The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1890-09-19

ram Arkansas, the Confederate uoartlers OF
the Indcrwriter in the North Carolina
waters, the Union defenders Of the Harriet
Lane In Galveston hArbor the participants
| In The battle Of Mohile-tlese and many
others deserve to live in history, not alone
for the grand results accomplished, but
because Of their deeds Of unexoelled brav-
cry. The Conlcderatcs. being on the de-
fcnsivt and for that reason having ample
incentive 70 heroic out bursts probably put
on record more Instances OF ind yidual dar
ing than did their antagonists They had
the desperate end Of the conflict to bear up
Unfortunately for history their records are
sparse, survivors OF the hour have Ance
passed away, and much is left to unnu
tAenticsted tradition.
The story that follows, however, is true
and it is substaut lated in detail by records of
undoulJted truthfulncss. Seven men, five
being seaynen OF the Confederate navy and
one 4 captain OF artillery and the other
lieutenant OF infantry. volunteered for All
enterprise that had been attempted five
times and had met with disaster On
thpre occasions all hands had perished,
and on one other seven out Of eight, and
again SIX out of nine hnd met death The
hazardous business was nothing less than
hcing confined in a submarine boat, ex-
posed TO variety of dangers without one
possible way Of escape in case OF disaster.
The time was 1854, the scene Charleston
hnxtor during the formidable operations
OF the powerful Inion army and navy.
The waters were full ef I MON blockaders
aud every foot CT vantage ground around
TIE harbor was either occupied or besiegad
by Union troops. The port was blockaded
almost etfectually, and many daring at
ten,pts were made by the besieged to de-
stroy Mon vessels by Internal devices.
The New Ironsdes MS attacked twice, the
ssAc0pd time receiving very serious damage.
A companion vessel 0i the New ironsides
was the Honsatonic. a noble new ship, "
ing In Mort h channel and com plctely block
aiding that passage II She could be re
moved BY stealth score, II block aae running
vessels could pass in and out III night,
girllg comfort 10 the nlen.,ucred army
and Ieople OF South Carolina
The several experiments In destroying
v,a.elx by tarpedoes that had been made IN
the harbor pointed to the torpedo aaoat as
the ,roper method The New lronsides,
which was NO seriously damaged by tor
a ayed torpedo OF 2,peo pounds OF powder,
but the wires connecting the torpedo with
the shore would not work and the gHnboat
floMad away safely Soon after the Iron
sides was successfully attacked October,
1869 a little boat was brought BY rail from
Mobile and accepted by tho Confederate
commander, Gen Beauregard, for Charles
ton harbor }eauregard WAS an engineer,
a scientific fighter ard believed In skillful
methods, and promptly accepted the new
machine, although she came with forblu-
ding reputation She WAS to piow the deep
Ike a fish. but had no provision for storing
s,r, and on An experimental trip In Mobile
hay sunk and all her crew, eight men were
srffocated before they could be rescued.
Tint was disaster number one Lieut..
pnyne. OF the navy, soon found volunteer
crew OF eight men and took charge OF her
for a series OF experiments in the harpor,
which were tragic in the extreme, out
which by the advancement OF knowledae
rnhde amends for the dole OF blood exactfd.
The new craft Is known In history as Inc
..cipar boat" She was made OF Dolier
tron was 20 feet long and brood, with
vertical depth OF feet, approximately.
Arcess was by two manholes coVerea ~
hinged caps having bulls eyes Tor steering
purposes. While the vessel fioased 1ness
nans were about 4 foot out OF water lhs
propellinK power was the HANDS OF ths
crew, Operating on a shaft by means Of
-ronks On the exterior there were vAnes
or wings. that could be adjusted a. any any
angle by interior manipulation, and wheh
Tho hcat was to move Oh even keel the vsiiss
wcre kept level To descend at an angie o.
10 deus the vanes were fixed at that angie
and tie propeller pu, ia motion. The 70
.iatanca of the water against the Yhnes
can.ad the bow to dip and tho boat to de-
scend on an inclined plane Hy reversing
~ ~, will surface was reached tube
:, mercury told just how far under water
she WAS at any time
1be boat was designed to dive and pass
nnder the war vessel i WAS INTENDED -
destroy and drag torpedo n.ef' 70 " %
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