Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-10-25

through means of bulls eyes placed in the
man holes. Mr.. Payne, the engineer who
had successfully saved the David, having vol
unteered with crew from the Confederate
navy, to man the fish boat for another attack
upon the New Ironsides, it was given in their
hands for that purpose While tied to the
wharf at Fort johnson, whence it was to
start under cover of might to make the attack,
a steamer passing close by capsized and sunk
it. Mr.. Payne, who at the time was standing
in one of the man-holes, jumped out into the
water, which, rushing into the two openings,
drowned two men within the body of the boat.
After the recovery of the sunken boat Mr.
Hunley came from Mobile, bringing with him
Lieutenant Dixon, of the Alabama Volun-
teers, who had successfully experimental with
the boat in the harbor of Mobile, and under
him another naval crew volunteered to work
it. As originally designed, the torpedo was
to be dragged astern upon the surface OF the
water; the boat, approaching the broadside
of the vessel to be attacked, was to dive be-
meath it and, rising to the surface beyond,
continue its course, thus bringing the floating
torpedo against the vessels side, when it
would be discharged by q trigger contrived to
90 off by the contact. Lieutenant Dixon
made repeated descents in the harbor Of
Charleston, diving under the naval receiving
ship which lay at anchor there. But one
day when he was absent from the city Mr..
Hunley, unfortunately, wishing to handle the
boat himself, made the attempt 1t was read
lily submerged, but did not rise again to the
surface, and all on board perished from as
phyxiation. When the boat. was discovered,
raised and opened, the spectacle was indescri-
bsble ghastly ; the unfortunate men were con:
torted into all kinds of horrible attitudes;
some clutching candles, evidently in the en-
deavor to force open the man-holes others
lying in the bottom tightly grappled together,
expression of their despair and agony.
After this tragedy I refused to permit the
boat to be used again but Lieutenant Dixon,
a brave and determined man, having returned
to Charleston, applied to me for authority to
use it against the Federal steam sloop.of-war
Housatonic, powerful new vessel, carrying
eleven guns of the largest calibre, which lay
at the time in the north channel opposite
Beach Inlet, materially obstructing the pass.
age of our blockade.runners in and out. At
the suggestion of my Chiefof-Staff, General
Jordan, I consented to its use for this pur-
pose, not as submarine machine, but in the
same manner as the David. As the Housa-
tonic was easily approached through interior
channels from behind Sullivan's Island, and
Lieutenant Dixon readily procured volun-
teer crew, his little vessel was fitted with a
Lee spar torpedo and the expedition was un-
dertaken. Lieutenant Dixon, acting with
characteristic GOODNESS and resolution, struck
and sunk the Housatonic; but unhappily,
from some unknown cause, the torpedo boat
was also sunk, and all with it lost. Several
years since "diver," examining the wreck of
the Housatonic, discovered the fah.boat lying
alongside of its victim.-GEN. G. T. BEAU.
REGARD, in Philadelphia Weekly Times.