as hurt, although a minie-ball passed through the
lieutenant's cap.

Two months later this same locality was the scene of another bloody
disaster to the Union arms. On the 16th of August the "Resolute" and
the "Reliance" were ordered to make a reconnoissance of the
neighborhood of Matthias Point. After steaming about the shore for
some time, and noticing nothing of a suspicious character, a boat was
seen on the Virginia shore, and an officer and five men despatched to
capture her. They had just reached her, and were in the act of making
fast, when a volley of musketry was fired from the bushes not more
than five yards away, and three of the crew were instantly killed, and
one wounded. The watchers on the war-vessels, lying in the river,
sprang to their guns, and threw several rounds of shell into the cover
that sheltered the enemy, soon driving them away. The two uninjured
men in the boat succeeded in getting her away with her load of dead
and dying.

It is easy to understand how exasperating, how infuriating, such
service as this must have been to the officers and men of the navy.
For a man to risk his life in the heat and excitement of a battle, is
as nothing to the feeling that one may be at any time caught in a
death-trap, and slaughtered in cold blood.

[Illustration: Naval Patrol on the Potomac.]

A more successful expedition was organized in October, by Lieut.
Harrill of the steamer "Union." He had been informed that a large
schooner was lying in Quantico Creek, and that the Confederates were
massing a number of troops there for the purpose of crossing the
river. He at once determined to destroy the schooner. Accordingly he
manned three boats at half-past two in the morning, and in the
darkness proceeded, with muffled oars, toward the mouth of the creek.
Here some difficulty was experienced, as the entrance is narrow and
obstructed by sandbars; but working energetically, and in perfect
silence, the sailors overcame all obstacles. Once in the creek, they
pulled rapidly along within pistol-shot of the shore, until the tall
masts of the schooner could be descried in the darkness. One sentry
was on guard, who fled wildly as he saw the mysterious boat emerge
from the darkness of the night. The grappling-irons were thrown
aboard, and the jackies swarmed nimbly up the sides, and began the
work of destruction. A huge pile of combustibles was made in the
cabin, and hastily set on fire. The flames spread rapidly; and,