AMERICA.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 75, 4 December 1862, Page 5 (Supplement)

AMERICA.

TZCTOEIES OF THE CONEEDEUATES. "We have this month to report a second battle of Bull Run, which has ended in the disastrous defeat of the Federals; and instead of the Federal armies threatening Richmond, -we have now to describe the Confederate armies as driving the Federals into Washington, as crossing the Potomac, occupying Frederick City, and raising Maryland against President Lincoln. In less than a month the whole of Virginia has been recovered by the Confederates, the tide of Southern invasion has been turned back 150 miles, and these great results have been accomplished almost entirely by the superior generalship of the Confederate oflicers, Jefferson Davis, Lee, and “ Stonev>'all ,c Jackson. Since the days of the great Napoleon and Wellington, no military operations of such magnitude as those in which the Americans are engaged have taken place ; and it is an indisputable tact that the Confederate officers hove shown themselves thoroughly capable of not only planning but carrying to a successful issue operations of the utmost difficulty and of gigantic dimensions We hazarded in our last a conjecture that M’Clellan, whose position on the James River was one of extreme peril, would probably endeavour to make his retreat northwards and join General Pope, who had been slowly moving along the Virginia Valley with a large army. Shortly afterwards we learnt that this movement had actually commenced. The Northern general managed to evacuate the peninsula without molestation embarking most of his army from Yorktown for the North. It does not appear whether that army landed at Acqnia Creek or at Alexandria ; but it is certain that it failed in effecting a junction with Pope. Pope’s army was, in fact, routed before M‘Clellan could come to his assistance. The operations which led to this most important result may be traced without much difficulty. Though the Confederates appear to have been informed of M'Clellan’s intended retreat, they made, as we have said, no attempt to harass him. Leaving him to get his army transported northward as rapidly as he might, they issued forth from Richmond with their whole army against Pope. This officer had made some show of threatening Richmond by advancing towards the Rapidan, but this advance was exactly what the Confederates wanted. They came up with him at Gordonsville. Here Pope made a stand, but he was soon compelled to retire. His retreat was continued for several days, the Confederates following all the while close upon his rear. During this time there were continual skirmishes and artillery engagements, and indeed the Confederates pressed the Federals so hard that the Commander-in-chief's baggage, maps, despatches, and most valuable papers relating to the campaign, were captured on one occasion. The line of Pope’s retreat was by Fairfax to Warrenton, which is less than 50 miles from Washington At \V arrenton the Federal commander again made a brief stand. This he did on the 24th August. At this time lie thought he had the whole of the Confederate army in his front. But he was mistaken. While General Lee was keeping Pope occupied alonghis front Jackson had been marching with his usual rapidity with some 30,000 men towards the North, intending to turn eastward to Manassas Junction and cut off the Federal army from V ashington. Pope’s right (lank was thus turned. In tl lis predicament he moved forward the ■whole of his force immediately against Jackson. He joined battle with him at a place called Grovetown on the 29th August. The conflict lasted the whole day. In a despatch written at the close of it Pope admitted that he had lost 8000 men, and was thoroughly exhausted, although he exjjected to complete what he called his “victory” in the morning of the 30th. According to all accounts Jackson had had considerable difficulty in maintaining his ground. However, he managed to do so, and it was absolutely essential that lie should. Like Wellington at Waterloo, who reckoned upon the arrival of Blucher, Jackson was reckoning upon the arrival of General Lee with the main body of the Confederate army. Lee arrived on the evening of the 26th, and before noon on Saturday, the 30th, Pope saw how completely he had been out-manoeuvred. The scene of action was to the west of Bull Run, between Manasses Junction and the turnpike-road which runs parallel to the railway. The Federals faced to the West, and the Confederates to the East. While still labouring under the delusion that the whole Confederate army had been present in the field the day before. Pope began the attack. His generals, Heintzelmann and Porter, were met by “ immense masses ” of Confederate infantry, and fell back in disorder. The fact was soon apparent that the entire Southern army was in the field. General Lee, formerly quartermastergeneral of the United States’ army was in command. The Confederates advanced their batteries, and opened a fierce fire upon the retreating army. In vain M'Dowcll endeavoured to hold the Federal centre ; Lee anticipated his movement and M'Dowell, as well as Sigel, was enveloped by overwhelming numbers. At 5 p.m., the battle was going decidedly against the Federals. Pope ordered up all his reserves; but in vain, for the day was lost. The right of the Federals, however, stood comparatively firm, and protected their comrades as they passed Bull Run stream about 8 o’clock in the evening. That night the defeated army encamped at Centreville. This position is said to be strong, and it seems to have been hoped the Federal army might be able to maintain itself there, and might, perhaps, after obtaining reinforcements, resume the offensive. But the dashing cavalry of the Confederates got into the rear, and a train of wantons filing . 5 “ob v u commissary stores was seized by them, and carried off. Nor did any reinforcements arrive. M'Clellan is accused of not having sent assistance. But it may be there were no men in a fit condition to send into the field, and the fact that M'Clellan has since the disasters resumed tho command-in-chief of the army, tends to prove that he was not to blame. However this may be, the Federals abandoned the position of Contreville, and were ere long withing the line of forts which protect Washington. These results arc the best vindication of tho course pursued by the Confederate officers in pre-

