Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-07-06
Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.
Full Particulars.
FPrnrRrcrSprrRc Jnne IN

EREDERICESBURG, June 80 1851
l write to Inform you OF the partially suc
csssful issue of most daring adventure
which has been concOcted at this plaSe and
executed on the Potomac River and the.>Ss =.
Capt Hollins has just returned from the ex-
petition this evening. and from personal OBJ
servation | have collected the following cir
cumstances attending the affair
Friday morning our town was thrown into
great cOmmOtion by a rumor being spread
that secret expedition was forming, whose
object was unknown. Men were seen gather
ing in small groups at the corners of the
streets C. n sersing on this all-absOrbing topic.
Some three or four days previously, a genie
man of the name of Thomas was seen about
the streets with his head shaved very close
and dressed in Z1uav, style. He attracted
ugoa himself universal observation, and was
even suspected by some of being a spy. He
was evidently affecting character very ad
verse to his true one. lie. it has since been
ascertained, is a native of Maryland. He
had learned that the ST. Nicholas soon to
start from that port to Washington. and had
come on to concert with Capt. Hoilins most
perIIous and important expedition. Tue OBJ
ject of the expedition was no less than the
capture o. the Pawnee. 1t was to have been
accomplished as follows, and nothing but a
! stroke of Providence could have made them
| fail of their object:
Capt. Hollins and Mr.. Thomas were to go
to Baltimore, take passage with twenty-five
or thirty chosen men on board the St. Nicho-
| las, and as soon as she had entered the POto-
mac and arrived at the mouth of Cone River,
| to overpower the crew and embark five hun
dred Tennesseans, who were to meet them at
| this point. They were then to sail up the
| Potomac with the United States flag waviug
at Their masthead and then perform the
grand act in the drama. Tue latter was dis
concerted by an unlocked for accident.
| ACCORDING to the preconcerted plan, the
Teunesseans left this place F;id y morning,
carving with them ten surgeons. H0llins
and Thomas went TO Baltimore, aud embark
ed on board the st. Nicholas 25 or 80 of the
| mist adventuresume tars they cSald find.
| Thomas was dressed i'll female tabiiiments,
and was assiduously attended 70 by her at
| tentive beau. Capt. Hollins. But alas Tor
| human hopes! While everything prospered
and all were expecting happy issue OF the
| affair, it was reported til A. il could not then
| be carried into effect. Capt. Hollins determ-
| ined, however, not to lose all his labor. So
when they were at the mouth OF the Potomac,
at preconcerted signal his men rose up
| took possession of the steamer, and steering
straight for the mouth of Cone River, they
| soon reached the place pre-arranged as the
point where the Tenaesseans were to JOIN
them. HJllins informed them of the failure
of their original design. He then returned to
lbe bay and secured il, capturing the follow
| ing prizes in addition 10 the 81. Nicholas: a
vessel laden with $500 bags of coffee, anoth-
er laden with ice, a third with coal. They
have all been brought within the protection
of our batteries. The ST. Nicholas with one
of the vessels is in sight of our wharf.