Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-09-16
- "Reminiscences OF the Civil War

OF which he tool. command May Is,
with the rank O. commander The
duty was 10 keep. oac1 he Patomac
river 20 union navigation.
As the confederaJes mad score OF
strong points in Virginia on which
. lhsy might erect batteries commaGding
the river, his task was not ~ easy
one. His first engagement, at Acquia
Greek, May 81. had proven stubborn,
but the batteries remained.
STRAITS ON FATAL E3RAND.
On May &c, Commander Ward learn.
ed that the ConfeGerates had q consid.
} cradle force in camp near Matthias
Point. which is about 40 miles IN
straight line below Washington. and
: THAT they had begun wo-k on q ba.-
terry in The woods On The point
4 battery mere, where d wide curve
in the river gave q long range, if equip
ped with proper guns would close the
Patcnac An effort must be made al
any cost to stop its erection.
Not Z moment was lost by Comm2n-
der Ward in preparing Tor an exps5i-
ton 10 Matthias Point Cooperating
with his 1otiila WAS the steam sIocp
OF war, Pawnee, Commander 5. c.
Rowan. On this officer Commander
Ward called for men and materials TO
/ he used in cutting down and burning
the timber on the point in order that
is value as a screen might De destroy
Cd, as we'll as for building q sand bag
battery there
nf M al
Illustrates the attention given TO the de-
tails OF such an expedition. After ask
ing for two boats, Commander Ward
wrote: You VIII further be pleased
. to send ne in the boats all the tar you
have on board the Pawnee. a gallon Of
spirits Of tuTpentine in a can, all the
( shovels and all the coal bags you
have. except u retained to handle coal
with all the oakum yau have, not ex-
ceeding one bale in quantity; a guam
. tity OF old canvass, all you can pos
sibly spare. and your gunner's dark
lantern. Send also every axe and
Ratchet you have. except the cooks
The boats. with % men in them.
were ordered 10 meet the steamer
Freedom, with Commander Ward on
board, at Nanjemoy, on the Maryland
shore.
CONFEDERATES ALERT.
The junction effected, in the fore
noon the Freedom. accompanied by
the boats IN tow of . tug, steamed to
Matthias Point.
Preliminary TO landing the men. the
steamer opened fire, Smelling The
woods for about Is minutes. This
fire was directed by Commander Ward. !
On its completion he placed himself /
in command of the boats and the land !
ing was effected by a total company OF
81 men.
The wooded shore looked still and !
peaceful as the union force Jumped /
out and made preparations TO fill their I
canvass bags with sand for the cree !
ton OF a battery.
There was nothing in sight to fndi- /
cate the proximity of the enemy. Still
skirmishers were thrown out, and be- 4
fore many minutes they drew the fire /
OF confederate pickets, concealed in 4
the woods, behind the brow of hill. I
Meanwhile a force Of several hun
dred confederate infantry were hurry
ing as fast as their legs wood bring /
them 10 the point from camp three
miles inland. where Col Daniel Rug
giles OF the confederate army com
manded.
They had received an alarm before
noon, and having determined the land
ing place, got their troops there about
l O'Clock Their approach being OBJ