The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1875-01-07

and strange visions never haunted Jedd
Pallfry after that night have said all. So
is my story done
Blowing up the Albermarle.
Commander VIM B. Cushing, who died
in an insane asylum few days ago, being
only little more than thirty years old,
was born in Wisconsin, and was appointed
to the navy from New York on the 26th
September, 1857. He resigned the follow
| ing year. but re-entered the service in
1861 as an acting officer. He received
his commission as lieutenant on the 10Th
of July, 1862, and was attached to the
North Atlantic blockading squadron for
| four years, up to 1865 Since the close of
the war he had served with the Pacific and
Asiatic squadrons, being in command of
the steamer Lancaster in 1867, and OF
| the Maumee in 1869 His service on
| the southern coast was full of bold exploits,
| but the one which attracts the most atten-
| ton occurred in 1864, when he was about
p years old. The department had, through
spies and the observations of naval officers
operating in Albermarle sound, obtained
full information as to the size, effective
ness and locality of the terrible ram, which
was built tor the express purpose Of clear
ing our forces out of the North Carolina
waters and the fortified places Of Roanoke
and Newbern. The department had charts
and plans prepared, and then looking
about for one OF it's officers of high rank.
selected Rowan for the enterprise. Ac-
cordingly he was sent for, and offered an
advance of grade if he would undertake
the desperate service. But with the CON
viction begotten of long experience he de-
cllned the otfer. Gushing was then thought
OF as young man OF desperate courage,
and he was sent for. After carefully study
ing the plans, he turned with beaming
eye to Assistant Secretary Fox, and said
try it, sir. III do my best" He bought
IN New York two open launches, each
about thirty feet long fitted with a small
engine and propelled with screw, carry
ing howitzer. and provided with a long
boom that swung by hinge, which could
be raised or lowered at will, and which
had torpedo in the groove at its further
extremity. These boats were taken down
through the canals to the Chesapeake,
one Of them being lost on the way, and
the other reaching the sounds at last
through cuts and creeks and intinitude of
tolls hinderances, and ruses. Joining the
fleet, which lay at the mouth of the river,
the lieutenant disclosed his object to his
men, assuring them that they not only
must not expect, but they must not hope to
return, for death was almost inevitable,
and then called for volunteers They all
stood by him, and six others presently
Joined them, The Albermarle lay moored
at the Plymouth wharf, eight miles up the
river both banks OF which were lined with
batteries and held by several thousand SOL
diers, while, at some distance up, that
portion of the wreck of the Southheld
which still lay above water was occupied
by a picket guard whose duty it was TO
throw up rockets on the first alarm, for.
unknown to the attacking party. rumor
of the intended endeavor had in some
mysterious way already reached the Ply
mouth authorities, and every provision
had been made for their reception How
ever, on the night of the 9th of October
the little launch entered the Roanoke river,
her engine at low pressure. to make the
least noise possible, left behind all OBJ
structions, passed within thirty feet of the
unsuspicious picket on the Southfeld, and
approached the wharf where the ram lay,
vs1 black mass in the darkness Great- 8,t
his plan, and knowing the town perfectly,
to put in shore and trust to the effect of
night surprise, with which be was so well
acquainted, overpower those on board,
get her into the stream before the forts
could be aroused. and fight the batteries
with her on her way down But Just as
he was about to carry his sudden plan into
execution, a cry from the ram rang out
81 aJ.r1y on i0h
side, followed by the instantaneous booming
OF the great guns from the ship and shore;
and returning no answer the lieutenant
put on all steam and made for her
At the same moment an immense bonfire
Of pine knots and turpentne blazed up on
the bank most fortunately for him, since
it revealed directly the untoward fact that
a boom of logs extended around the ram
i'll all directions to guard her from torpe-
does, which for one second seemed an in
surmountable obstacle Only for one sec
oud, though. With the next the lieutenant
had given orders to sheer off across the
stream, so as to get room fer acquiring
headway and carrying his launch by the
force of its own impetus straight across
the boom, though it never could get out
again, he knew As they turned. v0ley
his coat and the sole of his shoe, and the
man by his side tell lifeess. Before the
volley could be repeated the launch had
struck the boom, was over, and was forg-
ing up under the Albermarle's quarter,
directly beneath the mouth Of rifle gun,
and SO close that the merest whisper on
board the ram. where they were endeavor-
ing to bring the gun to bear, could be dis
| tinctly heard.
That must have been a terrifcallv ex-
citing moment to those on board that little
| launch, with the vast mountain of iron
towering above them, the fre-lit mass Of
| toes upon the shore, and triumph and
| eternity in the next moment Lieut. Cush-
| ing stood at the bows of the launch, with
several lines before him. one of these
| lines was attached to the howitzer, Que to
| the ankle Of the engineer, one to the Off
Ger who was to lower the boom carving
the torpedo, one was that by means OF
which the torpedo was to be slid under the
ram, another was the exploding line.
WHICH should pull away pin and let
| grape-shot drop on the percussion cap be-
meath The howitzer had already been
discharged. The line attached to the
engineer was pulled the engine stopped
The boom was lowered, the torpedo slid
slowly off and under, the air chamber at
top bringing it up in position beneath the
ram. The last line was pulled, the grape
shot fell, just as the rifle gun went off
and the rebel ram and the launch blew up
| together, and columns of water shot up
and fell again heavy with dead and dying
But just as Lieut.. Gushing pulled the eX-
| ploding line he cried out to his men to
save themselves, and throwing off arms
and heavy garments, had struck out into
the water,
Amid scene Of great tumult Lieut..
Gushing succeeded in reaching the shore,
whence, travelling through swamps he
came to a creek, where he seized Con-
federate boat, and by II o'clock the next
night had made his way out to the steamer
Valley City. The gallant officer received
tor this daring feat vote Of thanks from