The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1870-10-20


ing at the same time, by the action of her later
al Inns, the depth at which she would move.
Her greatest speed did not exceed 1oul
knots, She could remain submerged for hall
an hour, or an hour, without any great NEON
Venlence to her crcw-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. and from the moment 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 invent
ors was to dive beneath the keel of an enemy g
ship, hauling the torpedo after her. Its trig-
gers or sensitive primers would thus press
against the ships bottom explode 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 Charleston, believ-
ing the waters of that harbor better suited to
her peculiar construction, while in the IRON
sides. or some other gigantic war ship then
attacking Charleston, might be found an OBJ
lect worth the great risk to which her own
crew was exposed in any enterprise they
might undertake in her.
General Beauregard changed the arrange
|
bow. Its front was terminated by sharp
and barbed lance-hcad, so that when the boat
was driven end on against ships sides, the
lance head would be forced deep into the
tlmberS. below the water line. and would
tasten the torpedo firmly against the ship
Then the torpedo-boat would back off and
explode it by q lanyard.
General Beaurcgard's call upon the Con
teleratc fleet for volunteers to man this dan
gcrous craft was promptly answered by Lieu
Tenant Payne, 4 Nirginian, and eight sailors.
They were soon ready for action; and on the
evening set for their expedition, the last pre-
paration had been made. The torpedo-boat
was lying alongside the steamer from which
the crew ha'. embarked; she was submerged
till the co:nbing Of her hatch alone was Visi-
bic abos e.the water Her commander, Payne,
was standing in the hatchway, in the act Of
ordering her to be cast oil, when the swell OF
a passing steamer rolled over her and sunk
her instantly, with her eight men, in several
tathoms of water Lieutenant Payne sprang
out of the hatchway as the boat sunk from
under him and he alone was LETT alive.
Is the course of a few days she was raised
and again made ready tor service. Again
Payne volunteered and eight men with him
The embarkation for their second attempt
was made from Fort Sumter, and as before
at his post in the hatchway, ordered the haw-
ser to be cast off-when the boat carecne(
and sunk instantly. Payne sprang out, two
of the men followed him. the other six Went
down in the boat and pershed
Again the boat was raised and madc'rcady
for action. and the owner Captain uundlev
took her Tor an experimental trip, into tho
Stone River, where, after going through hcl
usual evolutiOns. she divcd in deep water
ana for hours, and for days, the return o
poor Hnndlcy and his crew was watched fo
and looked for in vain. After near week.
search she was found inclining at an angle o
forty degrees; her nozzle was driven dce}
into the soft mud of the bottom. Her crew
OF nine dead men We're standing, sitting, ly
ing about III her hold asphxiated. IIumdlel
was standing dead at his post, IL candle il
one hand, while the other had grown stiff
with death in his vain efforts to unclamp tho
hatch. Others had been working at the key:
OF the ballast, but the inclination at whicl
the boat had gone down had damned tho
keys 50 that the men could not cast off the
heavy weight which held them down. Then
deaths had been hard and lingering
Again this fatal vessel was made ready fol
action, and volunteers being called for, Lieu
tenant Dixon, Twcnty-tirst Alabama Volun
teers, a native Of Mobile, and eight men
Noltilttpfel 10 take her against Inc enemy
The new and powerful war-ship, l1ousa
tonic, was selected for attack; and on Il quie
night the bravest crew set out from Charles
ton, in this terrible, namccss torpedo boat
that ever manned craft before.
We all know the fate of the llousatonic
Brave Dixon guided the torpedo fairly agains
her, the explosion tore up the great wa
ships sides, so that she went down with near
~ all her crew within two minutes
The torpedo vessel also disappeared for
ever from mortal view. Whether she wen
down with her enemy, or whether she dritte'
; out to sea to bury her gallant dead wa
never known, and their fate was left till tn,
great day when the sea shall give up it
dead.
But within few weeks past divers in sub
marine armor have visited the wreck Of thu
Housatonic, and they have found the littl
torpedo vessel lying by her huge victim, an,
within her are the bones of the most devoted
and daring men who ever went to war. NJ
torlorn hope OF other desperate enterprise 0
war can furnish the parallel to the courage
of Dixon and his comrades. Their name
we have not ut hand, but they are known ant
recorded, and we hope TO see the honor whicI
is due paid to the great virtue they illustrated