The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-07-24

Capt. Ward, the brave commander Of the
Freebovn, was killed in the assault on Matthias
Point, June -, near the close q: that terrible
fight During the day landing had been eftee-
ted, and battery erected near Jo:aik Greek -
We give the following description Of the latter
part OF the engagement
At four o'clock the Freedom ceased .iliug, sud
resumed at Ave- the bow gun throwing in round
shot, and the after gun five second shell Capt
Ward stood Oil the gallows frame dir, c,iug thv
fire, which Was excellent. Several of ne shot
and shell were distinctly seen Jo Ike tie white
house. belonging To- Mr. Grimes m which il ws-
ascefiained that rebel troops ~ys cone, atr.icd
and II was consequently the object oi TIE second
cannonade
The battery on shore was uo~ uears compile
ted, and large quantity oi braLch-s of rtres
was placed over to mask IT, \ number ot the
frcebornS nen were now seen runhus iu the
direction OF Mr.. Grimes house. aud lbe "a cket
had no sooner concealed them /! IA the va. OF
the Freeborn than four shots wete fired al them
from the house, which were returned 10y our
men The voice OF Mr.. Kellogg was distinctly
heard, shouting rescue, and more meu were then
seen working To ald them. Presently they ali
returned, and Nj Kellogg subsequently, reported
that the rebels had been all cleared out Tee
treeborn bad ceased firing ~ - not 10 hit onr
own men, when on their reappearauce Captain
Ward gave the order To- train the forward uu
sharp forward "a II had been trained sa.p ali
all along. He on tine galiows frame all t'.s
time, but whether lie saw the 4, ,be.s wh-n hc i'll
dicsed the pointing of thu gun he never lived
to tell The gun was trained when he sounded
the whistle, at the same time hshng the shore,
" Ill hands on board" The oIder Was obeyed
and they were making for the b,ach when ridv
shot Was fired from thicket 10 the ;eiI of Jo
tank Creek, at the picket stationed near hy, 20
ing through his cap. He Tell back on The main
body, dIscharging his rifle before doing so. Two
or three shots and next terrible yoley, were
fired from the rebels from the extreme point 10
the left all the ~ay to the commencement Of Jo
tank Greek, on the men " ho wer. last running
Tor their boats and Che Freedom. The sho; flew
as thick as hail all around Lieutenant Chaplin
and men. the Major was among the last TO leave
the beach, seeing that the men were safe of -
Several of the men had TO swim for their lives ;
among them Nr. Chaplin. who, as well "a all the
rest, succeeded in gaining their boats Not a
tool nor a weapon wasl left behind.
COxswain John Williams, of the Pawnee's first
cutter, behaved nohly. He was badly wounded
in the thigh, and the flag of his boat, six feet by
four, had no fewer than nineteen shots through
1t, and the staff was cut in two. Sezing the
stump in his hand, he waved the flag, saying,
" BOYS, the American flag never shall be lower
ed, don't allow any one of our men TO be left
behind
The men now lay on their oars, and took on
board the swimmers, the rebel shots fiying thick
ly around them. Lieutenant Chaplin was lot
yet taken on board, when Williams called out,
"Nr. Chaplin, throw away your cap; il is a
mark tor the enemy" Mr. Chaplin .oolly turn
ed on his back, fastened his cap on his suspen.
ders, turned round again. swan aud reached the
boat.
On board the Freeborn, when the enemy open.
ed fire, Captain Ward came down from the gal.
lows frame and seized rifle, which he fired at the
enemy, as did pilot Pierson and myself. We fir
ed several shots, when the Captain ran down to
the lorecaslle deck and began to sight the gun,
first ordering il TO DE loaded with round shot
He had got the sight, aud was about 10 Withdraw
and give the word TO fire, when he was struck by
bullet, saying to Harry Churchill, the boat
swaii's mate, Churchill, l an killed" He fe
into one OF his arms, while Churchill pulled the
string with the other, throwing the shot clear
among the enemy. A five second shell aud two
rounds OF grape were then fired from the bow
gun, while the aft gun fired about the same gu an
titv.
"Slip the cable and start her. was now Lieu
tenant Lees order, on assuming the command 20
1t was done, and soon the FreebOrn and all the
boats were out of range of the deadly rifles and
mu.kets