Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1888-01-14
A COMM0D0RE'S PERIL.
BLOWN UP BY A TORPEDO BOAT
OFF CHARLESTON.

Tho Destruction of the uousntonic 10y the
Confederates--A Thrilling Escape from
Dcath--An Incident of tho Late Civil
War.
Commodore c. w. Pickering, of the United
States navy, now % years old, was daring
officer during tho civil war; and had one of
the most thrilling escapes from death re-
corded in the annals Of the navy. In the
winter he lives at st. Augustine, Fla. IL
was while migrating TO his winter quarters
that he was met by a reporter ct the Wind
sor hotel Tho commodore looks like o
Frenchman of Napoleon's Old Guard. His
hair and mustache are snow white aud in
strong contrast to his swarthy complexion.
One of his legs is paralyzed and eight or ten
of his ribs have been broken. His escape
from death when he was blown up ON the
war vessel Housatonic was little short of the
miraculous. His own account of it is as fol-
lows:
The blockade runners during the war would
pass almost under the shadow OF a war ship,
with the chances of being sunk by few
shells. had command of the Housatonic,
armed with 200-pounders, smaller cannon and
howitzers, and was stationed at the mouth of
Charleston harbor One night in February,
1864, we were on tho lookout for blockade
runners. 1t was a beautiful night at times,
the shifting clouds now and then revealing
the stars and the ocean for miles to seaward.
Fort Sumter was near, black and frowning,
and Charleston i'll the distance, with it's dim
lights made us long to bo ashore. When the
hour grew late l gave instructions TO the
officers on deck and went below. We were
anchored, but had everything ready to got
under way in a few minutes time. No
blockade runners were expected that night,
but they were liable to como at any time,
hence my constant precaution. | was talking
TO my clerk, Charles o. Muzzey, Of Boston,
when heard Che alarm gong sounding on
deck. The gong, instead OF a bell or can
non report, was our signal to prepare for
action at night. seized my double barreled
gun and rushed on deck, my clerk following
me. My idea was to shoot the man at the
wheel on the blockade rtAlper while it was
passing One of the officers sang out: sit is
n torpedo boatl"
But did not hear him, and still thinking
a blockade runner was going by, looked
around. Then the officer in loud tones sang
out again: Torpedo boatl"
DESTRUCTION AWAITED.
I gave the order then to slip the chain of
the anchor, that the vessel might swing
around and possibly escape the torpedo boat.
To my surprise, did not hear the chains
rattle. asked why and the officer replied;
"The chain is gone" He had cut it on the
instant, and the vessel was swinging around.
Then / saw the torpedo boat, or rather
small glass roundhouse, large enough for ono
man to stick his head in and look over the
n. n -
ton awaited us unless could stop that little
submarine monster moving swiftly toward
the stem of tho Housatonic.
aimed at the glass above the water and
fired both barrels of my gun. Then sang
out orders for our vessel to go astern faster.
1t was too late. There was a smothered
sound. like a howitzer exploding under water,
and felt myself going up into the air. For
at least second or two was conscious and
then everything grew dark. In eight min
utes from tho time Of che explosion / re-
gained consciousness and found myself in the
water, floating on the debris OF the vessel. /
was bleeding from several wounds, but still
/ resolved to escape drowning il possible A
small boat showed itself above water, and l
scrambled TO il, but IL rolled and l ADAM
doned IT, saw that part OF the Housatonic
WINS not gone and swan for it, catching hold
of some ropes. An officer and marine were
in small boat hanging on the davits. /
managed to get into the boat with them and
gave orders to cut tho ropes. The officer had
no knife, and just at that moment the yes
sci, or rather that part Of it left, rolled over
and we fell into the sea. The officer never
came up again. I sank twice. and finally
caught an oar from the boat and managed to
reach the wreck again, where the marines In
the fore rigging of the vessel assisted me.
The list of killed and drowned was only six.
When the Housatonic began to settle the
men in the fore rigging rushed to the stern
and managed TO save those who were there
struggling To eEtricate themselves. My
clerk Mr.. Muzzey, who came on deck with
me, must have been blown all to pieces, for
we never saw his body, ] think must have
gone at least thirty feet into the mir, and my
impression is that did not lose consciousness
until reached the point where l began to
descend. What became of the submarine
torpedo boat? / sank it when fired into it,
or a worry few minutes afterward. The glass
lookout, you sec, was water tight, and my
discharge OF buclsshot broke it, and the
water rushing in finally sank it. There were
six In the torpedo boat and all were drowned.
had several ribs broken and was paralyzed.
New York Mail and Express.