, 1864-07-26
From an Of1ce1's letter.1
Cd BRIGADE CAVALRY, L
THE UOAT RACE AT PITS.
BURG.
Ward Beaten by HalnIl,


The Plttshurg (pa.} Ra of Thursday last
says:
The great scul1inr match between Ameri-
cas- champion toWers came oil. yesterday,
and was followed with the usual ee'dt attend
ing those occasions. The greatest anxiety
mud impatience WAS manifested By the people
during the few days which preceded the con-
test, ,Rnd we ore certain tbat the entire sport
ing world participated more or less in the
general anxiety and impatience towards the
itEuc Of the coming event. The adyersaries
were so well matched, and had so often con-
tested betWeen themselves for the palm be-
fore, that the Issue was extremely dubious,
and although the betting. Was higher on
Hamn;f nevcrtheless We think 1t: resulted
more from partia1ity towards our great
champion than from any certainty Of the
issue Of the contest. Both the rowers were
in splendid condition. Ward, indeed, never
looked better in his life, and as for Hamil, 1t
is stated, and We are witnesses of the fact,
that he never before displayed SO much mus
They had previously undergone severe
training for long pe1iod, and they displayed
as much interest in the issue OF the contest
as If their whole life depended upon its sue
cess or failure Their boats, which, afterth
part in he contest, were pictures Of grace
and beauty, and no one could behold them
without being inspired with m idea Of the
velocity with which they could hy beneath
the lusty strokes OF the roWers~: They were
both constructed in the State Of New fork,
Mckay, and weighed thirty.seyen pounds.
1t was built of Spanish cedar, and Is covered
fore and aft with oil silk, and the sculls,
although nine feet and half long, only
weigh, together four pounds. Wards boat
was nearly Of tho came shape and size, but
it is reported as exceeding the oshes by
3rta
his countryman, Shaw, at Newburs, On the
Hudson. With adversaries SO well matched,
and boats SO well equa1led In weight and
eWtftness, the contest could not have been
otherwise than dubious. and no one could
with any certainty predict the Issue. and
ground could not have been selected Will
The The hig6 hi6 sloplng hills which emoel1ish the
shores OF the Monongahe1a are unsurpassed
in the bnc view they. give Of the entire ex-
tent OF the course to be run, and the numer-
ness the race. In fact, an amphitheater coua
NOT present better view Of the contest: Al
two o'clock, the hour appointed by Ward,
Hamil appeared on the grounds surrounded
by his friends, and was received by the warm
eaIutek of those present He was dressed IN
blue shirt, and tight drawers, and wore
red cap, and presented the appearance OF q
man confident OF success, displaying frame
and an amonnt Of muscle which astonished
The beholders. He was Obliged to wait for
| more than m hour and d half before Ward
made his appearance, and bore the dlsap-
| poiutmcnt like man, and did not show any
| fmpatience towards his rival.
| 1t about half-past three Ward came on tne
| ecene of contest, and everything was Pre-
| nared for the etart. The numerous multi
| tude manifested not little impatience on
Wards non-arriyaI at the time which he him.
self had appointed, and some among tho M
| crowd who were more favorable toward the
champion OF the Excelsior State, expressed
have happened to him; but as the -day Vas
hot and 6nlry, It is the general opinion thas
the hackers Of Ward wished their hero to
avoid the burning rays Of the'sun as 1nned ae
possible. The Latter was distinguished from
bis adversary by white shirt, and hand
ke1chief tied around his head In lieu Of