The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-07-01
WAR MOVEMENTS,
ArN II AlNs,aEl a =, POINT

gagement at Matthias Point
UNITED STATES STEAMER PAwNEE,
Potomac River, June q, 1861.
SIR:-Ab0ut sundown the evening of the Goth
instant, while at anchor off Aqua Creek, recey-
ed an order frGm Commander Ward "a copy of
which is herewith enclosed to send him two boats
armed and equipped, in command of Lieut.. Chap
lin. This order was Immediately complied with in
all its details, and the party left the ship in of
the Resoute at 8 O'Clock A. NJ. To-day, about
noon, the ResOute returned, with q request from
Can't Ward that should send her back il mad no
more important service for her. | Immediately
dispatched the Reliance to Capt. Ward, knowing
the danger to which our people would be exposed
II be contemplated landing at Matthias Point,
feared was his intention Judging from the nature
of the order he gave me, to furnish him with such
equipments as were necessary 20 cut down trees on
| the point and burn them.
| At nine o'clock this evening the Freeborn and
Reliance came up, having been repuIsed by the
rebels at Matthias Point, in which Lieut. Chaplin
! and his command escaped utter destruction by a
| miracle
! 1t becomes my painful duty to announce to the
| Department the death of Commander J. H. Ward
| OF the Freeborn. He was shot in the abdomen
while in the act of sighting his bow gun.
beg leave to call the attention of the Depart
ment to the gallantry, GOODNESS and presence of
mind of Lieut.. Chaplin, of the Pawnee, command
| ing the party on shore. He remained steady and
cool among perfect hail of musketry from hun
dreds of men, while he collected his people,
and made good his retreat without leaving the
enemy trophy beyond few sand bags and some
axes and, so far as | ascertain, the muskets of
! the wounded men. The last man left the shore
with him; and not being able to swim to the boat
| with his musket, Lieut.. Chaplin took him on his
shoulders, musket and ALL and safely reached the
! boat without scratch save musket hole through
the top of his cap.
In consequence of the want of ordinary comforts
| in the Freehorn for wounded men, | brought the
two wounded men belonging to that vessel, with
those two of this ship, with the remains of the late
| commander j. Ii. Ward, in the Navy Yard, Wash
. llptOD, | orders
must also call the attention of the department
to the bravery of John Williams, captain mai utop
OF the Pawnee, who told his men while laying off
III the boat that every man must die on his tn wart
sooner than leave man behind, and when the
flagstaff of his boat was shot away and the ensign
fell, he (altbough suffering from gun shot wound
| in the thigh seized it in his hand and braV ely
waved it over his head.
A copy of the surgeons report of casualties is
herewith enclosed. The wounded have been re-
moved to the hospital. also enclose copies of or
| ders addressed to Lieut.. Lowry.
Lieutenant Chapn's report of the affair is not
yet ready. When it is presented shall forward a
copy for the information of the Department.
have the honor to be, very respectfully, your
Camp and Senior Officer of the Potomac
Hon. Gideon Welles
Secretary of the Navy, Washington.
/ UNITED STATES STEAM SLooP PAwNEE,0
Potomac Riuer, June 27, 1861. (
S1R:-l have to report the following casualties
resulting from the action at Matthias Point this af
ternoon:
Killed l-Commander o. H. Ward commanding
fotia; gunshot wound of abdomen, almost imme-
diately fatal.
Wounded dangerously 2.
Wounded severely 2.
Respectfully yours,
[Signed] F. NJ. GUNNELL,
Com s. c. Rowan,
Commanding fotilla in the Potomac River.
WASHINGTON ITEMS.
he
The Movement OF Beauregard's Advance, &c
ALEXANDRIA, June 29.-For some nights and DAYS
past, larger numbers than bafore of the disunion
forces have been scouting around u.s. as near as
Clouds Mill. They thus move about in this vici.
!, nifty in parties of from so to 100.
1t turns out-and have positive and reliable in
formation OF the tact-that their main camp (that
is of Beauregard's advance) laws from Springfield
to Fairfax Court House, between the Railroad and
the Little river Turnpike, extending down in this
direction to point not more than eight miles dis
tant. THIS territory embraces much of the Ravens
WOOD estate OF some ten thousand acres, nearly al
of which is in dense forest of original growth or r
old hed pines of thirty forty years growth Ir
such localities their camps placed deep in the
r WOODS, ana thus concealed far possible from
, observation.
l am satisfied that they have full four or five
2 thousand men dotted over the territory describe
above, one half of whom have taken position there
prooaoiy within the last week. They have for
fortnight and more been engaged In constructing
defences against the advance of the Union troop:
in that direction, in the shape of the destruction
the ROADS, the formation of barricades of felleo
trees, with the branches bougbs and leaves left OF
them, and the erection of some batteries. The bar
rlcades are likely to give friends trouble
, IL the advance be attempted in that direction; al
: whiie entirely concealing those behind them, they
are so deep-extending so far back-that they pro
badly cannot be traversed. They have doubtless
made lines back of lines of such deenses clear back
d to Centreville, if not to Manassas. Everything
about their preparations there, leads to the conclu
sion that it is their purpose if possible to superin
g duce their pursuit by General Mcdowell into tina
8 labyrinth whenever they may be ready to seek al
engagement little in advance Of it.