The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-12-29

There were no absolute sop,1i,gs of tbc sto.e
in The vicinity Of Fort Fisher. and il was only
nStTl nali5 so o' ore how near the L5dana
S%oulu % 80 Deu 90 she ran aground When her
bottom hr''. pra,ed the sand, her furnace doors
Tc r." nc thrown open, the engines left running,
Wv caps placed upon fuses, the CLOCKS set, aud
ETery body was huricdly transferred TO the picket
lauDch, the tug, and the boats. ca1
The explosion was cNpec ed 10 take place In
thirty or forty minutes, and by that time the
party with their steam .auuch would probably no
five miles away. A provision vas made, how
ever, In case something ,hould occur-some scci-
dent bcfall The launch. Under such circumstances,
they were 70 take the surf boat, and row for life,
tl the tine for the DOsiDn, when they
were tU jump overheard, 90 with ropes aud buoys
as far as possible from the boat, and submergc 70
the head, and with cotton ia their ears, await the
shock. Beside the launCh.bOat there was a re-
serve tug, in case Of accident, and the sIrt-OOat
was only to be used as a last resort.
The Louisiana drew seven feet Of water, two
more aft than forward.
The PreIiminRrIes.
The Navy Department having given their APP
prOyal 10 Admiral POrtcr's powder exp OsiUn plan,
the Admiral nc once proceeded 10 the selection Of
the proper officers to carry the plan into eXeCu-
tiOn, lie first sent to Captain Rhind, command
ing the guuboat AgarIm, then at Beaufort, the
details of the plan, and asked, "DJ you like II
Are you willing TO undertake II 20 ayes" was
the reply to both questions, and the commander
Of the expedition was settled upon.
Then the Admiral explained 10 Lieutculnt
Preston what was proposed, who was to have
immediate command, and then wanted TO know
whether he was willing 70 90. Lieutenant Preston
replied that he was willing to go that ne thought
the scheme feasible "li think a thing fe lsible "
said the Lieutenant in conversation with .lgr
officers, just before executing hi. dangerous
mission, land the result Is adequate to the risk,
think that is the place for me.
"1he plan is a novel one, but / think II is worth
expending fifteen men 10 find II out like that
md n
attractive aboutt. The idea is obsolete Ofmakrng
war on safe principles. IL IS irdr and nothing
risk,d nothing gained. The bOdcr man is the
greater the chances are Of success
Captain Rhind having had selected for him his
lieutenant there yet rem mtined for him TO choose
his engineer and crew. His choice for engineer
was A. T. T.. Mullen, seCpnd-assistant engineer
from the dgaicdm. Mr.. Mullen knew nothing Of
the position he was to fill until one day before he
| took his departure for the South with the fleet.
| He was asked If he would gO-the expedition
| having been explained-and hepronptv asseated.
Mr.. Mullen is young officer Of high personal
| and professional qualities. He was taken prs-
sOner in the Harriet Lane. OF Galveston, Texas,
! in the early period of the war, but after four
| months confinement, was parOed.
Ensign Douglas Il. Cissel, Of the Br0Oklyn,
has charge of the boat, and his special duty will
| be to stand by and cut down with his sword any
| man who may become pauic-sirCken and attempt
| TO lower the boat. Besides, there are tn, man at
| the Wheel one man at the ledd four men for the
DOht, ana IOur HTencu.
| The Louisiana was towed from CrAneY Island
| to Beaufort by the United States steamer SaS.
sacts, making the voyage in two days. The rud.
der was disabled off Cape Hitteras; but the S1s-
sac,ts, being doublC-endor, her tow was attached
! to the other end aud she proceeded.
| The following are the names of the officers o
| the SaSslcus, VIII ch towed the vessel in hel
| dangerous condition from Craney Islandto Beau
| fort -
| Lieutenant Commander John D. Davis.
| Acting Volunteer lieutenant ana eX-OGcer, A. "
| huldaur.
| Acting Assistant Surgeon, George f. McPhorson.
| Acting Asbistaut PaymR -ter George ". ifrtnWath,
Acting tnslgn and Sailng Master, August Adler
| Acting EnsiRns William II. Mayer, David stephens
| and Henry W. O IlRTra
| Second Assistant Engineer, Acting Chief John "
| Huxley.
second Assistant Engineers, Robert y. Ellis and osca
| w, Allison.
Acting Third Assistant Engineers, william Raynor, II
| 3. Mack, and A, BigeiOw.
| ACtlUP Gunner, Nell Ma tin.
Acting Masters Mates, Thomas n Marble and John s
! OBrien
Captains CLERK, Thomas W. Howard.
| Paymaster's Clerk David Ellis,