The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-06-02
OFFICIAL REPORT OF CAPTAIN WARD.


lam permitted to copy the following official report,
ceved at O'Clock oday By the Secretary Of the Navy
from Commander Ward, after the engagement had at
Aqua Creek yesterday
UNITED STATES STEAMER THOMAS FREsBoRN,
Orr AQUA CrlRK, PoToMAc RIVER, May 81, 1881. )
sR--My immediate commanding officer, Flag Officer
strngham, not being present to receive it, conmun
cate directly TO the department the report Of serious
cannonade made by this vessel supported by the Ana
costa and Resoute Steamers upon the batteries at Aqua
Creek this morning.
After an ncessant discharge, kept up for two hours by
both Of thirty pounders and the expenditure Of
all the ammunition suitable for distant firing, and senc
ing completely the three batteries at the railroad ter
minus the firing shore having been rapidly kept
up by them until so silenced and having been recon-
menced from the new batteries the heights b ack
which reached us in voeys, dropping the sho! board
and about Us like hail for nearly hour bat fortunately
wounding but one man, hauled the vessel off, as the
heights proved wholly above the reach of eleva.
ton.
Judging from the explosion OF ten second shells In
the sand batteries, two OF which thrown by the
Anaoosta it Is hardly possible the enemy have
escaped considerable loss Several others of the Ana
costa shells dropped in the vicinity of the battery
cannot speak in too high terms of the officers and
men, whose GOODNESS and activity under great exposure
ecred from civil fe but myself being OF the regu
lar navy. beg leave TO ask for them favorable con-
sideraton by the government.
Tho long thirtytwo Founders in are Of the
old pattern, cast In 1910 and cannot be exceod
in precision. Both of the guns, on carriages OF
the construction devised by myself, and answered
admirably working with such that the crews came
out Of action wholly unfatigued The extreme sweep of
one hundred and forty degrees, which these carriages
have, together with their case and rapidly Of
movement enabling the vessels to constantly change po
ston, yet keep up accurate fire, which impaired the
enemys range and direction, they firing always with
rled cannon is to be materially attributed escape
without lose Of life damage TO the vessel machinery.
The say they fresh from fatigue when they
entered action. We cannonaded for an hour before
the same batteries the day before yesterday, but
the tide being ont, neither party reached with any
certainty doubt 1t is possible to reduce the bate
res established the heights fom ships nor is II
at all important considering that they remote from
the ship channel OF the river, and command only tho
railroad terminus.
Yesterday landed in person, with Acting Master Budd
and Masters Mate Lee and small party Of seaman and
made most minute exploration cxten ling over the
whole of Matthias Point. ! am, therefore, able to
speak with occuar certainty, and to say that sign
of movement the cutting Of sapling, driving stake,
or casting shovel full of earth towards the erection of
battery exists. The jungle is very thick, but pone.
trased belt Of IT, three hundred yards wide from the
shore aud three miles in LENGTH assuring ourselves Of
the facts as stated ia this report.
have especially ask for the steamers Reliance aud
heeoiute Of this aota, each small ried cannon ad.
dtton TO the smooth bored gun with which they a.o pro-
''asa' foF the waOi Of a riaed gun IL them wa