St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-05-17
Clothe the Boys From Top to Toe,
Hats to Shoes. Plymouth Clothing house.
A HERO FROM MAINE.

"Reminiscences OF the Battle Be-
tween the Albemarle and the
Sassacus.
New York Tribune.
At the recent dinner of the board of
trade and transportation, when Charles
A. Boutelle, one of the members of
congress from Maine, arose to speak
there were only two or three, and they
were naval officers. who recognized in
the chairman of the committee on
naval affairs a hero of one OF the most
remarkable battles Of the Civil War.
Mir. Boutelie is one of the most unaS-
suning and modest men on the floor of
congress, and he never refers to his own
brave experiences unless one draws him
out, and then he treats it in the most
simple way. He was always ION deck"
when there was A chance to get
at the Confederates, but the time that
he showed the full force Of his mettle
was in the engagement of his vessel
with the Confederate ram Albemarle aud
her c0nsort, the gunbOat BOmhshell, in
Albemarle sound, on May 5, 1864. He
was the executive officer of the war YES
sci Sassaeus. Of which F. A. Roe, now
The Albrmarle was one of the iron
monsters which the Confederates had
awaited themselves of during the last
DAYS of President Buchanan'S admins
tratiun, one Of which, the Merrimac,
had sunk two Of the largest and most
powerful frigates of the Federal navy in
single fight, and With the greatest
ease at that. -
The Albemarle moved down upon the
Federal fleet with the naughty chal-
lenye that If battle was given she would
sink the vessels comprising it in detail.
The Union fleet was composed OF the
MatabeSsett, the Wyalusing, the White
head and the Sassacus. The latter yes
sci moved forward, and, advancing
to within close haillng dis
lance of the Bombshell, engaged
her with all the power of her
heavy and perfectly served batteries.
and almost Immediately the Confederate
coiors were lowered and white flag
hoisted. The SaSsacuS received the
surrender. and then ordered the cap
tured vessel to be anchored beyond the
scope of battle, and at once turned her
attention To the iron ram. The SaSSacuS
was a wooden vessel, but of high speed,
and her batteries were served with pre-
ciSion and skill.
The ram had moved into the midst of
the fleet. but her commander Was equal
to the crisis. He shouted to the en-
gineer officer: Crowd waste and OIL
in the fires and back slowly. Give her
all the steam she can carry" Then.
turning to Executive Officer Boutelle.
he said: Lay her course for
the junction of the caSemate
and hull" Then came the Sig
nal to steam at full speed ahead. and in
another moment the stem of the SasSa-
Gus cut into the iron hull Of the ram.
following the order of hIr. Boutelle to
the men: "All hands lie down." 1t
was a moment of great anxiety, but the
guns of the ram ceased firing and the
rebel vessel went over TO one side as If
she were about to SINK.
The ram and the SaSSacuS kept their
engines going at full speed, and both
vessels simply turned around in circle,
hence the ram could do no damage to
lhe other ships, nor was she able to re-
ease herself from the iron grasp of the
Sassacus for some time. Finally the
officers Of the ram got one of the
starboard ports open aud fired
shot into the boilers Of
the SassacuS. The boiling water
ran out of tho boiler, scalding several
of the crew, and when the great weight
OF water was expended from that side,
the ship careehed over as if she would
sink, and then she was backed off. In
the midst of all this, Chief Engineer
Hobby stood bravcly at his post in the
engine room. and did not leave it until
after the action. when he was brought
up blinded and almost helpless to the
deck, being attended by Mr.. BOutelle
and the surgeon.
AS soon as the Albemarle was re-
leased, like the Merrimac after her en-
gagement with the Monitor, she re-
treated as fast as she was able to her
fortress up the North Carolina sounds.
She made her appearance again at the
mouth of the river three weeks after
ward. but retreated when gun was
. fired at her from the Whitehead. The
next day bold attempt was made by
five volunteers sfroin the Wyalusing
to destroy her with a torpedo, but the
attempt was unsuccessful. and the gun
boats remained throughout the sum mer
awaiting her movements.
Finally it was decided to attempt her
destruction, and Lieut.. W. Is. Cush
ing was selected to do it. He arranged
a torpedo of extraordinary power in a
light picket-boat. and, accompanied
by fourteen brave officers and men
who had volunteered for the ser
vice, went up the Roanoke to Plymouth
on the night of Oct. %, approached the
ram under heavy ire from the forces
OIL shore, exploded the torpedo and
sunk the ram. A shot from the ram at
the next instant sunk the torpedo boat,
but Lieut.. Cushing and four OF the
party escaped by swimming down the
river. The others of the party were
killed by the fire of the rebels.
Early RiSers.
Atlantic City Special to Baltimore American.
Early risers here who go down to the