The National tribune., 1892-04-28

llShed 9t w limlHgton, N u. SHailVSt'H'
S. c.; Mobile Ala, and Savannah, Ga. Sew
eral lives were lost by the enemy while
experimenting with torpedoes in the early
part of the war. A citizen named Theodore
Stonev, of Charleston, S. C., at his own ex-
pense constructed the torpedo which was
used in au attempt 10 destroy The United
States Steamer New 1ronsides, on the
Charleston blockade, Oct 3, 1865. Capt
NJ. NJ. GRAY commanded the torpedo station
at Charleston when Lieut.. Glassel destroyed
the United States Steamer Housatonlc, Fen.
Il. 1864. Glassel died in California, Jan.
26, 1879.
An act of the Confederate Congress, ap-
proved April /. 1862, provided that the
Inventor OF device Ey which a vessel OF
an enemy should be destroyed should re-
eeive 30 per cent. Of the value OF vessel
and armament. BY an act Of the Same
Congress approved May i, 1863. SStoVV
was appropriated for torpedo service. An
other act approved Feb IL, 1864, approprl-
ated S100 000; and still another act, ap-
proved June l3, 1864, appropriated S250O0o.
And it is estimated that over S6,000,000 was
expended in the
TORPEDO BUSINESS DURING THE WAR.
Col. Z. C. Cabel. connected with Kirby
Smiths army in the Trans Mississippi Depart
10 destroy our cnnboats and transports IN the
Western waters for a certain per cent. OF their
value Ills o:Ier was accepted. and lie began
operations in connection with Prices army, at
.Jacksonaort, Ark in 1862. The gunboat Baron
de Halb destroyed near licksbuTg Is supposed
to have been his first victim, ana many others
met the same fate on the Mississippi and Its
various tributaries. But the greatest havoc,
perhans created by the torpedo was IN Mobile
Bav in 1864 and 1865 where more vessels anu
lives were lost :han al all other places COM
bined. Their depredations on the Roanokc
River were conducted on an extensive scale.
The e. S. Ship Harvest Moon was blown mp by
a torpedo in the Cooper River, near George
town, & c. Feb &C. 1865. And Admiral Dahl
pren, who WAS on board al the time, had
very narrow escape.
A number of torpedoes were discovered and
removed from the Rappahannock River in May,
1864. by the vessels attached 10 The fotomac
FIotila.
SEVERAL Transports wERE DESTROYED
bv torpedoes on the ST. Johns River, near jack
sonvilie. Fla on ore of which five persons were
killed and 20 wounded. After the evacuation
OF Charleston by the Coniederates. over 100
torpedoes were found il the harbor, aud while
searching for Them two OF our vessels, the Blhb
and JonQuil. were severely injured IN the
Ashley River.
When Admiral Porter's Fort Fisher exredi-
ton entered the Cape Fear River IN january,
1865. we cacount tered torpedae=. POO OF which
had been sent down by the Confefierates at
Wilmington \. c. Considerable difiicuity was
experienced in trying to avoid tie,n. Several
lives were lost and two vessels. the 0sceola and
Shawmut were injured. On Dec. y. 1S6i, the
gunhoat O.segc was destroyed by torpedo on
the Roanoke River, \. {. No lires were lost,
but many or She crew were severely injured.
During the siege of hicksbn;E the enemy re-
sorted TO the use of torDedoes in large numbers,
resulting in the destruction of several gunhoats
of the Western feet. ToTPedecs were also found
in the Red River On the ascent of the Banks
expedition, and two gunbOats, the Ea5tpcrt and
Signal. were destroyed by them.
In January, 1865, an attack on Charleston,
s. C., was contemplated by Admiral Dahlgren,
In anticipation Of The arrival OF
GEN. SHERMAN FROM sAvAHNAH.
The rebel authorities placed in the harbor IS
large tor-y,edoes one Of which soon afteraard
struck tie monitor ratapsco. and she went
down in icW mo nen;s. takiBg seven officers
and 60 ren in al iron c0fiim 80 = wa'ery grave.
An #ttemT; was made TO destroy the U. S. s.
Powhatam on the Charleston blockade, by
means OF q torpedo which was fortunately dis
serious r.st:i Is.
On Feb y, 1863. the l. s Monitor Montauk
was severely injured by tGrpeaoes ID the 0ge-
chez River. Ga. After this date navigation in
the Southern waters became exceedingly dan
gcrons and the hidden torpeaoes were only dis
covered VIXEN 100 late TO avoid the disastrous
explosion sure to follow.
The L. <. :. Commodore Barney was dam
aged and several of her crew killed by expio-
sion Of torJea0 on the James River Aug. g.
1853. The DRIFT torpedo used in the James
River, usually contained about 50 pounds OF
powder. !. m#s OF these which destroyed
the Con iederate States Steamer Gen. Schultz
while
UEDEg FLAG OF TRUCE
near Coxs Landing. Feb. =. 1855. -Four men
were drowned. torpedo of this kind was
found by the Z. $. Steamer Essex Capt. w d.
Porter near Baton Rouge, La, III January. 1868,
and several Of them were found on the James
River 10y Capt. G&nesvoOTt, OF the L. 5. 5. Ro-
apoi1e ia November. 1863.
The torpedo boat David, which sank the T.
s. & BDusaioaie If Charleston, went down,
with It's gietim aed j; WAS total loss. with a
crew OF seven men. Five men We're killed on
the EUuvatunir.
Or recommendation of Gen. Beauragard the
Legislature Of Sonth Carolina in 1862 appro-
priate:l S5G.9c5 10 aid ia developing the torpedo
business IN the waters of that State.
Tie great explosion at City Point. on the
James tdver. A.g. 8, 1864. was due to Con-
fedcgate torpedo. aud missile of that char
acter was used to destroy the u. s. S. Grey
hound, used IS headquarters for Gen. L. F.
Butler.
An unsuccessful attempt was made 10 destroy
the L. :. FTisate Minpesota ia Haia rion Roads
april 3, ! 81 AID the L. S. Frigate Wabash oil
Charleston. prii Is 1864. The David torpedo
system WAS used bUth occasions, bet was
fortunately discovered
JN TisfE TO PREVENT DAMAGE
The most serious casualty On the James
River was the total destruction of the Gunboat
Commodore Jones OH May 6, 1864 al Deep
Bottom. About 50 Of the crew were killed
aud ab0B; tie same number was lost on the
monitor Milwaukee near Mobile, March %
1865. The greatest loss of life on any one
vessel caused by the terpedoes was Oh board the
Monitor 1ccUmseh. in Mobile Bay, Aug. 5.
l5G3. when 10 men, as braye as ever irod
quarterback, were hurled into eternity with
out a moment s warning.
Ia anticipation Of an attack on the defenses
OF Mobile iB the Summer Of 1864, the Confea-
crate authorities organized q naval force COR
si5ting OF the Tennessee, Baltic Selma Gaines
Crescent, aud Morgan aiso q torpedo Loa.
called the s.. Patrick. These we're commanded
By Capt Franklin Buchanan. In his epconn-
ter with Farragufs feet, Aug s. 1864 he was
taken IrTisgncr and sent to Pensacola
Ills successor ia command gas Ebenezer Far
rand, who surrendered all the forces to Adtniral
Thatcher at Mamma BGiba Bluff, on the Tom
bigbee River. Aay 10, 1865.
The eEeEIy placed ls0 tcrpedoes ia Mobile
Bay and tue adjacent EaterE.
ssNEUkL ug.UaED ITyFs wEDF ,cep