of the battle of Lexington, furnished by
Alfred M. Tenny, of Chicago, a non-commissioned
officer, who was engaged in the fight, and whose
company, G, took part in every one of the many
brilliant charges:—
" On the Ist day of September the brigade re-
ceived orders to proceed to Lexington, to reinforce
Colonel Marshall, wbo had gone up about a week
previous to protect the Union men of that place.
But those who were not Union men, embracing
about all the population, were found too numerous,
and about 5,000 butter-nut-coloured rebels, under
General Hughes, being in the neighbourhood, Col.
Marshall sent down for reinforcements.

"The brigade left Jefferson City on the Ist, and
arrived at Lexington on the 7th September, having
marched by land the entire distance, 160 miles.
We found there Colonel Marshall's Ist Illinois
cavalry, and Colonel White's Bth Missouri infantry,
from St. Louis, together with about 750 Home
Guards, under Colonel Peabody. The whole force,
including Col. Mulligan's regiment, was 2,700 men.
" The position where Colonel Marshall was en.
camped was called Fort White ; Colonel White, of
the Bth Missouri regiment, being in command
until the arrival of Colonel Mulligan, who super-
seded him. Intrenchments had been thrown up
on a rather small scale around the Masonic
College building, which served as a general store-
house and magazine.
" On the day after our arrival a contraband came
into camp and asked protection, saying his master,
had gone to join the ' secesh' army at Yorktown,
about 15 miles from us. The enemy, we learnt
from him, were about 10,000 strong, under General
Rains. Our scouts confirmed this statement the
same day. Col. Mulligan immediately despatched
Lieut. Pease, of Company D, to Jefferson City for
reinforcements. Orders were also immediately
given toconstruct intrenchments, embracing an area
much larger than Fort White. The whole com-
mand worked day and night, and on the 12th the
works were rather more than half completed. The
breastworks were 10 feet high, and the ditch sur-
rounding them about 14 feet wide. On that side
next the new town mines were constructed beyond
the ditch communicating with our position inside,
"Our artillery consisted of two brass six-pounders,
three iron six-pounders, and two six-inch mortars,
for which we had only about a dozen shells. We
also had but a small supply of round shot and musket
balls, but plenty of powder.
" On the 12th (Thursday), while we were still at
work on the intrenchments, our pickets--companies
A and C of Marshall's cavalry—were driven in.
Col. Mulligan immediately sent out companies B,
I, X, and G (Capts. Gleeson, Dan Quirk, Fitz-
gerald, and Lieut. Wallace), to entertain the enemy.
The enemy's advance guard, about 5,000 strong,
were discovered in a corn-field on the top of the
bluff near Old Town. We immediately fired upon
them six volleys in rapid succession, killing about
600 of them before they could form in line. We
lost in this part of the battle S killed and 15
wounded.

" We retreated into our intrenehments, followed
by the enemy, who brought six pieces of cannon
and commenced playing on the college building,
where our ammunition and all our provisions were
stored. We replied with all five of our guns,
giving them round shot and shell to their hearts'
content. The cannonading commenced about 3 p.m.,
and was kept up until dark. We used up all our
shells before dark. We silenced one of their guns
by knocking it to pieces, and killed, as we learnt
afterwards, about 75 of their men. We sustained
no injury at all, except in the using up our ammu-
nition. The action ceased at dark.

" The enemy did not recommence the battle next
day, for the reason that his reserve forces had not
yet come up. We took advantage of the interim
to continue work on our intrenchments, working
day and night.
" After the battle of the 12th, in which the rebels
were repulsed, a second messenger, Lieut. Ryan,
was despatched to Jefferson City for reinforcements.
He left Lexington on the steamer Sunshine, which
boat was captured by the rebels on the way down,
and Lieutenant Ryan was made prisoner.
" On the morning of the 17th, we discovered that
we were completely surrounded by the enemy, who
had cut us off from the river entirely. His force
was six times greater than when the battle, com-
menced on the 12th.

" The battle recommenced at eight o'clock pre-
cisely, a signal gun being fired from General Price's
head-quarters at the Court-house in the new town.
The firing then recommenced with artillery on
both sides.

" The enemy continued fighting from the 17th to
the 20th inclusive, night and day, without interrup-
tion. During this whole time we were without any
water except about 20 barrels in cisterns around
the college building. Most of this we had to keep
for hospital purposes. On the morning of the 19th
it rained heavily for about two hours, saturating
our blankets, which we wrung out into our canteens
for drinking.

