AMERICA.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 70, 30 October 1862, Page 5 (Supplement)

AMERICA.

(trom the Hume Heim, August 2G.) Tin; groat battles before Richmond which were described in our last, have been followed by a period of comparative quiet, so far as operations in (he field are concerned ; but there can bo little doubt that important movements will be made shortly on the one side or the other. WClellan’s troops still hold the position which they took up at Turkey Bond on the James River, after their retreat. Here they arc protected In* the gunboats, and their communications have hitherto not been interfered with. This state of affairs, however, cannot he expected to last long. The Confederates have been erecting batteries at several points which menace (he Federal position, while they have been collecting (heir forces from all quarters, and massing them in the neighborhood of the Northern army. Their plan, it would appear, is to cut. of M’Ciellan’s supplies, and so force him to capitulate. Certain movements lately made bv the Federal Commander, tend to confirm the belief, which is generally entertained at Washington, that he is intent on getting away from the peninsula on which he is at present encamped, as soon as possible. If lie is able to escape out of the fix into which he has led his army, he will probable

join General Pope, who has been slowly moving southwards lor the la-T few weeks, along the Shenandoah Valley, in (lie direction of Kichmond. This movement would bo a very dangerous one, but it might succeed, liven if .successful, however, it would amount to a concession that the great campaign had proved a failure, and that the Federal capital could not bo left without the protection of a large army. General Pope has under him some 00,000 men. The original plan was that he should operate against the Confederate army at llichmond from the North, at the same time that M’Ulellau operated from the Fast. It is probable that all ideas of such combined movement have now been given up. Pope’s long line—according to indications contained in letters from various quarters, it must be 50 miles in extent—lias recently been pierced by that indefatigable Confederate General, “ Stone Vv all ’ Jackson. Pope’s force appears to have been stretched out between Fredericksburg!! and Madison. The divided position of his troops presented an opportunity which a keen soldier like Jackson was not likely to neglect, and from his central position ho seems to have crossed the Kapidan in force—an easy matter, as the river is fordable in all direction—and to have broken into the midst of bis opponent’s lines, lie advanced from the neighborhood of Gordonsville and threatened the right of the Federals. General Banks, in command on the right, brought up his divisions to stop the Confederates, and he appears to have got under the fire of Jackson's guns and to have been well beaten. From the fact that one or two Federal guns were taken we infer that Banks must have been attacked on the march. It is quite probable that the Confederates outnumbered their opponents, because it would be Jackson’s aim to surprise his foe and beat him in detail. It is also probable, as narrated, that the arrival of reinforcements, in other words, the concentration of that wing of the Federal army, induced Jackson to retire across the Kapidan towards his old quarters, carrying with him a gun or guns captured from the enemy. During the past past month an irregular guerilla war has been carried on iu Tennessee, Kentucky, and Missouri. It is difficult to say on which side there has been a preponderance of success ; but the course of events has proved that a largo part of Ilie population of those States is disalfected to the Union. Wo do not doubt that General Butler, at New Orleans, and the Federals on the South Carolinian and Georgian coast are iu groat danger. On the whole, present prospects are favorable to the Confederates, but unless they strike home before the new levies are in the field, before the new gunboats are ready for active service, before the rivers are again full of water, they will have to repeat, under less advantageouscimmislauees, their exploits during the last two months. It still remains to be seen whether they are able to assume the ollensive and strike at the heart of their foes. The recapture of Baton Kongo by the Confederates last mouth turned out to lie a false report ; but it appears certain that that feat has now been accomplished. The Southern papers report that the Confederates under IJreckenridge look Baton Kongo upon the (>ih of August, after defeat ing the Federal forces and capturing their camp equipage and stores. The Federal General Williams was kiln'd. General Bivekeubridge afterwards returned to Collett's Kiver, 10 miles from Baton -Kongo, (hero being no water between that point and the Mississippi. Southern journals also claim a victory at Tazewell, near Cumberland Gap, where the Federals were repulsed with heavy slaughter, The Federal flotilla of the Mississippi has been compelled to abandon the siege of Vicksburg. General lialleek lias been appointed to the command iu chief of the armies of the Union. He doss not supersede M’Clellan, who is still at the head of t ho army of the Potomac. hi our last we slated that President Lincoln had called for a new levy of 300,000 men. This call has not been responded to. Iu spite of the bounty money ollered by the Federal Government, by the .States, and bv individuals, amounting on the average to 350 per man, not a twentieth part of the required number of recruits came forward. The President has now ordered that all vacancies in the supply of the 3i.i0.000 men shall be filled up by drafting, and that another draft of men shall be collected of 300,000 more. This is a demand for (iOJ.OOO men, and if obeyed will change the whole aspect of the war. It is hardly possible to give an adequate conception of the excitement caused in the North by this order. The New York correspondent of the Times, writing on Aug. S, says : “ The excitement among all classes except the negroes, who are not alfeetcd by the conscript ion, has been hard to bear at any time, and especially iu the dog-days. Among the Irish population the trouble and perplexity have been much greater than among the Americans. The office of the British Consul has been encumbered from morning t ill night by Celtic multitudes desirous of protection, on the plea that they are still British subjects, who have never renounced their nationality. General ?tfcagher has been doing bis utmost by means of really eloquent speeches to reclaim those lost sheep to tlie 11 iberno-American fold, but without any signal success. Hundreds have either gone already or are preparing to go, to Canada, to avoid service in the Federal army, and not only Canada, but Australia presents itself to their mind's as a preferable abode to the United .States under existing circumstances; and to such an extent has the feeling spread amongst them that the few shipping olllees in this city which have direct communication with Australia are unable to olfer even deck aceonunoclalion to the numbers of intending passengers. The Germans are as alert, (hough not quite so angry, as the Irish ; and the consular olllees of such .States of the German Confederation as have agents in this city are thronged by people to whom the privilege of American citizenship lias no present charms, and will not have until (he war is concluded. But as the conscription is not so much of a novelty to the Germans as to the 1 rish or the Americans, they do not inveigh against it as unconstitutional or arbitrary. They merely seem to think it unnecessary, and refuse to conform to it, even though the penalty should be their voluntary expatriation to British America.” The members for the Border States have replied to an appeal from the President respecting the

emancipation scheme. Mr. Lincoln pressed them hard with the argument that nothing but the destruction of slavery in those States can sap effectually the hopes of the Secessionists that they will one day join them. If Kentucky, Tennessee, Maryland, and the rest, will break that link of sympathy between them and the South, the South will despair, and recoil before a united North. The Border members reply cautiously. Twenty of them throw cold water on the scheme, but add that if Congress would really vote the money for buying out the slaves, they would consider it; till (hen the plan remains a mere Congressional sentiment. Seven more Border members assent more cordially'. One, the member for Tennessee, is enthusiastic in praise of the President, and intimates that ho would even give up slavery' to save the U nion.