, 1861-12-27
William Smith n,Rrter7,. tetter

William Smith O,Rrten's Letter.
William Smith O'Brien h4a published let
ter On the subject of war between the Uni
ted States and England, and the duty of Irish
men in all parts Of the American Union dur
ing such Q crisis. The communication is cd
dressed to Secretary Seward, through the
Irish journals, and MI. o'Brien openly arows
his opinion that England wishes to cxtinguish
great commercial rival in this the hour Of
its home trouble, and asserts his opinion that
she has no more sympathy with the United
States than she has for the Chinese Govern
mcnt, the humiliation Of both being equally
q part of her policy. With view to her
disappointment in this country Mr.. O'BEien
recommends that every effort should be made
by our Government to put m end to the re-
beilion at the South; and then that America,
again united, should take her dangerous and
unscrupulous foe in hand. 31r. O'Bricn shows
his fellow countzymen in every portion Of
America, aye even in the British army on the
Canadian frontier, will aid in protecting the
asylum Of their families, friends and fellow
citizens here, If needed, against English as
sau1t. The National Brotherhood of St. Pat
rick, at meeting just held lin Dublin has
called, By resolution, on the Irishmcn in
America to remember what they "owe to the
Government Of the Union,'' as well to recol-
iect what is duet from them to England in
case Of q var.
Major Mckee Furnishes Secesfa.
at jacksonville, on the North Missouri
Railroad, near the camp Of one of the Iowa
regiments, the rebels few days since, in force
about 400 strong, tore up the track, destroyed
several culyerts, cut the telegraph wires and
burned sone eight or nine cars aud locomo-
tive They piled wood on the locomotive,
burned and pitched it down the bank. News
was brought to the Iowa camp, and Major
Mckee was sent out with Captain Bredctt's
company and detachment from Capts. Rock
we'll and Spcllman's companies, in al, eighty
men. Some forty men from Col. Fosters
Missouri regiment joined them, making one
hundred and twenty men. These pnt out af-
ter the rebels in gallant style, came upon them
at breakfast, fifty miles down the road, near
Sturgeon, and after d sharp little fight, tho
lop-cared 1:sn in all directions. Says CORES
poudenfof the Gate City, of tic o3d:
The boys returned and had q good break
fast one finding on mule Petticoat sewcd
up ut the bottom, and filed with roast chicken,
sausage, biscuit and cake The spoIIs con
sisted Of forty horses, nine mules, 4 wagon
load of blankets, guns and knives and seven
teen prisoners. Capt. Bredett says he saw ten
men dead, but as their wounded were carried
off on horses we hare no knowledge Of the
number wounded No doubt more were
Killed, but as the boys we're tired out from
their long ride, no search was made. None Of
our boys were killed, and but six wounded.
- AL the past season the Government
has been tlnkering ut q rotten bridge across
the Potomac, its sole connection with the in
nscnse camps On the other side OF the river.
For many days, counting the season through,
Long Bridge has been impossible to army
trains carrying forage and subsistence to the
troops, and these have been the sufferers.
Not longer ago than last week, in consequence
Of lack Of facilities in getting across the river,
large numbers of the horses and men in the
regiments down the river were on short allow
ancc Of food for forty-cight hours. Is not this
shlftlessEess? Any private individual having
like interests ut stake, would have thrown a
wide, firm roadway across the river at that
point, months ago. But then the same indi-
vidual, undera like spur, would have built the
double track to Baltimore before midsummer
Had the season been one OF active military op-
erations on the Potomac, there might have
been some show Of excuse, but lacking this,
is it not al to be set down under the plain old
term Of shiftlessncsse