" The rebels aimed most of their shots at the
college building, supposing our magazine to be
there, which it was at first ; but after the engage-
ment of the 12th we had removed it to a safer place.
During the nights we continued to throw red hot
shot at each other ; during the days the battle was
continued with both cannon and musketry.
"During the 17th (Tuesday) and the 18th, the
rebels made very poor progress, getting no nearer
to us than we found them when the battle begun. On
the 19th (Thursday) they commenced erecting
breast works of hemp bales, from behind which they
continued their fire, while they rolled the breast-
works towards us. About 3 o'clock in the afternoon
of that day they charged over the intrenchments
upon Colonel Peabody's Home Guards, and planted
their flag upon the top of our breastworks. The
Irish Brigade were ordered to leave their position
on the opposite side, to retake the ground which
Colonel Peabody had lost. We fired on the run and
continued at double quick. The rebels scattered and
fled like a flock of sheep, but left the top of the en-
trenchments covered with their dead. We killed
about 500 or 600 in this single charge, and cap-
tured their flag. We lost about 30 killed and
wounded. They had no bayonets, and most of their
weapons were shot guns, and we did not give them
time to make use of even these. They fired only at
random. Colonel Mulligan received a buckshot in
the leg, which passed through the calf, laming but
not disabling him. He received six or seven balls
and buckshot through the green blouse he wore.
This was the end of the action on that day, except
the cannonading, which continued through the
night.
" On tho 20th the engagement continued, with
musketry firing at intervals. We fired hot shut into
their hemp-bale breastworks, hoping to set them on
fire, but we found they were saturated with water,
for which purpose they were dipped in the river.
They came up in force to the top of the hill, when
the brigade left the intrenchments, together with
Company A of Col. Marshall's:cavalry, and charged
upon them, drivicg them down the hill with great
slaughter. In this charge the cavalry company was
entirely destroyed both men and horses being killed.
Colonel Marshall himself was in the college build-
ing with the Home Guards. The charge, like the
one of the day previous, was led by Colonel Mulli-
gan in person. The brigade lost in this charge
about 60 killed and wounded. The cavalry com-
pany received the whole contents of the enemy's
hysa teeamtnnheafee
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(Friday),
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battery of six pieces, which swept them entirely out
pbt
take
battery exotri
they brought up more
cannon to their hemp-bale battery on the bill.
Between 10 and 2 o'clock we made three charges

upon this battery. We were led by Colonel White
of the Missouri Bth, Colonel Mulligan being scarcely
able to walk. Colonel White and his men fought
bravely during the whole battle. Colonel White
is one of the bravest of men. Colonel Alulligan
relied more upon him than upon any other officer
of his command. In the last charge upon the rebel
battery, about 3 o'clock on Friday afternoon, he
was shot through the lungs, and died on Saturday
morning.

"Six different times during the siege the rebels
were allowed to approach the intrenchments on the
side next the city to the edge of the ditch. When
a regiment had got sufficiently near, our boys in-
side would explode a mine, sending them up into
the air and hurling them promiscuously in every
direction, slaughterinF them by hundreds. Six
mines were thus exploded under their feet, and
they evidently began to regard that side of the
entrenchments as a dangerous locality.

" Immediately after the charge in which Colonel
White was killed, Major Baker, of Colonel Pea-
body's Home Guards, planted a flag of truce on
the entrenchments. Colonel Mulligan immediately
ordered it to be taken down. It was taken down,
and the firing recommenced and continued until 4
o'clock, when Captain Graham, of the Home Guards,
again put up the flag of truce, and the whole force
of Home Guards left the trenches, refusing to con-
tinue the fight.
" We were out of water and out of ammunition ;

three of our cannon had been silent since the day
before, for want of shot ; our men had only six
rounds of ball left. The reinforcements we had
expected had not arrived, and we had reason to
believe they had been cut off. It was evident we
could not hold out much longer.
" When the firing ceased the rebels sent in a flag
from their battery, and Colonel Mulligan sent
Major Moore to Price's headquarters. Price came
up in person and received the surrender.
" A day or two previously Price had sent a flag
of truce to us, and offered if we would surrender to
permit us to march out with our arms, but Colonel
Mulligan promptly refused the overture.
" The rebels took from us everything except the
•lothes on our backs, and hurried us across the
river on Satudray morning. The swords of the
officers were not taken away. Price said to Colonel
Mulligan that he was too brave a man to be deprived
of his sword, and permitted him to retain it. Mul-

ligan wept like a child when he found he must give
up the battle which he had fought for four days
without ceasing against an army of 31,000 men.
"All the round shot we had were cast by our-
selves at an iron foundry in the city. We continued
this work until the rebels took possession of the
town.

