Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-11-13
a DARING EXPLOIT.
One of Lieut.. Cushing's Desperate Adj
ventures.


ventures.
admiral Portcrs Naval History Of the War. !
There was young officer in the North
Atlantic squadron ut this time, William
B. Cushing, who made quite name for
himself by his courage and disregard of
danger. He would undertake the most
desperate adventures where it seemed i'm
possible for him to escape death or cap
ture, yet he almost always managed to
get Off with credit to himself and with
loss to the enemy. He commanded the
small gunbOat Ellis, and in November
1862, 1t struck him that he would enter
New River inlet, push up the river, sweep
it clear OF vessels, captur" the town vi
Jacksonville or OnslOw courthouse, take
the Wilmington maui and destroy any salt
works he could lind on the banks. He
expected to surprise the enemy on going
up, then fight his way out. He reached
the town of jacksonville, landed, threw
out pickets and placed guards over the
public buildings. " AS soon as he
had gotten through with the town Cush-
ing dropped down with his two prizes
until he came III sight of camp ON the
river bank, which he shclled very thor
Oughly.
As soon as possible next morning Cush-
ing got under way and had nearly reached
the worst place III the river when the
enemy opened upon MN with TWO ucIi
pieces of artillery. He placed his vessels
in position, hoisted the battle-hag ut the
fore, his crew gave three cheers and he
went into action. In one hour he had
driven the enemy from his guns and from
the bluff, and he passed on within hum
dred yards of their ostiOn without beng
| fired at. Up to this time the fortune of
| the federal party had been in the ascen-
dent but they were destined to meet with
an accident which changed the fortunes
of the day. About 800 yards from the
bluff the pilots making II mistake in the
| channel, ran the steamer hard and fast
aground When the tide fell Cushing
sent Il party on shore to take possession
of the artillery, which had been aban-
doned by the enemy, but found it gone.
There was nothing now left but for Cush-
ing to save his crew from the Overwhelm-
ing force which he knew would soon be
! brought to bear upon the gunboat. So all
hands were called to muster and told that
they could go on board the SChoonerS and
get off down the river and over the bar,
! He called for SIX volunteers to stay with
HIM and defend the steamer to the last.
/ The volunteers came forward at once, and
two masters mates, Valentine and Bar
ton. The schooners were ordered to drop
down the channel, out of range of any
guns the enemy might mount on the bluff
and there to wait the termination Of the
action, and if the Ellis was destroyed &c
proceed 10 sea. Early IN the morning
the enemy opened fire upon the steamer
with three heavy guns and one Whit
worth. 1t WAS Il cross fire and very de
structive. Cushing replied us well as he
could, but in II short time the engine was
disabled and the vessel SO mnCh cut uE
that the only alternative was surrender OF
Il pull of Il mile and II half in m opeI
boat uuder the enemy's fire. The Ellis
was set fire to in five places, and having
seen that the battle flag was still dying
Gushing trained his guns upon the enemy
SO that the vessel could fight ON to tho
last, started down the river, r-.,,ard the
schooners and put to sea. \ party of con
federates attempted to cut off his retreat
but they were unsuccessful, and our sail
orS gave three cheers and hoisted tn,
) Union flag us they sailed out over the bar
Gushing brought away all his men, hi.
rllled howitzer and ammunition, the shiI
, stores and clothing, the mems bags ant
hammocKs and most of the small arms
: AS he crossed the bar the Ellis blew NJ
and the enemy was disappointed in getting
her.
Gushing was famous for this kind OF
adventure. He was what might be calleC
? n free lance'-a man who would perform
, out-of-theway deeds for the fun of tn,
adyenture-who was always ready to per
? form any act of daring, no matter how
= hazardous: and although he was not IA
ways successful, the honor of the tlal
never suffered at his hands.
"There was nothing particular to b.