ferring to attack tLe Pope instead of attacking M Clellan on his retreat to Yorktown. Saving waited calmly at Richmond to see what M'Clollan would do, the Confederates, as soon as he began his retreat, moved every man towards Washington, defeated Pope before he obtained his reinforcements, and thus, in a few days, gained the whole of Virginia. But they are not yet satisfied. Instead of wasting their time before the forts about Washiugton, General Lee at once despatched “ Stonewall ” Jackson up the Potomac to Leesburg, Harper’s Ferry, and Point of Rocks, which lies between those places on the Potomac. Point of Rocks is the place where the Ohio and Baltimore Railway leaves the Potomac. According to the Yew York telegrams of the Bth of September, Stonewall” Jackson has crossed the Potomac, and is in posession of Frederick City, where he was received with acclamation, whilst his pickets extend for seven miles towards Hagerstown. The importance of this is obvious. If there are any Federal troops south of the Potomac at Winchester, Martinsburg, or Strasburg, they are cut off. Moreover, no reinforcements can now reach W ashington from the north-west and As Maryland is strongly Secessionist, hundreds of recruits will be obtained, and the inhabitants will not only supply the Confederate troops with provisions and accommodation, but w r ith the most accurate information as to their enemies. Moreover, Baltimore, the most Secessionist city in America, is only 40 miles from Frederick City, and is held down merely by force of arms. Should “Stonewall” Jackson make an attack upon that city, aided by the rebellious citizens, it is not impossible that his attack might succeed. If it did, it is obvious that Washington would be completely isolated, so that it could hold no communication either with the North or with the South, except by the Potomac and the Chesapeake. Frederick City,Baltimore, and Washington form a triangle—each side being about 40 miles in length. The whole of this district is in favour of the South, nor is there anything but a defeated army within the lines of Washington to prevent the Marylanders themselves under the men of their choice. The only mode in which the Federals can restore their authority is by leaving their entrenchments and defeating the Confederates. At present that is impossible; nor until the army in Washington has been reinforced, or until a new army is collected in the North, will it become possible. In the West, the situation!is more serious for the North than ever. The* evacuation by the I 1 ederals of Baton Rouge, in Louisiana, seems prejudicial to the Federal interests in Louisiana. The Confederates, both in New Orleans and the surlounding country, have become much bolder since they have detected the -weakness of their adversaries. The banks of the Mississipi are lined with guerillas, who fire on the transports when unprotected by accompanying gunboats. Except on the waters of the Mississippi, and in the town of New Orleans, the Federal goverment cun he said to exercise no jurisdiction in tde State of Louisiana. Net there was the scene, but a few months since, of their most brilliant and apparently most solid successes. Iho mouth of the Mississijipi, we were told, was throw'n open—the blockade of the great cotton mart of the South was raised. With° the main artery of Louisiana at their command, the government at W ashington promised Europe tlio cotton famine would cease. With New Orleans and Memphis in their possession, traders were invited from all parts of the globe to fetch the cotton which a population, delighted at finding itself once more ruled by a paternal government, would hasten to place at their disposal. The delusion has now been dispelled. A proposal which has been hinted at, from the Southern States, to make separate peace with the N orth-M est, on the basis ol the free navigation of the Mississippi, points to one of the greatest dangers now besetting the Federal Lhiion. The contempt of the Federal cabinet which a resolution just passed by the New York war committees to raise armies for Generals Mitchell and Fremont “with or without the consent of the government” implies, tends in the same direction. The Confederates call for a new levy of 300,000 men. Jefferson Davis lias ordered a day of thanksgiving for the victories of the South.— Home News Sept. 26.