The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-06-29
Gallant Conduct of the officers and
Men Of the Freebsrn.
A Portion Of the Crew Of the
Pawnee Engaged.
The Remains Of Capt. Ward Sent
on to Warrington.
SKETCH OF HIS SERVICES,
&c., g.. &C.,

The Navy Department has Just received The O.
ment Of sharp engaeem yesserda, at Matthias Point
in which Captain w&d Of the United States steamer
Freedom, was ahot. rhe following despatch &c per-
mitted to copy
UNITED STATES Military rEIEoRArE, June %, 1907.
To THE SECRETARY THE NAVY
With deep regret announce the death Of osp..n
Ward He was killed yesterday, while attempting 70
cover nndiss Matthias Point n, ,sk, 1t ball s,ruck
him - he was sighting his thirty two poupfer IsxAi.
your orders al to the disposition O. the body OF lie GAL
ant officer. JOHN A. DAELSRg71,
SPECIAL RErORr OF THE ACTION TO TIE NEW
YORK HERALD.
WAsa,scroy June %, 1851.
Tho RyRAlDs special correspondent dot killed. 70 me
United States steamer Feeborn, arrived hero at tho
Navy Yard the United States steamer Paxnee az about
half past ten O'Clock The following 10 bis despacb
UNIFIED SrAIB STEAMER FRxEBoRy, oYr Aqua CnsRH,
Po1OM o Rrvxe, June 81, 1891
terrible fight took place this evening bosweeS tno
Freeborn OF the belonging 10 the Pawnse and
the rebel troops Matthias Point resulting in the deah
Of Commander James Il. Ward, 90 nmaoding The Ggiog
Ho.lla He was pierced by rife bullet whMe point NC
the forecaste gun Fory belonging TO the paw
nee and three Of The Freeborn's crew were wounded
some Of them very seriously.
Yesterday, while running between the wscoeo y.yer
and Bston's Bsy, Captain Ward sent taghoas 10 fal
In with up 70 Aqua Creek, with Dispatches 70 Captain
Rowan Of the Pawnee the substance Of which
quest Capt Rowan 10 send force Of men down Me-
thAs Point meet the Freeborn there The vev Of
taking measures to effect Odgmen At the points, and
to destroy the thick woods that fringe the high banks
overlooking the river and which could serve ccD,sJ
rebel troops and TO mack such batteries tbsy nigh.
erect there. In the evening the FYeeborn Up 10
Swan Point, and anchored there for the night. Al day
light, the Reliance, one Of the otia Tei evan
Point, having tow the hrst and third cnstes Of the
PawDee, with twenty four men, under tbs nsad Of
Lieut. j. c. Chaplin; and Immediately the Freseorn
weighed anchor, and ran into Nargenoy, where a
ve-pouDder howitzer taken from ths
schooner Dana, and placed en- board the ga.
cutter with the view to Its being placed In position be-
hind sand bag battery, to be erected Oh shore The
Dana then sshed alongside the Fresborn ami tbs
Pawnees frat and third cutters were towed By The 10
lance, and the whole expedition moved In the drec
ti0n Of Matthias Point Considerable time had en- *.
pended In getting the Relisn, 70 Of shoa hcs she
had grounded within rife shot Of the sbo-e VII 20 the
rebels were encamped They did not h1w, var, Ere o1
the Reliance.
On reaching Matthias Point, TIE Freeborn anchored
broatsde on opposite the building &c often sred
to the left Of which 10 gentle Slope leading 70 tbs
top Of the table lands and to the left o. tina. ravne
called JotanK Swamp. Beyond the ravine, s:iD further
10
siderable Distance along the high bank .bs ezreu.y
Of the Point The Reliance anchored little lower down
than the Freeborn, while the Dana anchored further ol
On boari Of her hawser fast, connecting her
with che " eel born.
The FTeeborn then opened a clnDona5e from both
guns throwing In shot and she'll in parts OF .he
land 10 check the advance Of enemy while the boats
landed. Abou an hour after bad opened ire, flag
Of truce was seen waving shore cnde-ably 10 tho
right, and boat being gent shore returned With
negro, who reported himself runaway from Dr. hoe.
he said the enemy consisted Of at eas: eight hundred
strong. The hndng was effected, the boats en-
poyed being those o. the Pawnse Captain Ward gypg n
in the FIRST cutter Tho landing safely accomplished
the table land was gained when the rebel
pickets opened FIRE our nsn, which she
latter returned. On seeing this the Treeborn's
boat, With eight men, the coxswan end your cOsyespor-
dent under command Of Masters John KeAosz put
OIL from the Treebosp. On grounding tie o&he. boats
put of Captain Ward telling Mr. Kellogg 10 cover the
retreat of the other boa.e which he did No enemy ao
pared, and the men lay their bstween the
born and the shove MEANWHILE Captain wayd went On
board the Freeborn 70 superinterd the working Of the
guns to cover second landing which was effected By
the three boats, when the acsvty being climbed pl;k
cts were thrown out to the right and Left extending 10
the right considerably beyond the wooden bailding,
anu W Inc telt Oey ohc joSaDk swamp.
The former composed o, the Treeborn's ner; the
Latter by those Of the Pswnee. The erection Of sand
bag battery by tho Pawnees men, Under tho superir-
tendence Of Lieutenant Chaplin was then commenced a.
the summit OF the table hand the acclvty, The foot
Of which tho landing effected rhe ground was we'll
chosen for strong fence across with sn embsnk-
ment and ditch on the side Of party, forming a
ready made defence under Of which msa could
check the advance Of the enemy Only one little spot,
forming angle Of about forty Eve degrees with tho
fence was left exposed and at this s2os that he
sand bags were being laid fast they could be eed
The landing was effected little after twelve O'Clock
and an ncesssn: cannonade KEEP. up till four From
the right OF the wooden building looking from he river
avew Of the rebel encampmer ob:aned ABBA. threa
miles Off, and men could be seen moving to and cto
Come Of them were horseback and enc man was ssn
galoprg down the road leading 10 The camp. To tbs
point the Freebosn shots dire ted unier Me IN
formation furnished from the shore by Mr.. Kellos9.
The thots were well a.met
At four O'Clock the eeoorn ceased firing and resumed
at i've, the bow gun throwing in round shot, and the a.
ter gun Eve second shell Cspsain Ward stood On tho
gsows frame directing the fire, which was excellent
Several o: tho sho: and she'll distinctly Soc, to
striHe the White House, belonging to Mr. Srimes, Is
scme distsr;e above the wooden bai.c.nx, In
.hch 1. sssertained that rebel tyccps
Woro wac CohAet uentiy Cpt5e
the second cannonsie.
The battery on shore was nearly completed, aai
lTge quantity Of branches Of vas placed over 70
mack IL number Of the Tteeoorn's men we're nov
aeen running in the direction Of Kr. Crimes hoaHs api
the 'hcket had concealed them rom .Se view
Of the Heeocrn than four shoss ase q: hsn from
the heuse, whsch were retained by The voica
Of Mp. Keliosg w~ distinctly head, saca.rg rssnae,
and more ~eye sben seen ws-k,ng 20 aid hra. Pa
emily they al retired, saa kr. Kellogg saoseGsea.y