The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-10-06
DnirnoN TIE norroMnrrnrpE

charleston Nine skeletons ~ the wheel
n Dead Cnptnin with Cnudic in his
Hand Remarkable Career Of Rcmar k-
able Graft.
Prom ne Ho,stca Telegraph.
In 1884 the feet of Admiral Farra, NJ was block.
aiding hutilc, willie n heavy loud and naval Nattlck
vas directed aca,us, Charles on.
During our long defensive Great deal Of in
Ccnuiv hai been cxucndci by tie Con'cdcratcs upon
totro Ices and torpedo boats
The most remarkable Of these boats was CON
gtruttod in Nozzle by Ncssrs. lIundlcN & McClin-
took, and launched in 1864: snd nothing which has
zone down into the sea was mere wonderfully
or " ore icarfuy cortrived to wreak destruction
and Vengeance uD1n ftcnt aud to-.
She vas built o. boiler iron. and imnervous 20
water or az. Her extreme length was about th'r'y
fre' Witr I've ~ six feet bean, and about i've or
six 'cct depth Of hold. IN general contour she re-
semhlod cigar, sharp at both ends, She vas pro.
PEELED by screw, the SHAT Of which ran horizon
tdly along her hol almost from stem TO stern, and
wps tLrucd ~ the manual force Of eight men, seated
along Il on either side.
In diameter With a low cOmbing around n, which
placed well forward, aud when desired coul' be
closed nv an iron cap working Gil hinges and ide
In the forward part of,his cap wss inserted a clear
gl'ss bull's eve through which 'hc pilot could sec
She was provided with vater-tght compartments.
by filing or enjoying which she wouli sink or rise,
and 10 enable her to Use instantly her ballastug 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 moment, so that she
would rise quickly q tho sur ace.
this vessel was equipped with side paddles or fins,
wl.cl, like thosr of iish served TO guide II mp
down with -efcrctca ~ tie surface Of the wafer.
70 trcplro ior action 1orting torpedo was
cured o her stern Icy liuc than ortu hundred
feet long, and her crew having embarked, The wftrr
tuks W'te Oiled uhul the boat was iH f2uiGt6rtO,
and almost submerged. The hi,chwny WA closed
the men rc.C.v'l the shn'. the cIpt'in or pilot,
standing dndcr the hatch stored the boat rerult.
ting at the same time, by the &c nn OF her lateral
Gn-. the depth a. which VAT would move.
Her greatest snccl did 1ot exceed tour knots. She
o. limo a..lF q. III
hour, ont any great iutou vCnerCe to nor crew
1ud ca one occasion has been kuuVb to remain I'M
der w1i"r two hours without actual injury t. item
although no mems were provided Tor procuring
ir sh air, aud nom tue moment tue hatch was
closed the men thus fastened m their living tomb
inhaled and C1haic1 continuously the atnos phcro
which was enclosed VITA them.
Tho plan OF attack proposed by the inventors was
10 dive beneath o. Keel Of m elcuy's ship hauling
urwers would thus press against tue ships bottom,
eSnlo't the 'orncdo and inevitably sink the ship.
tits dangcrou YES sc against the feet Of Flrragut.
Con. Maurv sent her Nv raft to Gen. Beaaregard at
Charleston, believing the waters OF that harbor bet
tcr suited TO her peculiar construction, while Ia tue
irpusi'cs. O some other gig1uic war shin then at
nckng Charleston, mght he ,ounh an object ORTIZ
tie great tisN To Which her ow1 crew was exposed
In any enterprise they might uu lef AXE In her.
Gen. Bcaut Cgard chau- ed the arrangement Of the
to- edo by fastening II to the bow Its front WIS
terminated by u sharp and Darbed lsnce-head. so
that wien the boat was driven end on against
sho's sides, the lance head would be iotcCd deep
flscn tie torpedo nrmly against the ship. Then The
torpedo boat would back OF and explode It by a an
yard.
Gen Bcaurcrard's call upon the Confederate feet
for volunteers to man this dangerous craft VS.
promptly answered BY Lieut.. Payne, a Vrginan,
.. d eight sailors They wcrs soon ready for action
ard the evening act for their expedition, the last
preparation had been made.
The torpedo boat was lynn alongsile the steamer
from which the crew had embarked she was sub
merged al TIE comOing 81 her hatch alone
Visible above the wafer. Her commander, Payne,
.N.r..r 10 NaH ID Ga.
ing her 90 De cast m when the swell Of a passing
s'cemcr ro ed over her and sunk her ns 'autly wish
Der ci-ht zen, N several 'athom- OF water Lieut..
Payne snrauT vat OF the hatchN'y aS The boat san<
from unl"r Tim, ana he alone Wa ielt alive
In q tcw da,s she vas raised ana again made
ready Tor service. Aguu Payne volunteered, and
The cmhirsl ion for their second altemrt was
made rom Fort Sumter, and - before, all having
b'on made ready P0vuc standing az his post la ths
4H,clvar, o .lare1 The hHwscr % be east of-Nhen
boat carecncd AID sunk instantly. PAYNE sprane
out, tHo 90 the men followed him; tue other SIX
wen. doWn ~ Ihr t.Hi ar perish. "a.
A.la tlc boot ws 1s"'i ~ 'nad- Tea " for action
ard her owner C.u' liurdoy, took ner for an OK
detrimental uup into the r'nro riNer, where after
gong through her usua! evpiG'ious she divel In
tU.p water ard 'or hoafs end 'ur DAYS, the return
oi .cr tlgn.cJ and his crew Mas watched tor and
A.cr nr.r awr,A'. search she We found ineiin
ing e. an rnlic Of fa.ty Gogrco. her nozzle
Wa uriyon deep mo the SOFT mud OF the bottom.
l."r crew of uno ocai men w'rr stan lnt, sitting.
s &c a e at grown S .sa '@ sS GeSS S''a ID
his vain ehoI,s 10 unciamp the hatch. Others
had peen working at the keys Of tne bsllast. but
p uc nation at which the hoatill gone down had
smincd the KEYS tnut the tleu could not cIst OF
the heavy wcisht wncn held them down. Their
deaths lad been hard aud huForak.
A ain this fateiul vessel was made ready for ac-
ton and volunteers eng caled for. Lieut. Dixon,
Twenty first Alabama Volunteers a native Of Mo
bile, eight men, volunteered to take her agains,
the enemy.
Ile new and powerful war ship Housatonic was
selected for attack, aud on que, night the brayesl
crew set out from Charleston Ia tuis terrible
loss torpedo boat, that ever manned craft before.
We all know tue fate o. the Housatonic. Brave
Dixon rCiued the torpedo igrly against her the eX-
plusiGB tore up tie great war ship's sides so that
she went doNa with nearly al her crew within two
mi.utee.
The torpedo vessel also disappeared forever from
mutta, view. Whether she Wert down with hei
enemy, whether driued out to sea to bury Rel
galant dead. Was never known, anu their fate was
let til !hc great Jay when the sea shall give up 1t.
dead.
lut within a few weeks past divers in submarin,
armor have visited the wreck Of the Hou-atouic
and they have uuii the little torpedo vessel lying
by her LUCE victim. and within her are The bones oi
the most devoted and daring men WaO ever went Ia