The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1870-10-27
MISCELLANY.
From the Houston Telegraph.

ChdTseSect"IH1He A1''e'e'O"' w
sOheel-a dead Captain '0tM a Cam
die in his Hana-Remarkable Ca.
reer Of a Remarkable Graft.
In 1864, the feet of Admiral Farra.
gut was blockadiDg Mobile, while a
heavy land and naval attack was direc,
ted against Charleston. ...
=. During our long and defensive war q
great deal of ingenuity had been e1peu'
rdsd by the Confederates upon torpedoes
and torpedo boats. ..,r !.
The most remarkable of these boats
was constructed IN Mobile by Nessrs.
Hnndley l. McLintock, and launched
in 1864; and nothing which has gone
down into the sea was more wonderfully
or more feariully contrived to wreak
destruction and vengeance upon friend
and foe.
She was built of boiler iron, and i'm.
-. pervious to water or air. Her extreme
length was about thirty feet, with five
or six feet depth Of hold. In general
contour she resembled a segar, sharp
I at both ends. She was propelled by a
screw, the shaft Of which ran horizon
tally along her hold, almost from stem
to. stern, and was turned by the manual
force of eight men, seated a1thg it on
either side.
The only hatchway was circular,
about two feet in diameter, with low
combing around it, which was. placed
well forward, and when desired, could
be closed by an ion cap working on
hinges and made air tight.
In the forward part of this cap was
inserted clear glass bulls eye, through
which the pilot could see. She was
provided with water tight compartments
by filling or empiying which she would
sink or rise, and to enable her to rise
instantly her ballasting of railroad bars
was placed on her bottom outside Of
her hull, and by means of keys accessi.
bic TO her crew could be detached in a
moment, so that she would rise quickly
'torshe surface.
Besides her rudder, which was of the
usual form, this vessel was equipped
with side paddles or fms, which, like
those of fish, served to guide it up or
down with reference to the surface Of
the water.
To prepare for action, a floating tor
rpedo was secured to her stern by a line
more than one Hundred feet long, and
.- her Crew having embarked, the water
-bulks were filed until the boat was in
;equilsbrso, aud almost submerged. The
- hatch way was closed, the men revolved
the shafts, the captain or pilot, standing
under the hatch, steercd the boat, regu
hitting at the same time, by. the action
of her fms, the depth at which she
would move.
Her greatest speed did not exceed
four knots. She could remain sub
merged Ior half an hour or an hour with
out any great Inconvenience to hel
crew-and on one occasion has been
known to remain under water two hours
without actual injury: to them, although
no means were provided for procuring
fresh air. aud from the moment the
hatch was closed the picn thus fastened
in their living tomb Inhaled and ex
hailed continuously the atmosphere
which was enclosed with them. .
The plan of attack proposed by the
inventors was to dive beneath the kre
ofau enemy's ship, hauling the torpedo
after her. Its triggers or sensitive pri
mers would thus press against the ships
bottom, explode the torpedo and inevi'
'tably sink the ship. -,
Not anticipating au early opportunity
of using his dangerous vessel again>t
the feet of Farragut, Gen. Maury sen
her by rail to Geo. Beapregard at har
lesion, believing tho waters of that har
Dor better suited to her peculiar con
'struction, while in the Ironsides, o.
some other gigantic war ship attackin:
Charleston, mi ght be found an objec
worth the great risk to which her owl
crew was exposed in any enterprise The.
might undertake in her.
General Beauregard changed the ar
'iraDgemeut of the torpedo by !fasteDi"j
1t to the bow. Its front was termlnate
by sharped and barbed lancehead, S
that when the boat was driven end o.
against ships sides. ahe LANCE hea
would be forced deep into the timber'
below the water line, and would taste
the torpedo firmly against the ship
Then the torpedo. boat would back o
and explode it by lanyard.
General Beauregard's call upon tn
Confederate feet for Volunteers to ma
this dangerous craft was promptly ar
swered by Lieutenant Payne, Virgin
ian, and eight sailors. They were 500
ready for action, and on the evening 81
for their expedition, the last preparatio
had been made.
., The torpedo boat was lying alongsid
the steamer from which the crew ha
a,,, ,h.yGoJ. che r,c cubr,ornod fil1 ~