mander of the Potomac flotilla, in plying up and down the river, saw indications of a rebel force in the woods not far from the Point; thinking it would do no harm to ascertain if any persons were there, he dropped a few shells among the trees, which was followed by a tremendous scampering over the hills toward Fredericksburg, a sleepy, quiet old town on the Rappahannock a few miles distant, formerly the home of the mother of Washington.

On Thursday, the 26th of June, Captain Ward, in his trip along the river, observed that the rebels were still in the vicinity, and sent word to Captain Rowan of the Pawnee, who was lying off Aquia Creek a few miles above, that he wanted some men to aid in a reconnoisance. Accordingly, Lieutenant Chaplin, of the Pawnee, was despatched to his assistance, with two cutters and fifteen men. Captain Ward before landing the men, felt the premises over by tossing a few shells in different directions into the woods; but no response was given. Accordingly, Lieutenant Chaplin with his men and some from the Freeborn, making in all thirty-five men, landed on the Point and sent out pickets, who penetrated the woods several hundred yards, but discovered no enemy. Captain Ward decided to erect a battery on the point covering the approaches inland, and to put his howitzers into it, by which, covered by the thirty-two pounders of the Freeborn, he hoped to be able to hold the Point. The men were set to work filling bags with sand which were piled up for defence. They worked unmolested for some time, when suddenly there was an alarm from the steamer. A large body of men having been discovered approaching through the trees, Lieutenant Chaplin retreated to the shore, and the rebels, about six hundred in number, concealed in the thick growth of underbrush, opened a murderous fire from Minie muskets. The party took to their boats.

The Freeborn opened its fire, which was hotly returned by the protected enemy at a distance of about two hundred and fifty yards. In the hurry and excitement of the moment, the boats pushed off for the ship, leaving several of the party on shore, including Lieutenant Chaplin, who, with his comrades, plunged into the stream amid a tremendous shower of balls. John Williams, coxswain of one of the cutters, stood in the stern holding the flag. A ball struck the staff about three feet. from the tip, and splintered it in pieces. He seized the flag as it fell, grasped the broken stump, waved it over his head, called upon the rowers to back water, and went back and picked up the four men, including Lieutenant Chaplin. During this time, the balls fell like hail around them, nineteen piercing the flag. However, the boats reached the steamer without any serious casualty. Meanwhile the Freeborn had not been idle. Ten shells had been thrown among the rebels, and the gunner, while preparing the eleventh, received a shot in one of his wrists. Captain Ward promptly stepped forward and took his place, and while in the act of stooping to sight the gun, received a Minie ball in his breast. He fell on the deck, and in a few moments expired. In consequence of this casualty, the Freeborn steamed away, having one killed, one mortally, and three slightly wounded. The body and the wounded were transferred to the Pawnee, and conveyed to Washington.

Cockswain John Williams was subsequently promoted to master's mate for his noble conduct.

The little brick engine-house in the centre of the navy yard at Washington, which had so recently been the temporary resting-place of the mortal remains of the gallant Ellsworth, was again draped in mourning; again, for a brief period, it was a receptacle for the noble dead; again, marines with shouldered muskets were keeping guard in sorrowful silence, while within some

half-dozen sailors were sitting with heavy hearts and tearful eyes. There lay the body of their brave commander covered with a starry pall. That once strong heart, energetic will, and hard-working brain, were motionless evermore.

Captain Ward was fifty-six years of age, a native of Connecticut, an energetic man and admirable artillerist, as also very brave, and had won honorable distinction.

The untimely death of Captain Ward, deranged a plan which he had nearly perfected for the safety of Potomac steamers, and the rebels took advantage of the calamity to practise their accustomed piracy. Accordingly, they fixed upon a plan to seize the steamer "St. Nicholas" of and from Baltimore, which proved to be a bold, piratical operation.

The St. Nicholas left Baltimore on the 29th of June, laden with freight for consumption by the citizens of St. Mary's and Charles counties, Md., and with other cargo for Washington, Alexandria, and Georgetown. She also had on board about fifty secession passengers, most of whom were disguised as mechanics going to points on the Maryland shore of the Potomac.

Among the number was one disguised as a female, "the French lady," heavily veiled, and complaining of indisposition, retired immediately to a state-room, after going on board. After the steamer left Point Lookout, the sick lady, which proved to be a man by the name of Thomas, threw off his disguise, and with the aid of the passengers, seized the boat, which was immediately put across to Coney River, on the Virginia shore. There the rest of the passengers, not parties to the plot, were landed, including the captain of the boat, who was placed under guard. The steamer then went on a piratical cruise toward the Rappahannock River, capturing three vessels laden with ice, coal, and coffee, with all of which he made his way to Fredericksburg.

But on the 8th of July Lieutenant Carmichael, of Provost Marshal Kenley's police, went down the river in a tug, and boarded steamer Mary Washington, to arrest a man named Neill Gran, who was charged with being engaged in the riot on the 19th of April, and who it was thought would come on board at Patuxent. On coming up the river, he learned that Captain Thomas, of St. Mary's county, who took command of the St. Nicholas, and headed the pirates, was also on board, with seven of his confederates, their object being, it is supposed, to seize another steamer in a similar manner.

Carmichael, on getting abreast of Fort McHenry, ordered the captain to stop at the wharf, where he made known the facts to General Banks, who ordered a company of Massachusetts troops to arrest all on board. Seven of the pirates were found, but Captain Thomas had himself fled. After an hour's search, he was found in a large bureau drawer in the ladies' cabin. They were all detained at the fort, with several witnesses, who were on board the St. Nicholas at the time of the seizure, including the captain and engineers.

22

CHAPTER XIV.

Oh, bid the listening nations kneel in prayer,
And veil their brows in anguish to the ground.

JULY 1. Privateer Sumter escaped from the Mississippi and put to sea.

July 2. General Patterson's advance into Virginia. Battle near Martinsburg. The morning was bright and beautiful; the sun shone warmly on glittering bayonets, as that portion of the army, under Major-General Patterson, crossed the Potomac at Williamsport, and took up their line of march toward Martinsburg.

Within a radius of five miles from the ford, lay encamped the Second and Third Pennsylvania regiments, under General Wynkoop, four companies of the Second regular cavalry, Parker's battery of artillery, the Sixth, Twenty-first, and Twenty-third Pennsylvania regiments under Colonel Thomas, the Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and Twenty-fourth Pennsylvania regiments under General Negley, the Eleventh Pennsylvania regiment and Wisconsin regiments, and McMullen's Independent Rangers, under Colonel Abercrombie; the post of honor was assigned to McMullen's Rangers, and the First Wisconsin and the Eleventh Pennsylvania Regiments. The advancing column consisted of the brigades of Generals Abercrombie, Thomas, and Negley.

They crossed the river at a very early hour in the morning. McMullen's Rangers dashed in first; the City troop (of Philadelphia), and General Patterson and staff followed, and then came the two regiments of Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. The remaining regiments took the mat