The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-06-03

bOS btuVt nv RVON OWS6Ns
Details or the Fisht-Yhe Engagement OF
the Ereeborn, Pawnee and Anasssta
with the Rebel Battsrics-Our Boys Of
the New York seventy-tirst In the Ae-
t1On, snd Eager for Another Shot at
the Traitors-Br1sk Firing 81 the War
vesseIs-ORicsal Report Of Commander
Ward.
WASHINGTON, June 2, 1851
The battle at Aqua Greek Friday . serious az
fair but II " quite eclpsed by Vie affair yesterday
ThePAwnee reached Nanzemog during the night passing
the Resoute (Which your correspondent was board OF
during the night and found the Freeborn there At ten
O'Clock yesterday morning the otia got under way the
Pawnee, commanded by Commander Rowan, sccompa-
nyng On nearing Aqua Creek the expedition found the
Anacosta; little further down the Yankee was found
moving down the river but she turned back.
At half past eleven, stood close In shore; sounded with
the lead all the time till the Freeborn approached within
two thousand yards, when she opened fre-Csptain
Ward Commander in Chief taking the post Of honor
and Of danger. The Ere from the Freeborn was followed
by shots from the Pawnee which opportunely sent
down from Alexandria just in the nick Of time, FORE
staing the intention Of Captain Ward in his dispatches
to tho Navy Department TO send her down. At least
think Captain Ward limited something Of the sort in his
dispatches.
The enemy opened soon after the Freeborn and the
Pawnee commenced their fire. with rifed cannon which
evidently removed from the upper battery the
lower during the night.
There no firing from the battery on the hill, be-
the guns removed from there The Pawnee's
guns nine inch bore and her shot and shell were
thrown with great precision and deadly effect
Shortly after the fire opened the passenger depot At
the end Of the wharf was in flames But whether
tim yeh NV tha tba that
the fota had force to land by shells from the Free
born or PAwnee, is not known.
The fire from the Freeborn and Pawnee Was 30 inces-
SAINT and deadly that not at the wharf dared 10
60 in to extinguish il.
The Anacosa did good service with long thirtytwo
FOUNDER, worked by detachment Of the Seventy first
New York regiment, under the command Of Lieut. T. B.
Prendergast Several Of her shots were TO strike
the battery.
After one hours firing, the Freedom stood in within
seventeen hundred yards of the Shore when shot and
shell from the Freeborn and Pawnee poured In thick
AZ hops. The enemy returned the fire briskiy But
deadly the fire from the fotlla that the enemy
was at last silenced with the exception Of single gum
which replied at intervals Of about half an hour
Every shot and shell from the Freedom went into the
freight and passenger depot and the battery, and
were seen carrying out bodies OF apparently dead and
covering them up.
Al another time the rebels running from the
batteries at the top Of their speed
The fire ncessant for five hours during which the
Feeborn fired two hundred and sixty rounds Of which
only sixty were shells The Pawnee fred three hundred
and fifty rounds. The Yankee only fred three four
Shots and then left her mission. The Anacosta fred
not many more. The Pawnee further out than the
Freeborn, which really bore the brunt Of the battle.
The Freeborns bow gun served az in the action Of
Friday, by Captain Ward, assisted by Masters Nate
Gray. The captain Of this gun is Henry Churchill The
after gun Wac served by Lieutenant Cash assisted by
Masters Nate Lee captain Of gun, George n. Couch
All the men behaved calamity Chief Engineer Spen-
GER Of the Freeborp deserving Of particular notice
for his bravery and his admirable arrangements to give
the enemy warm reception
Three shots came on board the Freeborn one passed
through her bow, cutting of her beam, large heavy
knee iron bolts Of three quarters OF inch in dia
meter, passing out Of the plankng the other sde
thirtytwo round shot struck FRAME cutting 1t in two
after which 1t cut of wheel @m and square wrought
iron band Of and q halfinch square on the fange
cracking the ange four places third shot struck
the after part Of the Wheel cutting off the arm, and
passing through the top Of the Wheel shattering the
after part Of the water closet and wash room.
Three shots struck the Pawnce but did particular
damage to her.
1t may be thought singular that Lieutenant Prender
CASTS cap was knocked of by the wind of shot on
Friday but singular still is the circumstance that
officer Of the Pawnee had the glazed Of his cap
taken Off during the action yesterday, and the shot did
not hit the cap itself.
The Feeborn arrived here this morning at ten o'clock
went on board and the damage Things generally
knocked into cooked hat. j. is strange that
body was killed or wounded side. One man
board the Freedom slightly touched by splinter,
but wss not really Injured
The Anacosta manned by thirteen sailors and
twenty two Of company G, under command Of Lieut.
+ B. Prendergast Of the New York Seventy first. AL
Of the latter successfully worked the thrytwo FOUNDER
they had board during the cannonades on Thursday Fri
day. and Saturday under the direction Of Lieut. Prender
CAST They enjoyed the brush hugely Their Lieutenant
had great trouble in preventing them from exposing
themselves too rashly. Those that were not engaged
with the guns ordered below, but whenever they
heard the report Of discharge they would rush deck
jump up and wave their caps in defiance.
The lower battery was surrounded by like struc
ture which was completely destroyed by the fire of the
vessels. The fire Of the rebels was very vigorous and
well directed but the low hulls Of the Anacosta and
Freeborn, and their constant shifting Of positions rem
dered it comparatively ineffective.
The secession forces at Aqua Creek were greatly in
creased Saturday by the arrival of renforcements
Over thousand men are estimated to be encamped
there. They evidently wanted the vessels to dsembark
troops for Land operations.
Lieut.. Preudergast reported having two new bat
teries in coming up-one two and half and the other
five miles north Of Aqua Creek. Near the upper
regular encampment of troops was visible
1t is the opinion Of all the officers that participated in
the attack the batteries that the rebels cannot be
driven from their positions without the cooperation of
q land force.
The government being determined to keep the naviga
ton Of the Potomac unobstructed at all hazards an
petition will doubtless be organized Immediately for an