Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-09-16

ing fleet that-ihe Confcderntes possessed
couple OF rams and some torpedo boats In
Cane Fcar river around Wilmington. and
on the night Of June % Gushing vet out
from his ship Monticello In n cutter with
two officers aud fifteen men aud crossed
the bar. passing some forts and the town
Of Smithville without discovery. On the
way his boat nearly collided with block.
AIDE runner putting to scn, and also with
Confederate guafdboit. The night wa
dark until the cutter WIS abreast " fofti
fed bluif known ~ The Brunswick bat
teries, when tho moon suddenly emerged
from cloud and disclosed the strange
craft to the cncmy's sontincis on shor,.
Shots were fired Mt the cutter and the gar.
rison was alarmed. Gushing directed his
men to pull to the opposite shorc aud
proceed mp the river. When within seven
mil@ Of Wilmington the boat was hidden
IN marsh. and the parry lay all next day
within sight Of passing blockade runners.
After dark tho cutter took To the wave
and captured two rowhohts filled with
men, who proved 10 be fishermen from
Wilmington. Gushing Impressed them
for guides and reconnnitorcd all the hat
tories aud forts on the river. In bis wan
dorngs he struck the highway between
Wilmington aud Fort Fisher, and lag In
wait 10 capture the mails between those
points The carrier from Fort Fisher was
secured. but the Wilmington man on APP
preaching tln party In the rad suspected
mischief and tnrned back. Gushing
mounted the horse OF tho captured post
man aud chased the fugitive almost 20
Wilmington. While Gushing was away
on his chase one Of the sailors exchanged
clothes with the captive mail man and
went to market Tor food for the raiders,
who were almost famishcd. His trip gave
him chance to gossip with the citizens
and gain knowledge OF the enemy.
After destroying the telegraph Cushing
returned to hia boat, sent his prisoners
adriit and started down The river. lie had
discovered that the ram Raleigh was a
hopeless wreck, the ram North Carolina
useless bocnhsc her draft didn't admit u
passing the bar 10 attack the Union block
nding hert, aud TINT the Confederate tor
pcdo boats had been destroyed during n
scare. On the way 20 sen the cutter was
hcnded of by gunhoat AMI several small
boats filled with men. II was night and
the moon shone, and Cushing managed to
turn aud double on his purauora until he
got n start on them, and 10y vigorous row
| ing dashed into the breakers nt the Caro-
lima shOul, where the enemy dnre not fol-
low. The cutter was 10 heavy that she
outrodc the breakers aud escaped 10 tho
, feet. on this mid two days and three
nights wcrcsrent In the cnemys territory.
Cushing's next exploit would cut more
OF a figure In history hut for the fast chat
the game he wns after happened TO he
away when he seized the nest. Que night
! IN February, 1905 no entered Cape Fear
/ river with nix men M rowhott, pulled
| past the guns u Fort Caswcll and the
smithville batteries, landed above the VII.
| lngc and stopped nor stald not until tho
| headquarters qt Gen. Ilchcri, commanding
/ the district, were surrounded and the oc-
cupnnts hailed to deliver up theiF persons
arms and papers. The general WIS In
| Wilmington. aud two staif officers respond.