The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-07-07

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newspapers all at sea relative to Captain Wards In.
tentions in electing landing at Matthias Point, with
mere handful Of men, in the face Of from thousand TO
fifteen hundred Of the enemy. He intended the
absurdy OF endeavorng hold Of the Point
All he desired was to burn the dense thcket with
which the shore ia ined and thereby prevent the
ton Of . battery 30 rear the shore as to be
a fource Of annoyance and danger 10 passing ves
sells, and destroy the means Of ambuscade which
aye thereby afforded to the enemy. As matters now
asnd nothing is easter than for the enemy to virtually
cose the navigation of the Potomac at the Point for the
channel s SO narrow, aud the water shoal on tho
Maryland side, that passing vense except Of the very
lghtes draught mast keep within close shat Of
the potai OF danger.
few days before the landing wss effected by Captain
Ward he wrote 70 tho Department at Washington for two
hundred troop, TO AID him In his operations He
ndeny expected that they would be sent and he several
times told that with Colonel Martin OF the Seventy
first, in which regiment he seemed 10 place great re-
lance, and two three companies, he had not the
slghest doubt that he would be successful His plan
TO land tho troops ana Immediately construct sand
bag battery, behind which no would plant the howzer
belonging TO the Freeborn and such field pieces the
Seventy FIRST might take down with them And from the
shelter Of the battery the enemy might be kept in check
while the sailors performing their part OF the duty,
which was TO fmear the trees with coating Of tar and
place tar barrel here and there with view Of burning
down the pine wood and perhaps burning out the rebel
encampment. He disclosed this plan to me- saying that
to the south OF the pine woods was open field where
be intended to erect the battery, and the prevailing
southely winds would drive the flames right through
the pines Whine they would be driven away from the
men at the battery The plan apeaIed to be feasible
but the War Department. The heses Of which must have
had sufficient for The they pursued seem
TO hsve thought otherwise and nstead sending on the
troops Captains Woodbury. and Palmer sent on TO
take cnaSgs OF body Of the Pawnee's men 70 make
reconnaissance the particulars Of which the readers Of
the RxALD are already familiar with. This was q
avous disappointment to Captain Ward. who seems to
have felt the matter keeny. He complained few hours
before his DEATH that he had not been treated with the
confidence to which he considered himself entitled and
originated having been taken SO completely oui Of his
hanoA LAb0ripg under this feeling, he determined on
doing the work with the force under his command
without depending on e1tEaneous aid.
Accordingly, ON Thursday, when he fell In with the
steamug spoken Of In my despatch he matured h plan
Potomac, between the Wcoico ana Bistons Bsy rns
skipper came on board and reported that the schooner
was leaking badly, upon which Captain Ward said "In
Pawree Aqua creek, for mo- and III TOW your schoon
or into Brittons Bay, where one Of my tenders ia pu
:sna ny cs,peasr board md y NE tins yoa return
Monroe" This was Done, and the despAtch sent on
As soon % thstug isft us Captain wSrd, putting on
peculiar smile, which hatual when he was psrticu
las)y pleased, turned 70 me and said, SNOW Mr. S..
am going % DO abig stroke OF business" Nay J. IN.
qai,e what !. 4 Captain wssd there = no Improperly
sponded BE then told me he bad sent 70 the Pawnee
for two large boa crews TO do the work he had cut out
for the soldiers
Next morning the two boats arrived, and fully
determined to carry ont hn plan, The Captain
forthwith commenced his preparations and the landing
was entcted as already atated l volunteered 70 Join
seamen and was accepted On reaching The shore.
WAS placed on picket duty near the old wooden house,
that has 90 often been the recipient Of our bounty
made by shot through the roof walls aud one.
half OF the boarding ON the land side completely
knsksd away The FrseSOIn KEEP. up an apceasiDg can
thrown out Is far among the thickst 70 the iefs,
as could be afforded by little party. The men who
were iDg the sand bags and constructing the battery
worked IKE beavers and in an incredibly space
Throughout tie day the greatest activity prevailed In
the rebel encampment, and we Afterwards understood
retention OF M Crimes house By 30 email number OF
n0en aa nred on our pcke:s In that neghborhood. 1t
was 10 invite US 70 follow them inland 70 the right,
have easily cut Off our retreat to the boats OF which
they would have taken posf ession and perhaps they
calculated on capturing the Dana to- But Capt Ward
ton to connect the schooner to the Freedom by
hawser The PAwnees first cutter would have indeed
But even here they would have been crcumvented by
the foresight OF our fagacous Captain On the howtzsr
being put on board ne boat with akias on which TO
any spikes on b,ards' negative answer having been
returned, he sent for Williams, the carpenter,
q regular old rea deg, and inquired OF him,
7
have few rattai fIes, SIR" he replied with look Of
pardonabe pride At his own foresight "Nothng BETTER"
responded Captain Ward; " hsnd them up" " Captain
Ward, said Williams left, "that old fellow seems
to be provided with every thing. had peep into his
shs Of Sgsy ;0 IN
up and asSups thai lifted Of he gun w. Wsse
About iour o,ciosI N De aissrsooa L.ea.snsn.
BID, . 80 ~ svaIe shss ID eaten nothing but
sSs ss sss e. ~ s
laaasaiateiy. u tpAsostulss ching fof ~ nat M
pnsvs1vsd dinner non being ssTved or no MHsto misht
have Loaf scerfespondslt, and the eeborn svednseer
his safety In Tho event Of our having 70 rum had
taken up my station under the shadow OF large tree
growing near the wooden house, whete there
beach. 1t was here Intended to show the enemy
specimen Of running should he appear FORCE and prove
lost us; but It was rendered unnecessary.
have spoken OF late Captains foresight. Let me
relate another instance just before opening the
capnonade Grimes house, he ordered hawser to DO
paid eli from the reborn TO the boats shore so ss 70
connect them with U.S. consequently, as far a can
collect or was too busy with my rifle TO watch closely
the boats were towed off, though the men assisted with
their OARS We had however TO stop and wait for the
swimmers, who all happily taken into their boats
principally through the bravery and conduct Of Jack
Williams, The coxswain OF the Pawnees first cutter
went to Jack forecase after the ght where
he had NJ length suffered himself 10 be conveyed
hoU IN un
pipe, with all the gusto Of veteran smoker and con
esipg about the fight with all the unconcetn Of man
wi bout Of lead in the eshy part OF his thigh
Another interesting circumstance is worthy Of notes
There board the Freeborn little sailor boy named
George Willis, mere child in stature BE Is very
sharp boy and was sort OF privileged character with
Captain Ward It ueed to smase ne to see tae little
fellow forecsstlc band In miniature cooy take
seat alongside commander Of the navy and talk with
him famiarly the old captain was indeed nothing
more than child growth Capt Ward seemed TO
derive as much amusement from these strange coloques
TO judge by the lighting up Of his eyes the beamng
smile that wodd overspread his tenance such
times as be quzzed The youngstsr, ~ho took all the Cap
taiua an m inf I'm