, 1864-07-11
{co.reepondencc n. 7. Hc1aId.1

y
Correspondence n. Z Hc.ald.1
BEAUFORT, n. c., june %, 1854. 6
One Of the most da:ing reconnolssances :
made during the war has just been success !
ully achieved by Capt. Gushing, of the gun
,pat Monticello. On the night of the 34th
nst. the Captain took first cutter, with If 9
cen men and two office1s (Acting Ensign :
[ones and Acting Masters Mate Howard) {
Lnd succeeded in passing the forts of the west 9
lar at Wilmington, and started up the Cape
scar river. Alter . narrow escape OF being
IN over By one Of the rebel steamers plying :
he river, he passed the second line OF bat :
cries and continued hts course until Old !
3ruuswick was reached, where the rebels :
AVE d heaay battery, when he was halted and :
ircd upon, but succeeded In passing nn-
cathe6, by feigning to pass down the river
md crossing to the friendly cover Of the op- |
'osite bank. Ae then continued Ills course :
,p the river. By this artidce the rebels were ;
deceived, and signalized to the forts to inter-
,tpt him as he cnue down the FLYER, which
hey supposed was the direction taken.
At hAltpaht two the next morning the ;
Captain had reached 8 point seven miles dis.
boat to be bar1ed on the banks and conceal
ID from view By bushes aud marsh grass.
Day had now da~ned, and it became neces-
sarY to select place of conccalment, which
Has found In the brush on the banks.
Soon after do, light the rebel steamers,
=
seen By the purity plying up and down the :;
river, and, In fact, the flagship Of the rebel
Commodore Lynch passed by, pennant ny-
ing, the distinguished gentleman entirely un- l.
hand could and would, but for obvious rea-
sons, have given him his quietus. TWO
blockade steamers Of the first class passed
up and one down during the frsttwenty-four
hours. When night had fairly set In
the Captain prepared TO launch In I'M. ms boat
he supposed, husing discovered his position,
they designed to attack him; but it proved
to be returned fishing party. The entire
party we're captured eight In number. Com
pclling them to act in the capacity Of guides,
be proceeded to examine all the tortihca-
tione. river distractions aud other objects of |
Interest within three mites Of Wilmington. |
Here be was compelled IT, pass through
creek running through cypress swamp, for
several honrs, through grass eight teet high
and immense cypress trees res On each slas, as,,
| exceeded BY darkness.
Bv two o'clock that morning road was
| reached, which proved to be branch to the
| main road to Wilmington, and joining 1t at
| point two miles distant. The party was here
the captain, taking the remaining eight men,
took position at the junction Of the roads,
one OF which was the main. Several prison.
ers were here captured, but none or Import
ance. At about eleven O'Clock q. m, the
rebel courier, with the mails from Ft. Fisher
and lower batteries, en- route to Wilmington,
whose approach was awaited, came duly
along, and he, with Lis entire mail, was cap
tured.
On examination this proved to be prize
OF yalne, there being upwards Of two hun
dred documents, private and official, and
many Of great Importance. The party, having
TINS far laborcd successfully, experienced
the necessity for refreshment for the inner
man, and accordingly Masters Mate Howard
, gnrbed himself in The courier's clothes, and,
mounting the same worthy's horse, Proceed
cd TWO miles to store and purchased sup
NV OF provisions with which he safely IT.
! turned. The prices the mattel thought exor'
bitant, but did not feel disposed, in his libe-
| ral mood, to hagg1e or beat down.
/ Shortly after more prisoners were cap,
, turcd, md oil that was now required to add
l | to the ee1ot OF the achievement was to cap.
: ture the courier and mail from Wilmington,
whose tsdvent was looked for ut five P. N.
, The inapatienee Of The party nay bs ,!na;; imag
| contain the days papers issued at Whining
! ton at one p. NJ, and our n0madic friends
= were anxious to obtain the latest news early
: The courier arrived slightly IN advance O.
? incauiously across the road. was seen b.
i. him, and taking alarm, he took to bis heels
E at full speed. Capt Cushing, like Paul Du
, yal No. 2, awaited lin On the road, with pls
= tol cooked, put spurs to his horse and pur
. sued for about three miles. Bnt the coure,
speeded on like q whirlwiud, and the Cap:
: tain, being rather farther from his base than
| be thought prudent, took to his line Of re-
treat, and fell back In rapid, but good order.
, The telegraph wire leading to Wilmington
the party, with prisoners and spoils, rejoined
! | the squad left with the boat, and. proceeding
: | down the creek, reached the rirerabout dark
The prisoners impeding, the speed Of thF
. boats, measures were taken to dispose Q
. them, by depriyiDg one Of the fishing boat
q Of oars and sails and setting 1t adEft in th.
G middle Of the river, thus rendering 1t iupos
e sible tor them to give the alarm until the It'd
a noated them on some friendly bank. Bn
y y willie putting this plan into execution
r w5s only avoided by the party leaping int'
n | the water and holding on to the gunwale
,e Of the boat. The steamer passing
the prisoners and boat were sent adrift
n down the river, until point between th
l. batteries at Brunswick and Fort Fisher, Whe
:. boat was discovered making rapidly to
!, wards the shore. After an exciting chas
" she was oyertaken, and her occupants, con
sisting Of six persons, four Of them Wer
ae soldiers, were taken On board, and the boa
r. cut adrift From them information was OF
- tained that the rebels were on the qui tfu
- y having boats posted at the narrow entranc
T. between the forts to intercept the return
I'll | 10 UuuEltlhuQ lut pUtll1uu VI luE PATTY,
ty ahould be known that they were then bu
three hundred yards dissant from two forts
= and this on q moonlight night C1pt Cush
Il Ing on learring the rebels designs, resolves
ID to take desperate chance Of fighting his va,
le through, 6upposing that In case there Wer
broadeide. escape in the confusion. On arriving
9. at the mouth ot the harbor he perceived, q
~ be imagined, one large boat, which, wonder
g fully prolific, coon gave birth to three more
r which we're afterwards increased II numbe
i, by I've from the opposite bank. This COZ
- pletely blocked up tue Da1row entrance to tt
ae harbor TIE helm was put hard aport
n" gain distance, and, seeing 9 large sailbos
er filled with troops {seyenty-fye 1nusketeers
be at once decided that the only hope 1ay In on
- TALLY, did not during this interval fire sho
L. no doubt anticlpRting the certain capture
es all. There being another mems Of entrant
II into the ha1bor 1.-THE west BARI. the only po
N sib1e hope was In impressing the rebels wit
- - The opinion that he would attempt that, tt
~ only remaining chance Of escape Acc6r
OF ipgly, apparently making for this point, Il
es rebel boats we're drawn together in pu
Of suit when, rapidly changing his d
'9s 4se GaPa.a 1{1opget he 9s 90
bari and, deeply loaded as she was (twent!
A stx In the boat}, forced her into the breaker
" The rebels, evidently foiled, dared not re-
- tnre to follow, and the guns Of the batterie
= :, which were pointed to rake the channe
FL y ere unpscpsrcd to inflict damage
Captain Gushing hiss arrived safely. vii
"a, his eight prisoners and mail, and can coDgr
I'M tu1ate himself in having performed one
~ the most hazardous and daring feats of Il
lef war His eecupe from this position of jeo
ty, short Of miraculous, and the rebel plisone
lie hare not Jet recovered their amazelncnt
Ia. the boldness Of the feat-
| II. r~ft