Very early in the rebellion, an extensive establishment for the manufacture of field artillery existed in New Orleans, which sent out beautiful batteries.  These batteries I saw in various parts of the army.  This factory was under the superintendence of Northern and foreign mechanics.  Memphis supplied some thirty-two and sixty-four pounders, also a number of iron Parrott guns.  These were cast in the navy yard by the firm of Street & Hungerford.  At Nashville, Tennessee, the firm of T.M.  Brennan & Co. turned out a large amount of iron light artillery of every description; and shortly before Nashville was evacuated, they perfected a fine machine for rifling cannon, which I examined.  They sent a spy North, who obtained, it was said, at the Fort Pitt foundery the drawings and specifications which enabled their workmen to put up this machine.  This expensive, and to them valuable machine, was removed to Atlanta, Georgia.  In escaping home I came through Nashville a few weeks since, and saw about a dozen large cannon still lying at this foundery, which the sudden flight of the Rebels from Nashville prevented them from rifling or carrying away.  All know that the Tredegar Iron Works in Richmond, Virginia, is an extensive manufactory of guns of large caliber.  Indeed, every city of the South, having a foundery of any size, boasts of furnishing some cannon.

Many of these guns were defective and even dangerous.  One battery from the Memphis foundery lost three guns in a month by bursting, one of them at the battle of Belmont, November 7th.  After the Rebel reverses at Forts Henry and Donelson, and the retreat from Bowling Green and Nashville, when General Beauregard took command of the army of the Mississippi valley, he issued a call to the citizens for bells of every description.  In some cities every church gave up its bell.  Court-houses, factories, public institutions, and plantations, sent on theirs.  And the people furnished large quantities of old brass of every description—­andirons, candlesticks, gas fixtures, and even door-knobs.  I have seen wagon loads of these lying at railroad depots, waiting shipment to the founderies. The Rebels are in earnest.

But the finest cannon have been received from England.  Several magnificent guns of the Whitworth and Blakely patents I have seen, or heard described as doing good execution among the “Yankees.”  How many have been imported I can not tell, but surely a large number.  In explanation of my ignorance upon this point, let me state this fact.  For some months after the blockade was declared, vessels from Europe were running it constantly, and the Southern papers boastfully told of their success.  The Confederate authorities saw the evil of this publicity, and many months ago prohibited the notice of such arrivals.  Hence we see no mention of them recently, but it is a great mistake to imagine that there are none.  The constant arrival of new European arms and ammunition, the private talk in well-informed