Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-10-07
From Che Houston fTexAsl Telegraph.

Lieutenans Dixon, Of the Tvyenty1Eirs
Alabama Rssinsnt. auft Af. Comrades
| From the Houston [TexAs) Telegraph.
In 1864 the fleet of Admiral Farragu
was blockading Mobile, while heavy LAND
and naval attack was directed agains
Charleston.
During our long defensive war a great
deal of ingenuity had been expended by
the Confederates upon torpedoes. and tor
pedo boats.
The most remarkable of these boats was
constructed in Mobile, by Messrs. Humid
ley & MeClintock, and launched in 1864
and nothing which has gone down into
the sea was more wonderfully and more
fearfully contrived to wreak destruction
and vengeance upon friend and foe.
She was built of boiler iron, and imper-
vious to water or air. Her extreme length
was about thirty feet, with five or six feet
beam, and about six feet depth of hold
In general contour she res embed a cigar,
sharp at both ends. She was propelled by
a screw, the shaft Of which ran horizontal.
| ly along her hold, almost from stem to
stern, and was turned by the man ual force
of eight men, seated along it on either
side. --...
he only hatchway was circular, about
two feet in diameter, with low combing
around it, which was placed we'll forward,
and when desired could be closed by an
iron cap working on hinges and made air
tight. l-lssa-
In the forward part of this cap was in.
serted a clear glass bulls eye, through
which the pilot could sec. She was pro-
vided with water tight compartments, by
filing or emptying 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, accessible to her crew,
could be detached in a moment, SO that
she would rise quickly to the surface.
Besides her rudder, which was of the
usual form, this vessel Was equipped with
side paddles or fins, which like those Of
fish, served to guide it up or down with
reference to the surface of the water.
To prepare for action floating torpedo
was secured to her stern by line more
than one hundred feet long, and her crew
having embarked, the water tanks were
filed until the boat was in equilibro and
almost submerged. The hatchway was
closed; the men revolved the shaft; the
captain or pilot, standing under the hatch,
steered the boat, regulating at the same
time. by the action of her lateral fins, the
depth at which she would move.
Her greatest speed did not exceed four
knots. She could remain submerged for
inconvenience to the crew; and on one Oc-
CASTOR has been known to remain under
water two hours, without actual Injury to
the N, although no means were provided
for procuring fresh air, and from the mo
ment the hatch was closed the men thus
fastened in their living tomb, inhaled and
exhaled continuously the atmosphere
which was inclosed with them.
The plan Of attack proposed by the in
70 Z b. Al 6
enemy's ship, hauiipg the torpedo after
her; It's triggers or sensitive primers would
thus press against the ships bottom, ex-
plode the torpedo and inevitably sink the
ship.
Not anticipating an early opportunity of
using this dangerous vessel against the
fleet Of Farragut, General Maury sent her
by rail to General Beauregard at Charles
ton. Believing the waters of that harbor
better suited TO hor peculiar construction,
while in the 1ronsides, or some other gil
gantic war ship then attacking Charleston
might be found an object worth the great
risk to which her own crew was exposed
in any enterprise they might undertake in
her.
General Beauregard changed the ar
rangement Of the torpedo, by fastening it
to the bow. It's front was terminated by
sharp and barbed lancehead, so that
ships sides, the lancehead would be
forced deep into the timbers below the
water line, and would fasten the torpedo
firmly against the ship. Then the torpedo
boat would back off and explode it by
lanyard.
General Beauregard's call upon the Con-
federate fleet fog volunteers to man this
dangerous craft was promptly answered
by Lieutenant Payne, q Virglnian, and
Io0f Ix1 Co.,
action and on the evening set for their
expedition the last preparation had been
made. The torpedo boat was lying along
side the steamer from which the crew had
embarked she was submerged till the
combing of her hatch alone was visible
above the water. Her commander, Payne,
was standing in the hatch-Way, in the act
of ordering her to be cast off, When tne
swell of passing steamer rolled over her
and sunk her instantly, with her eight
men, in several fathoms of water. Lieu
tenant Payne sprang out of the hatch-way
as the boat sunk from under him, and he
alone was left alive.
In the course of Jews days she was
raised aid again made ready for service,
again Payne volunteered aud eight men
with him.
The embarkation for their second at
tempt was from Fort Sumter, and as be-
1O1Ss tl4 AdfAuB OCSA A4hO0 ACbOJS ayu6S
standing at his post in the hatchway, or
dered the hawser to be cast Of, when tie
boat careened and sunk instantly. Payne
sprang out, two Of the men followed him;
the other six went down in the boat and
persisted.
Again the boat was raised and made
ready for action, and her owner, Captain
Hundley. took her for an experimental trip
into Stono river, where, after going
through her usual ovolutions, she dived in
deep water, and for hours and days the
return of poor Hundley and his crew was
watched for and looked for in vain.
After nearly weeks search she was found
inclining at an angle of forty degrees; her
nozzle was driven deep into the soft mud
of the bottom. Her crew of nine dead
men were standing, sitting, lying about in
her hold asphixiated. Hqndley was stand
ing dead at bis post, candle in one hand
while the other had grown stiff with death
L. f.