, 1874-12-19
COMMANDER CUSHING,
The Most Brilliant Of Our Young
Naval Officers No More,
A Brothers Crime Drives Him to tho In
sano Asylum and tho Grayo.
The Romantic Career of the BoY.Hero Of
tho Great Rebellion.
His wonderful Exploits antt Hnir~
Breadth Escapes.

Breadth Escapes.
Graphic Description Of His Destruction
Of the Rebel Ram Albemar!e.
WARRINGTON, D. O., Dec. 18.-Con'mandor
William d. Cual,ing rcn1ovod n fow davs ago to
Tho Government Irsano Hospital, 10 deaa.
The above very sat piece OF nows was flashed
over tho wires from Washington yestcrtay. It
,Sns announced III theHo columns several days
ago that Commander Gushing, having shown tn-
d,cationa Of insanity, lad boon removed to tho
National Asylum for tho Iusano opposite Wash.
iucton but no cause Was nsBgnod for tho torri-
bio malady which afflicted tho young horo. Hopo
was felt TINT hs absence from tho pnvy would
only bo temporary. but that disappears with tho
abovo announcement, Tho following brief
sketch of his career, hastily gathered from tho
best SOURCES Mt our command, will bo found iu-
tcnsely interesting:
HIS NATIVITY.
Commander Cnsing vas uativo Of Chnutau-
qua County, New York, ind was appointed to tho
navy from that State in tho year 1867. uo Ind
resigned just before tho breaking out Of tho War.
but was reappointed shortly aftcr, and Mt onco
cntorad upon his duties with tho zcal that has
ovor characterized his career. Commander
Gushing sailed from Boston as hlidshipman In
tho frigato Minnesota, and reached Hampton
Roads in May, 1861, being then u laa scarcely II
yoara old. In Auguat ho was again iu Hampton
lsoads, and was In tho first launch sent to storm
q battery, and in tho ean,o month sailed III tho
1Annesota to tho assault Of tho uattoras forts
During tho following winter ho did blockading duty
In p,1,r nd f,rAffv 1fHk
work, In July, 1862, ho was promoted to a
I4ioutouaucy and was orderod to the Sounds OF
North Carolina and there his cnreer may DO said
to llnvo actually begun. At tho ago Of 10 ho
received
Ills FIRST COMMAND,
tho little gnu-boat El1is craft Of 100 tons, md
carrying two guns, aud in llor he accomplished
como raro achievements. Tho Ellis he burned
at Onslow Conrt-11ouHo, and demanded M in
voatigation "to SEQ If tho honor Of tho flag had
suffered at lis hands," Ills report was in
dorscd by admiral Loo, with tho expression Of
Lis 'admiration for Liout. Cushing's cool
ness, courage, aud conduct" Ills next COM
mand WAS atcamor mounting five 100-
rounder Bmooth-boro, mud ono 100.poundor
pnrrott rifle, and 12-pound howitzor.
For his gallant achioyoment III taking tho
Town Of C1uokatuck, four hours nftcr II lad
been occupied By Lougstroet's loft wing. with d
howitzer and ninety saitors, lie received letter
oil cougratulntion lroii tho Secretary OF tho
Navy, and
MAS SENT Fon ny PRESIDENT LINCOLN,
who congratulated him warmly. IIo was sation-
cd ut Washington whom tho battle Of GotsEs-
burg took place. where his brother fell. In
August, 19G1, ho went on board tho Shoboken,
which, boiug nothing moro than a ferry-boat
-, 1.,411 t,,,t1& in
ehallow water, waB un unacaworshy craft. In
her ho destroyed tho blockado-runncr Hobo,
after contest with rebel battery, and subse-
uuently second. He was afterward appointed
to the command Of tho Monticello, ~ for dis
tiugujslcd services rendered." Iiarpcr's, for
July, givcu many an interesting anecdoto Of
him.
HERE IS ONE oF THEM:
In tho winter Of 1868 lie was again blockRding
off tho Carolina coast. Thia service must hare
boon OIL nluny accounts an interesting one-tho
ahipa BY dny lying at their anchorage out Of the
cnemy's range, by night drawing together in ouc
long line across tue har In order TINT none Of the
lcaden hullH Of tho runners, SO skillfuly
iningliug with tho tiuts Of mist aud twilight,
might alude them, mud always m guard against
phoal and roof aud tho coming ont Of the moon
to show them "cloRo nndcr hundred robol CHI
~
might do what another failed 10 do. There wore
algp cryisegu stationed further out whose duty il
was to determine what ought to bo the wherca'
bouts OF the richly-lalcn escaping steamers, tak
1noon and tide and speed. q lookout being always
aloft to give tho cry, aud atart tho cl,aao tha
would presently ovorhaul million dollara fol
Yrizo. Such work, however, MAS not adventur
GUS enough for llout. CusluEs fancy, alld III
determined to
CELEBRATE wAsu1sdroS's DInruDAY
in more exciting manncr, and by taking ami
holding Smiths Island. close to tho enemy. ons
have beon an event Of groat Importance. Fail
ing to obtain pormeson, through his sonlo
onlccl's fear Of assuming responsibility, although
tic undertaking proceeded on the assumption Q
posit,oi, On tho part OF tho eueuy that ovory pro
caution which could stand III tho way Of sir
prise wns most probably omitted. md inaigna,
with what scomad to him a lack lash ant splrl
1T onco procecdod to net for himself, and we hay
never heard Of any instance slnco tho days q
windy Troy to compare with that nights adven
ture; for aa he vas not allowed the means t
T or syo hs Ggna gsnrs s seor ta n orde
to prove to him how completely toaHablo 1t Yaf
ho would huve the honor OF bringing OF tho Coz
fcderato commanding officer to breakfast wit
him In tho morning..
All. LOVERS OF uEnoIsM
will remember tho pasEaEo OF tho I!taa whes
UIysBeH aud D,ulnsd lcaye tho circle Of old kins
sitting around tho field tiro in tho dead Of II
night, mud exploring the hostile camps, tako til
spy Dolon and destroy Rhcsus in ILLS tont. m
bring oil tho
ttceig
More white than snov, hugo and woll lhapcd, who'
fiery pacC exceeds
Tho winds III awlftncss,
It Was quito rs dartng thing which Lieu
Gushing now prCpuHcd to do.
I1o Aau already on reconnaissance found tb'
tho robol confidence was no great that wlle
grazing tho very fRce Of tho forts ho had recBiye
no challongc, and therefore on this night i
took twenty men, .cntoted tho Cape Fear Rive
mud pulled directly up to tmtthyiIlo, tho reb
headquarters. landing before tho hotel, porhap
25 yards FROM tho fort, and hiding his mon q
tho shore. Obtaining from negro at sal
work on tho bnuk tAeroquisito information, wit
two Of Ills officers ho ctopt ut midnight wl,n
not u sound distMrbed the asr, up tho princp
stfoot to the Commanding Gouorala residence,