The following is transcribed from the New York Times, dated August 15, 1862:

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From the Charleston Mercury, July 31.

 

          We have been told that a few errors straggled into our late editorial correspondence, so far as the hard and well fought battle of Secessionville was concerned, which we take pleasure in correcting. It was stated that the enemy's attack was a surprise to our troops. This, we learn, must be taken with some grains of allowance. 1. It was, in some measure, a surprise, and there may have been some lack of vigilance on our part; but, although the enemy crept toward our earthwork stealthily, favored by interposing bushes and the darkness of the night, yet our nearest pickets, commanded by Capt. THOS. Y. SIMONS and Capt. SMART, give the alarm, by firing and rushing with shouts toward our earthwork, but (the wind blowing strongly from the east) the alarm, it seems, was not distinctly heard by our troops within the battery, or, at least, not in time for them to be fully prepared to meet the sudden attack. 2. It was stated that the attack on an angle of HATCH's earthwork, "at one time threatened to be successful, our troops having partly given way, when the gallant Louisianians and Georgians came to the rescue." We learn that, although our troops were [???] pressed and the danger imminent, vet at no time [???] approach success, but, on the contrary, the enemy was thrice repulsed from the point of attack, before the brave Louisianians arrived. The service rendered by the Louisianians was in another direction. A fresh portion of the enemy, approaching on the right of the battery renewed the attack, and the [???] over to Secessionville, by Hatch's [???] the line of fortifications on James [???] took place between them and the [???] the enemy's fire, to a great except from [???] in the earthwork. 3. No [???] in the fight. The [???] The garrison of [???] pied the rifle-pits,) soon rushed to the seene of action; and, supported by the timely aid of the Louisians, they won a victory which will live in history, cover with glory all instrumental in achieving it, the dead as well as the living, and render Secessionville famous, as having redeemed its name, by largely contributing to work but the problem of secession, and write under in blood, both hallowed and accursed, the significant letters, Q.E.D.

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