Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-07-06

cOrr.,pondencs o. the Richmond Dispatch

FREDERICKSBURG. June JO.-I write 70 lnIOfu YOU
of the partially successful issue of most daring
adventure which has been eoncocted at this plsce,
and executed on the Potomac River and the Bay.
Can't Holins has lust returned from the expedition
This evening and from his report and from person
al observation have collected the following CIR
cumstances attending the affair:
Friday morning our town was thrown into great
| commotion BY q rumor being spread that q secret
expedition was forming, whose object was unknown
Men were seen gathering in small groups at the cor
ners of the streets conTerslng on TINS a-aDsoFO-
I inc tonic Some three or four days previously,
| gentleman of the name of Thomas was seen ABOUT
! the streets with his head shaved very close AID
dressed in the Zouave style he attracted upon
/ himself universal observation, ana was sven sls-
| nected by some Of being spy. He was evidently
Affecting character very adverse to his true one.
| He it has since been ascertained, Is native OF
i MARYLAND He had learned that the 81. Nicholas
was soon to start from the port Of Washington ard
/ had come on to concert with Capt Hohlns most
| nerilous and important expedition. The object OF
the expeditiOn was less than the capture OF the
| Pawnee It was to have been accomplished as fol-
lows and nothing buta stroke OF Providence eoHid
have made them fail of their object:
| Cant HolIins and Mr. Thomas were to go 20 Bal
| timore take passage with twenty-five or thirty
| chosen men on board the st. Nicholas and as soon
"a she had entered the Potomac and arrived at me
mouth Of Cone river. to oyerpoWer the crew anu
embark five hundred Tennesseans, who were to
meet them at this point They were then to sail up
| the Potomac with the United States flag waving az
their mast head and then perform the great act IN
the drama The latter was dlscoreerted by an un>
locked for accident
| Acccordinp 10 the pYeconcerted plan, the TeDnes-
scans left this place Friday morning carrying Win
! them ten surgeons. Hollins and Thomas Went 10
! RaIt1more and embarked On board the st. Nicholas
with twenty five or thirty OF the most adventure
| acme tars thew could find. Thomas was dressed 10
| female habillnents. sndiwss assiduOusly attended
| 10 by her attentive beau, Capt Holllns But, ala5
for human hopes. While everything prospered and
| all were expecting happy issue OF the aHalt' Il
was reDOrted ;hatit could not then De carried lDIC
efsct Capt Hollins determined, however, not e
lose all his labor. So when they were at the noun
! of the Potomac at precoDcerted signal his meT
rose m took possession of the steamer, and steer
| inc straight for the mouth of Cone River, tney
| coon reaebed the place pre-arranged thel poin
| where the Tennesseans were to JOIN them, H0lln
informed them of the failure Of their original DE
sign He then returned to the bay and secured u
capturing the following prizes IN ADDITION 70 the y
Nicholas: A vessel laden with 3 500 bags OF coffee
another laden with ice, and third with coal Inc
have all been brought within the protection OF on
batteries The st Nicholas with one Of the vessel
is in sight of our wharf.
This success has Illuminated the countenances o
our townsmen with exceeding JOY. Their anxl0u
and care-worn faces of yesterday are Int up win
Iursinous expression Of Joy and satisfaction. IN
crew of the st. Nicholas consisting OF twenty IRE
, negroes and nineteen white persons, are IN ol
isil and will in all probability, be sent to hlcf
mond
From our Special Correspondent
FenDERlcKsBURG, July 1.-Another engagener
. occurred nj Matthias Point on Thursday afternoon
e in which nine of the enemy were killed ana man
? others wounded Our troops took large hainoe
z of hicks. spades and sandbags, and LETT the me-
= unscatbed. as usual From the accounts Whle
e have reached me, / judge the enemy nunDeEe
u about fty and landed for the purpose OF erecul
sone kind of defence. The accounts are so Yagr
that am unwilling to give any statement posluvei
except that of the number killed and tne qGahslI
of implements found in the deserted boat Oapla
Ward of the Freeborn was killed
Our citizens were thrown into quite Juror
excitement yesterday afternoon, about % ocloCl
bv the arrival at the wharf Of the steamer
Nicholas of the Baltimore and Washington lIne an
at very late hour of the night the wharf WI
crowded with those dubious about her identity ar
- curious to know the circumstances uhueF "AiI
a. For several days past the town has been hIgnl
excited with curiosity about the secret e1pedlu
Il which left here Friday morning. and even no" u