The national Republican., 1861-06-03
The THIRD AND LATEST NAVAL
FIGHT AT AQUA CREEK
$50 Rounds Fired by one Vessel
THE PAWNEE, FREEBoRN, AND ANA,
COSTA, ENGAGEDI
REBELS KILLED AND WOUNDED!

THE PAWNEE, FRE EEbOhN, AND ANA
COSTA, ENGAGED 1.
THE rREEBoRN "GoEs IN AND GETS souEEzED!"
By the arrival of the steamer Freeborn,
Commander ]. H. Ward, we are put in posses
sion of full particulars Of the third lombard.
ment Of the batteries at Aqua Creek. 10.
The steamer Pawnee, Com. Rowan, followed
by the Freeborn and Anscostia, steamed up
from the southwark, and opened fire at an early
hour in the forenoon. The csnnonade was
continued hour after hour, for five hours. The
Pawnee discharged repeated broadsides of shot
and she'll The most noticeable effect Of her
FIRE was from the explosion Of shell in an
angle Of one Of the enemy's batteries, with
tremendous effect, driving ont the defenders
from that portion Of the works.
The fire was commenced at 100 yards dis.
tance. .,.
The Anacosta with her single large gun,
did good work, firing without intermission.
She was complimented with several shot, which
struck her, without doing much damage.
The Freeborn fred in all $50 rounds of shot
and SHE'LL being at the rate Of one minute
for the time engaged. She carries two 80.
pound guns, one forward and one at, mounted
and worked on carriages Of Captain Wards
invention. This implement is q success, and
good thing for the service. Being now thor
oughly tested, we trust Captain Ward will
henceforth keep his flag ship IA 6rstclass New
York steam.tug, bought for 2,OOO,) out of
further danger, unless in cases where the ex-
pected results will Justify the exposure.
The Pawnee was hulled by several shots,
but no life lost or man hurt.
The Freeborn had half dozen shots put
clean through her-two through her larboard
paddlebox, cutting stout oak timbers clean of.
Had either of these shots struck the machinery,
the engine is entirely exposed the effect would
probably have crippled the vessel, or, striking
the boiler or teamchest, would have caused
the scalding of many on board. The shot flew
round among the men with great lveliness.
The officers remark upon the peculiar whizz.z
made by the riAed cannon shots fred by the
enemy.
Most Of the shots Of the enemy were from
riaed cannon. They are very effective, going
through thin vessel like dose of salts.
Several of the balls-elongated iron shots
picked up on deck after the battle, four inches
in diameter and eight inches 10 length, may be
seen on board of the Freeborn.
The Freeborn came up for repairs and
fresh stock Of ammunition.
The Pawnee remained off the creek. Dis.
tant cannonadipg, heard early this morning,
would indicate renewal Of the attack by that
vessel OR battle on the neighboring heights
in Virginia.
The officer whose hat was shot off in the at.
tack on Friday was not Lieutenant Prender-
gast of the navy, (who is in the squadron off
Brazil out Of range Of even riAed cannon fired
in the Potomac, but Lieutenant Prendergast
Of New York, brave officer of the excellent
seventy.frst.
The depot building at Aqua creek was burned
during the cannonading-set on fire, it is sug.
gested, by the enemy, to expose battery erect.
ed behind it. No attempts were made to put it
| out, but when the wharf adjacent took fire, they
rushed out and essayed to extinguish the flames.
The storm of shot and shells from the vessels
rendered this work too dangerous, and they fed
back behind their embankments.
The dead and wounded, as was observed dis.
tinctly from the vessels were taken out from
the batteries and placed in wood near by.
The batteries were at last entirely silenced,
the troops in the works deserting them, at the
last of it, in squads of from two TO twenty, and
flying along the beach within sight of the yes.
sells.
The Freeborn was visited yesterday by the
President and Secretary OF State, who exam
ined with attention the ugly marks which the
that the vessel had recently been in something
other than Peace Congress. The usual salute
was fred in the navy yard in honor of these per.
sonages-twenty' one guns, the report of which
aroused the city.
| The Monticello and half dozen other steam.
ers are lying at the navy yard among them
the Keystone State, Captain Trenchard, the
best Of the steamers which have been pur.
chased from the merchant service, and now one
Of the bestohicered vessels in the navy. The
sloop of war Pensacola, launched at that yard,
is within few weeks Of completion, and an
officer hos already been assigned to her COM
mand.
From THE INTERIOR OF VRGINIA.-A gen
tleman who spent few days in Richmond, and
returned to Washington on Saturday evening,
states that JEFF. Davis and his aid, Wigfall, ar
rived there on Wednesday, and was staying at
the Spottswood House. 1t was understood that
he would occupy the house of H. Crenshaw.
not arrived. The city was quiet. Nothing i'm.