AMERICA.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1900, 28 July 1863, Page 3

AMERICA.

New York, May 14. Tbe 2nd and 3rd of May two tremendous engagements took place at Chanceiiorsville, between the Confederates under General Lee and Jackson, and the Federals under " Fighting J°e Hooker." Both armies fought with desperation, and the slaughter was frightful. The Federals were again totally defeated. Their loss is estimated at 20,000, men. The Confederate loss was about 18,000 placed hort de combat. On tbe 29th of April General H ooker effected a passage "of the Bapp ahaooock k at two points,

two miles distant from each other with an effective army of 100,000 men, encountering little opposition while crossing ; his plan was to press quickly on with his right wing to the rear of tbe Southerners and thus place them between two bodies of his army, and cut off the Confederate communication of Richmond. Hooker was so confident of the success of this movement as to boast that the expected engagement would almost annihilate the Southern armies, but on the 2nd of May that indomitable soldier General Stonewall Jackson by a secret and swift march suddenly fell upon tbe Federal right wing with 40,000 of the best troops of tbe Confederates. The onslaught was so tremeudous and crushing that a universal panic spread through the whole of the regiments. The Federals threw down their arms and fled; all attempts to rally them were vain, and Jackson pushing furiously on, nearly turned the Federal flank. The next morning Jackson resumed tbe attack, and the battle raged fiercely for three hours and a half; again were the Federals repulsed, and again they fled, pursued by Jackson's division. Sheer exhaustion at last closed the fight and pursuit. The fierce attack of Jackson placed the Federals in such a position that they could only extricate themselves by flight. i On the sth May the famous army of tbe Potomac, beaten at all points again, returned to its former lines. In Sunday's battles General Stonewall Jackson received two wounds by mistake unfortunately by his own men, one wound was in his arm, and amputation was resorted to, but the Southern General died under its effects, regretted by all admirers of true greatness and | genius combined with strong religious faith. 1 The Federal General, Berg, was also killed. Most conflicting accounts of tbe above engagements agitated public feeling in the North, i The Government prohibited the telegraphic wires being used for the transmission of the real facts, while reports were industriously circulated that Hooker was victorious and was in posses- i sioK of Richmond. In spite of the crushing defeat and retreat of the Federals, General Hooker, in a pompuus j address to his aimy, denied that a general en- \ gagement had taken place ; " it was." he says, j * l merely a withdrawal from the Rappahannock, for stragetic reasons," and not a defeat. This gasconading is characterised by even tbe New York papers as a boastful and arrogant lie. Tbe Federals have captured Grand Gulph 0B Mississipi. Great riovs in the North, owing to Vallandigham's arrest and just sentence of banishment. The Federal Government intends to enforce the conscription forthwith. The AJabama burnt two British vessels and cargoes. Captain Semmes will be involved in serious difficulties through this proceeding. Several Federal regiments, their term of service having expired, positively refuse to serve again.