The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-08-18
The Lesson Taught mt Matthias Point
Is the POtOmaC to be Shut Up!

Is the Potomac to be Shut Up!
The telegraph brings us intelligence from
Washington of another sacrifice of human life
at Matthias Point, the place where the gal
liant Commander Ward fell in maintaining
the honor of his country's flag 1t is the old
story-an attempt against concealed rebels,
with ridiculously inadequate force, an ambus-
cade, and the slaughter of our brave scamen.
Now that the mischief has been done the idea
has begun to be entertained of burning out the
insurgents, as if the scheme were an entirely
novel one. We shall see.
When the late Commander Ward fell near the
same spot, the cry was raised that the gallant
officer had attempted very unwise thing. The
Navy Department pronounced his conduct rash;
unthinking people endorsed the judgment Of
the Secretary of the Navy, and it is now pretty
well understood, as settled fact, that Com
mander Ward paid the penalty of his rashness.
1t is singular fact that, to this day, it is
generally believed that the object of Com
mander Ward, in landing at Matthias Point
with his handful of men, was to hold
the place against some fifteen hundred rebel
troops, eight hundred of whom were cavalry.
Entertaining this strange belief, it is no wonder
the public at large imagine that the enter
prise in which Captain Ward met his death was
one Of superlative rashness. Let us examine
the case, however, and see whether the blame
does not rest somewhere else, rather than on the
shoulders of the brave deceased.
A few days before the disastrous affair at Ma
thias Point Commander Ward sent despatch
to Washington, applying for two companies of
land forces to aid him, not to occupy the place,
but to burn the thick pine wood that skirts the
shore at Matthias Point, and thus prevent the
erection of masked batteries so close to the
rivers brink as to be source of annoyance to
passing vessels. Captain Budd, acting under
his orders, had made reconnaissance of the
Point for considerable distance inland few
weeks before, the result of which was that Cap
tain Ward arrived at the just conclusion that, if
the erection of batteries at the Point was per-
mitted, the navigation of the Potomac to Wash
ington would be virtually closed. The au
thorities, however, seem to have pooh-poohed
the application and the reason assigned for it;
and, therefore, instead of sending the troops
reconnoitre, with fifty men belonging to
the Pawnee, without even paying Captain
Ward, whose vessel was alongside the
Pawnee at Aqua Creek, the compli-
ment of acquainting him with the plan, or of
asking him for any of his men to aid in the re-
connoissance. Could any thing be better cal
culated to disgust veteran officer than pro-
ceeding like this? Surely an officer of Captain
Wards standing, who had spent years Of his
life in the service of his country, on the pesti-
| lential coast of Africa-who had held a profess
sorship at the Annapolis Naval School, and had
voluntarily given up the command of the re-
ceiving ship North Carolina, where he was
living in comfort, to take command of small
fotilla, on board common tug boat, in SER
vice fraught with peculiar danger and discom-
forts-was entitled to some consideration in the
carrying out Of the plan he had himself origi-
mated.
Had the troops asked for been sent, landing
might have been effected on both sides of the
Point, and the enemy would have been seen ap-
preaching long before he could have been able
to gain the covert of the pines; and, to Judge
ny Tic cAtcHt VI lid dSuiSNcAeutS Ill tuc open
field since the commencement of this war, his
fears that our troops were reinforced in the rear
would have induced him to keep at a respect
full distance, while the seamen were engaged in
the appropriate duty of tarring the trees and
setting them on fire. The work would have
been successfully performed, Captain Ward
would be alive this day, as would the brave
men who fell on Thursday, and those who have
been so cruelty manned would have the use of
their limbs. Two hundred men would then
have suffioed for the duty required, without the
sacrifice of single life. 1t is apparent now
| that it cannot be done without a considerable
force and immense loss Of life. Will the NAVY
Department profit by this lesson? Or viii Mr..
Secretary Welles wait till cannon are planted
by the rebels all along the south hank of the
Potomac, and the sea and river communication
with the capital cut off? According to our
kilograms of yesterday riled cannon of long
range, are already in position a mile and half
below Aqua Creek, aod few shots from them
compelled toe Uaiol guapoat Pocahontas to
withdraw!