" The rebels had 15 or 16 cannon, and seemed to
be well supplied with ammunition, round shot,
grape, and cannister. Their small arms were prin-
cipally shot guns and squirrel rifles: They had
only a few muskets with bayonets, taken from our
troops at Springfield.
" During the entire time, from the battle on the
12th to the surrender on the evening of the 20th,
we neither saw nor heard of reinforcements. We
knew that General Raines, with about 10,000 men,
had been sent out to intercept and cut off any rein-
forcements that. might be approaching from the
west and north-west, and we had reason to believe
that M'Culloch had forces near the river below us
for a like purpose. Had they not been intercpted
and whipped we could conceive of no good reason
why reinforcements had not arrived two or three
days before. We knew, or at least believed, they
had had ample notice of our situation. Two mes-
sengers had been sent to Jefferson City, but nothing
was heard from either of them afterwards.

"There is no truth, nor shadow of truth, in the
statement published in certain newspapers, that
Colonel Mulligan, in reply to Price's summons to
surrender, told him to Go to h—."rhe first sum-
mons we had from Price was a cannon ball; the
reply to it was another.
"Neither is there any truth in the statement
that he refused to give up his sword when it
was demanded. His sword was not taken from
him, unless it was done after his men left the
ground.

" The statement that Colonel Mulligan challenged
Price to a fair fight, four to one, is false. Colonel
Mulligan had enough to do in conducting battle

like a soldier, and a brave one ; he had no time to
spend in' buncombe' exhibitions of valour for the
benefit of sensation reporters,
" Colonel Mulligan displayed the greatest cool-
ness and bravery throughout. Both he and Colonel
White passed over the ground where grape and
cannister were flying in all directions, giving their
orders with as much coolness and consciousness of
what they were about as if there had been not the
slightest danger. Both led their men to the charge
against a storm of deadly hail such as few veterans
of the line have stood amid without quailing. Their
actions proved them to be men than whom there are
none braver. Both deserved a better fate, the one
being killed, and the other wounded and a prisoner.
" Before we left Claib Jackson made a speech.
He said we had no business in Missouri ; that we'
(meaning himself, it is supposed) would take care
of that State without our assistance, and that we
had better go home and mind our own business. All
of which we listened to with such patience as be-
came men who could not help it.
" General Price also had something to say as we
were formed in a line to be sent across the river.
He passed a compliment upon Colonel Mulligan's
command, by saying that they had been the hardest
troops to capture he had ever seen. In this he
could not have included the Home Guards.
" The Home Guards were not released, but held
as prisoners by Price, and it was rumoured that
some of ;them were to be shot as traitors to the
State."

The following despatches give additional particu
lays relative to the siege of Lexington :
" ST. LOUIS, SEPT. 25.

" Lieut. Harris, of Colonel Marshall's Illinois

Cavalry, who was in the battle at Lexington, ar-
rived here to-day. He says he disguised himself in
the uniform of the enemy after the surrender, and
passed through their lines, escaping without taking
an ' obligation.' He reports that a large amount
of gold, seven cannon, 4,500 rifles and muskets,
the equipments of Colonels Marshall's and Mulli-
gan's regiments, a number of waggons, and a con-
siderable quantity of provisions fell into the hands
of the rebels. There were but 2,200 engaged on our
side, the balance of the men being sick or absent
while the force of the enemy is stated at 30,000 en-
gaged, and 10,000 out on marauding expeditions.
, JEFFERSON CITY, SEPT. 26.
" A special despatch to tho St. Louis Republican
says :—Colonel Daggart, of the 26th Illinois Regi-
ment, has arrived from Ostenili, where he heard
yesterday that Claib Jackson was advancing on
Booneville with 10,000 men, and Price was marching
towards Georgetown with about 20,000 men, the
army at Lexington having been divided for that
purpose. _ _

"General Davis is in command of our forces at
Georgetown, where a large number of troops can

be concentrated in a short time.

" The rebels were reported moving fcrward to
burn the Len-iino-bric'.ge 2 gain, but it was well de-
fended.

"Scouting parties were reported to be near Boone,
yille last night.

" General Siegel went west from here to-day.
"Ex-Governor King and Judge Ryland have
been released by the rebels.

" General Sturgis, with 1,100 men, reached a
point six miles from Lexington on the 19th, but,
learning that some 5,000 of Price's rebels were sta-
tioned in the woods skirting the river, waiting for
his approach, he marched to Liberty and thence to
Kansas city.
"Reports which are regarded as reliable say that
Colonel Montgomery, of General Lanee command)

PR1CE....... .4d.
STAMPED ....sd.

attacked Oceola, in St. Clair county, on Friday last,
and burnt the town by shelling it, and replsed a
large force of rebels.
" There are said to be about 4,000 rebels in St.
Clair county, committing all kinds of depredations
upon Union men."