Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1875-01-20
Blowing up the AIbermarle.


Blowing up the AIbermarle.
Commander VIM. B. Gushing, who
died in an insane asylum few days
ago, being only little more than 80
years old, was born in Wisconsin, and
was appointed to the navy from New
York on the goth of September, 1857.
He resigned the following year, but
re-entered the service in 1861 as an
acting officer. He received his com.
mission 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 1861. and of the Mau
NEE in 1869. His service on the
southern coast was full of bold ex-
PLOTS, but the one which attracts the
most sttention occurred in 1864,
when he was about 81 years DID,
The department had, through spies
and the observations of naval officers
operating in Albermarle sound, OBJ
tanned full information as to the size,
effectiveness and locality of the ter
rible ram, which was built for the ex-
press purpose of clearing 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 its officers Of
high rank, selected Rowan for the
enterprise. Accordingly he was sent
for, and offered an advance of q e. ade
II ne would undertake the desperate
service. But with the conviction be
gotten of long experience he declined
the Offer Gushing was then thought
Of as young man of desperate cour-
age, and he was sent for. After care
fully studying the plans, he turned
with heaming eye to Assistant Sec
rotary Fox, and said 'I'll try it, sir.
III do my best" He bought in New
York two open launches, each about
thirty feet long, fitted with small
engine and propelled with q screw,
carrying howitzer, aud provided
with a long boom that swung by
hinge, which could be raised or low
cred at will, and which had a torpedo
in the groove at its further extremity.
These boats were taken down through
the canals to tho Chesapeake, one of
them being lost on the way, and the
other reaching the sound at last
through cuts and creeks and infini-
tude of tolls, hinderances, and ruses
Joining the fleet, which lay at the
mouth of the river, the lieuten Int dis
closed his object to his men, assuring
them that they not only must not ex-
pect, but they must not hope to re-
turn, for death was almost inevitable,
and then called for volunteers. They
all stood by him, and six others pres
emily joined them. The ALTERNATE
lay moored at the Plymouth wharf,
eight miles up the river, both banks
of which were lined with batteries and
held by several thousand soldiers,
while, at some distance up, that por-
ton Of the wreck of the Southfeld
which still lay above water was oc
cupied by picket guard, whose duty
it was to throw up rockets on the
first alarm, tor, unknown to the at
lacking party, rumor Of the intended
endeavor had in some mysterious way
already reached the Plymouth authori-
ties, and every provision had been
made for their reception. However,
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 be-
hind all distractions, passed within
thirty feet Of the unsuspicious picket
on the SouthfeId, and approached the
wharf where the ram lay, vast black
mass in the darkness Greatly EN-
boldened by this success, the lieu
tenant for a moment resolved tc
change his plan, and knowing the
town perfectly, to put in shore and
trust to the effect of night surprise
which he was so we'll acquainted
overpower those on board, get he,
into the stream before the forts coult
be aroused, and fight the batterie.
with her on her way down, Bnt JUS
as he was about to carry his suddel
plan into execution, a cry from tn
ram rang out sharply on the night