Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1876-03-20

and Mr.. Howarth. who had often accom-,
panied him on his most reckless adven-
lures. being Of the number. The Abe
marie lay moered 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 portion of the
wreck Of the Southfeld 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 IN
tended endeavor had in some mysterious
way already reached the Plymouth aa-
thorities. and every provision had been
made for their reception.
However. on the night of the eth OF
October the little launch entered the
Roanoke river, her engine at low pres
sure. to make the least noise possible.
left behind all distractions, passed with
in thirty feet of the unsuspieious picket
on the Southfeld, and approached the
wharf where the ram lay, vast black
mass in the darkness. Greatly embold-
ened by this success, the lieutenant for
moment resolved to change his plan,
and, knowing the town perfectly, to put
in shore and trust TO the effect of a night
surprise, with which he was so well ac-
quainted. 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. cry from the ram rang
out sharply on the night. repeated on
every 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 I'M
mense bonfire of pine knots and turpen-
tine blazed up on the bank, most fortu-
nately for him, since it revealed the fact
that boom of logs extended around the
ram in all directions to guard her from
torpedoes, which for one second, seemed
an unsurmountable obstacle. Only fol
one second. though. With the next the
lieutenant had given orders to sheer of
across the stream, so as to get room fol
acquiring Roadway and carrying hi
launch by force of its own impetu;
straight across the boom. though i
never could get out again, he knew. A
they turned, volley of buckshot tor
away the whole back of his coat and tn
sole of his shoe. and the man by his sid
fell lifeless. Before the volley could b
repeated the launch had struck tn
boom. was over, and was forging up un
) der the Albemarle's quarter, directl
: beneath the mouth of rifle gun. and S
: close that the nearest whisper on boar
5 the ram. where they were endeavoring
e bear, could be distinctly heard.
: That must have been terrifcall
5 exciting moment to those on that littl
: launch, with the vast mountain of iro
t towering above them, the fre-lit mass
: foes upon the shore, and triumph an
:. eternity in the next moment. Lieu
) Cushing stood at the bows of the launc
e with several lines before him one
i these lines was attached to the howitze
&c one to the ankle of the engineer, one
# the officer who was to lower the boo
o carrying the torpedo, one was that |
means of which the torpedo was to
slid under the ram, another was the e.
ploding line, which should pull away
pin and let grape-shot drop on Il
pereussion-cap beneath. The howitz
r had already been discharged. The lii
attached to the engineer was pulled t
/ engine stopped. The boom was lowere
: the torpedo slid off and under, the al
ne chamber at the top bringing it up in T
IL sition beneath the ram. The last Ii
so was pulled, the grape-shot fell, just
va the rife gun went off-and the rebel re-
cd and the launch blew up together, a
n. columns of water shot up and fell agai
at heavy with dead and dying. But j.
he as Lieut.. Cushing pulled the explodi
le- line he cried out to his men to So
L. themselves, and, throwing off arms a
of heavey garments, had struck out il
dv the water.
he Amid scene of great tumult Lie
he Gushing succeeded In reaching the sho
ICE whence, travelling through the swan
he he came to creek, where seized c.
an federate boat. and by eleven o'clock
he next night, had made his way out to
he steamer Valley City. The gallant off
BILE received for this feat a vote of thar
er- from Congress, and a complimentary
ion ter from the secretary of the navy"
FISH DESCENDING In A SHOVE
eep The Bath County, (Ky) Neos sa
ne ''On last Friday shower of meat