Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1864-11-11
THE .DEsrk UCTXON OF THE ALBE,
NHARLE.
LIEUT. CusIIINd,s REPORT


Admiral Porter communicated to the Sec
retary of the Navy the following, BY Lieut..
Gushing, as to the sinking of the rebel ram
Albemarle
ALBRMAsLx sorsp, Oct. 81, 1864
SIR: 1.havc theshonorssto reportLthe rebe
iron clad Albemarle at the bottom Of thelRo.
anoke River. On the...night of the 27th,
having prepared my steam launch, proceed
cd towards Plymouth, with thirteen officers
and men, and With. voluntccrsi from3 the
squadron. The distance from the mouth OF
| the. river to the ram was eight miles. The
stream averaging in width3someE2 200 yards,
was lined..with pckets. A mile below town,
the Rock Of Smithield was surrounded by
schooners. 1t was understood that a gun
was mounted there to command the bend.
thefeiore took one Of the Shamrock's cutters
in tow, With orders to cast off and board at
this point IL we were hailed.
| Our boat succeeded in passing 1.-The pickets,
and even Smithtleld, within twenty yards
with ut discovery. We were not hailed until
by the lookouts on the ram. Tho cutter was
then cast off and ordered below, while We
lay for..the enemy under, full hcadaof steam.
The rebels opened their scuttle, rung the bell
and commenced firing, at the same time re.
pcating their hail, and seeming much con.
fused The light Of fire on shore, showed
me the ironcad made fast to the wharf
with logs aroundjther thirty feet from her
side, pressing her closely. We made com
plete circle, so Nj to strike her fairly, and
went into her bows. BY this time tho enc.
my's fire was severe, but close canister shot
range seemed 10 disturb their aim.
| Paymaster Swan, of the O,scgo, was
wounded near me, but how many more
know not. Bullets struck my clothing The
air was full Of them. In one moment we
had struckfths.logs just abrest of her quarter
port, breaking them in some feet, our bow,
resting in them, Tho torpedo boom was
then lowered, and I..succceded in driving n
torpedo under her, and exploding it at the
same time. The Albemarle's guns fired q
shot which went through my boat, and u
dense mass Of waterlrushed in from the tor.
pedo, filing the launch and completely dis.
abling her. Tho enemy continued his fire
at fifteen feet range, and demanded our sur
render which | twice refused, ordering my
men to save themselves, and removing my
overcoat and shoes, springIng into the water
| swan with others into the middle OF the
stream, the rebels failing. toshitIus. Most.oi
our party were captured. Some were drown.
ed. Only one escaped beside myself. and he
in another direction. Completely exhausted
| mansged.to reach shore, but was too weak
to crawl to cover till::,,daylight, when man
aged to creep into the swamp, close to the
fort. While hiding close to the path, the
Albemare's officers passed. judged from
their conversation that the ship was wholly
destroyed. Some hours travelling through
the swamp served to bring me out well be.
low the town, when I sent negro to gain
information, and found that the ram WAS
sunk.
Proceeding through another swamp, I
came to creek, where | captured a skifl
belonging to the picksts Of the enemy, and
with this by IL o'clock made my way out.
The ram is completely submerged in the
river, so as to obstruct the passage Of our
ship. | AMI, respectfully,
| ...ga W. u. CUSHING, Lieut., U. 3. N
Lieut.. Gushing is native Of and was ap
pointed from New York. He is. satisfied
that large number;;of lives must have been
lost be drowning, as the Albemarlc's guns
were all manned. The Secretary of the
Navy will recommend Congress to givo Lieut.
Cushingia vote of thanks, and he will be
promoted to Lieutenant. Commander.