Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1886-04-30
SINKING THE ALBEMARLE.
HOW THE CONFEDERATE RAM
WAS DESTROYED BY CUSHING.
Attaching "a Torpedo 10 the Vessel
and Blowing Her up--A Daring
Midnight Deed.

Attaching torpedo 10 tne NeSsel
and Blowing Her up--A Daring
Midnight Deed.
A writer in the Detroit Free Press
gives a thrilling account of the destruc
tion of the Confederate ram Albemar'e by
Lieutenant Cushing, of the Federal navy.
We quote from the article as follows, be-
ginning at the time that the little mid
night expedition of thirteen had arrived
close TO the Confederate vessel in their
launch:
The wharf where the ram reposed,
grim and confident in its strength,
loome1 upon the expeltant vision of
Gushing, who il whisper directed that
the gear of the torpedo should be ready
for prompt action. The boom was
shipped in its place, the torpedo adjust
ed, guys haulel taut, and trigger line
placed close to Cushing's hand. The
speed of the boat was slackened. posi-
tion taken abreast of the ram-the
launch was headed straight for the mon
ster. and the long-looked for decisive
moment had arrived
Suddenly there flarcd up from either
bank broad belt of light, illuminating
the dark bosom of the river with almost
the distinctness of day. The launch,
with its fatal number of thirteen, was
revealed to the keen eyes of the guard
on shore.
"Who goes there ?" hailed sharp,
clear voice. "Who's in that launch
Report, or I'll open fire upon you" This
was followed by the rattle of firearms, as
an unseen force made ready for the next
command. The Shamrock's cutter at
this juncture was cut off, with orders to
proceed down the river and capture the
force on the Southfeld, if possible, or
to try and spike the guns there.
Cushing, realizing that concealment
was no longer possible, while every mo-
ment to him was worth its weight in
gold, rushed toward the ram with tor
pedo poised ready to do its work His
tall form lowered above the rest of the
crew as he stood erect, his eyes flashing
and hair streaming out from beneath his
cap. Again there was hail, and Cush-
ing, allowing his natural daredevil spirit
to gain the ascendancy, replied:
"Yankees-you, lookout for your
selves?" He laughed recklessly as vol
ley of rife balls whizzed about his ears,
but his eyes never even lost sight of the
ram. The smooth sides of the launch
were splintered and torn, riddled in fact
through and through, and the water
spurted up through the planks, in half a
dozen places.
The guard on the wharf aroused by
the alarm came pouring forth from their
quarters half asleep, bewildercd and not
knowing which way to turn to meet the
foe. The huge ports of the ram swung
open, her decks appeared covered with
men, rush 'ng wildly to and fro, demor-
allied, filled with CONSERVATION, and
unable to ward off the impending danger.
The bow gun of the Albemarlc, trained
down the river, was fred probably at
random, but its thunderous echoes rang
throughout the town with startling eff
feet, arouSing both citizens and soldiery,
who mingled in a surging mass as they
rushed toward the river to discover what
was the cause of the alarm.
The flash of the gun revealed the low
over-hang of the ram to the sharp eye of
Cushing, and for that point he directed
the launch, when, as he came within
striking distance, he discovered for the
first time the raft of logs surrounding the
ram. The bell Of the lam, together with
a number of alarm rattles were creating
fearful din, while the confusion and
jostling of the mob prevented anything
like concerted action. This probably
saved the life of Gushing, for, although
the air seemed full of bullets, no one
appeared to know at what they were
firing. In the midst of the wild fusilade
blast from the river, a storm of grape
and canister tearing through the +
crowded ranks and the Confederates
fell back, yelling that the Yankees were
upon them.
Cushing had trained the howitzer in
the bows of the launch upon the throng,
firing full in t,.eir faces. Before they
recovered from the panic which had
seized them, Cushing had taken sharp
sheer with the launch, making a com
plete circle, so as to strike her fairly, and
went into her bows on. The fleet little
craft was flying through the water,
Gushing standing by the tiller intent
upon one re3ult-the destruction of the
ram. Musket and rifle balls were sing
ing through the air in every direction,
the clothing of Gushing had sustained
several rents, but none had scratched
him.
Leave the ram ~ he shouted. "Jump,
for Pm going to send you sky high p
With heavy thud and sharp shock the
launch struck the boom of logs directly
opposite the rams port quarter, pressed
them down, thereby gaining several feet
| To quote Cushings own words will best
we had struck tie logs, breasting them
in some feet, and our bows resting or
them. The torpedo boom was then low.
cred, and by vigorous pull succeeded
in driving the torpedo under the over
hang, and exploded it at the same time
that the Albemarle's gun was fired. A
shot seemed to go crashing through my
boat, ard den mass of water rushed in
from the torpedo, filling the launch and
completely disabling her."
A seam twenty-five feet in length and
three inches wide had been opened in
the ram, proving her death wound, and
the Albemarle, with the shattered re-
mains OF the little launch, sank to the
oozy, muddy bed of the river, side by
side.
Cushing refused to surrender, and, or
dering the crew to save themselves,
| jumped headlong into the water, followed
by the hiss and zip of torrent of leaden
missiles. He swan to the middle of the
stream, and when about half a mile below
the town came across Acting Masters
Mate Woodman, Of the Cnnamodore Hull.