The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1895-10-30
CUSHiNG'S DARING.
How He Blew Up the Rebel Ram Abs.
marie ut Night.

marie at Night.
On the night of Oct. p, 1864, Cush
ing slipped away from the blockadlng
fleet and steamed up the river toward
the wharf, a dozen miles distant, where
the great ram lay. The Confederates
were watchful to guard against surprise,
for they feared lest their foes should try
to destroy the ram before she got a
chance to come down and attack them
again in the sound. She lay under the
guns OF fort, with regiment of troops
ready at moments notice to turn out
and defend her. Her own guns were
kept always clear for action, and she
was protected by great boom of logs
thrown out roundabout of which last
defense the Federals knew nothing.
Gushing went up stream with the ut
most caution, and by good luck passed
unnoticed Confederate lookout below
the ram.
About midnight he made his assault.
Steaming quietly on through the black
water and feeling his way cautiously to-
ward where he knew the town to be, he
finally made out the boom of the Alber-
marie through the night, and at once
drove at her. He was almost upon her
before he was discovered. Then the
crew and the soldiers on the wharf open
ed fire, and at the same moment he was
brought to by the boom, the existence Of
which he had not known. The rife balls
were singing about him as he stood erect
guiding his launch, and he heard the
hustle of the men aboard the ram and
the noise of the great guns as they We're
got ready Backing off he again went
all steam ahead, and actually su1ged
over the slippery log Of the boom.
Meanwhile on the deck Of the Able
marie the sailors were running to quar-
ters, and the soldiers were swarming
down to aid in her defense And the
droning bullets came always thicker
through the dark night. Cushing still
stood upright i'll his little craft, guiding
and controlling her by voice and signal,
while in his hands he kept the ropes
which led to the torpedo. As the boat
slid forward over the boom he brought
the torpedo full against the somber side
of the huge ram and instantly exploded
it, almost at the same time that the
pivot gun of the ram, loaded with grape,
was fired point blank at him, not ten
yards off.
At once the ram settled, the launch
sinking at the same moment, while
Gushing and his men swan for their
lives Most of them sank or were cap
-ured, but Cushing reached midstream
Hearing something splashing in the
darkness, he swan toward it, and found
hat it was one of his crew. He went to
ais rescue, and they kept together for
some time, but the sailor strength gave
)ut, and be finally sank In the pitch
darkness Cushing could form no idea
where he was, and when, chilled
through, and too exhausted to rise to his
feet, he finally reached shore, shortly
before dawn, he found that he had swan
pack, and landed but few hundred feet |
below the sunken ram. All that day he |
emained within easy musket shot OF |
where his foes were swarming about the |
ort and the great drowned ironclad. He |
hardly dared move, and until the after
loon he lay without food and without |
from the heat or insects. Then |
le managed to slip unobserved into a
tense swamp, and began to make his
yav toward the fleet. Toward evening |
le came out on small stream near |
amp of Confederate soldiers. They had |
noored to the bank a small skiff, and |
With equal stealth and daring he man
ged to steal this, and began to paddle |
own stream. Hour after hour he pad |
led on through the fading light, and |
hen through the darkness. At last, ut
erly worn out, he found the squadron,
nd was picked up. Theodore Roose-
,elt in st. Nicholas.