The Anaconda standard., 1896-04-24
DANGEROUS WARFARE
How Cushing and His Men Sank the
Ram Albermarle.
PERILOUs TORPEDO WORK
The Story Told by Probably the
Only Man Living Who Took Part
in the Attack - Daredevil
Scheme Carried to Success.

John McDermaid. prominent manu-
facturer of Rockford, Ill, is probably
the only surviving member OF the lit
tie crew that embarked In the steam
launch with Capt. william B. Gushing
on the night of Oct. 81. 1864. and de-
stroyed the confederate ram Abe
marie as il lay in the Roanoke river.
Mr.. McDermaid is a member OF q. {.
Neyins post, Grand Army, and MS
story has never before been published.
He had in 1862 completed a three years
apprenticeship on board the snip
James Cuthberts. his time expiring
while he was In Quebec. He sailed Tor
some time on the Great Lakes, ana al
Buffalo enlisted in the l0fth New YORK
infantry. He served i'm the army Tor
year, and then was transferred TO the
navy, being ordered TO the lhiteu
states steamer Otsego. one OF the
double enders" which had encountered
the Albemarle several times.
In the summer of 1864 the Otsego,
which had been doing duty on the
James river between Hog island and
Bermuda Hundred. protecting Butler
who was constructing the Dutch Gap
canal was ordered to report TO Ad-
miral Porter of the South squadron.
Cushing, young, brave. and ambitious
had lost two ships, but had made
record for himself, and was at the
Brooklyn navy yard experimenting
the construction of a steam launch at
the time the Otsego was ordered to re-
port to Admiral Porter. This launch
was to destroy the Albemarle, and for
this purpose Cushing had IL construct
ed. One attempt to destroy the ram
had already failed. four young men be-
ing put ashore at the mouth of the
Roaoke, equipped with torpedoes and
a few days rations. They attempted
to wade through the swamps to Ply
and UninQ swim the
stream and put an end to the ram
when capture stopped their plans.
After the failure of the plan an at
tempt was made TO decoy the ram
down the river. McDermaid being one
of detail of 10 men which strung a
line of torpedoes across the channel.
and lay for 10 days. with wire in hand.
waiting to blow the destroyer out of
the water, but in vain. The detail
sent TO relieve McDermaid and his
companions was captured. The crew
of the ram heard of the trap set for
her and would not come down, while
the federals could not go up the river
because of the schooners, chains. and
other obstructions that were sunk in
the channel, and because OF the guns
of the different forts and batteries, those
of Fort Bacon especially. The obsta-
cles were about one-half mile below
Plymouth, and the federals did not get
4
''Barly in October" said Mr.. McDer-
maid. II was ordered to take a num-
Der of men and proceed to the fiat op-
posite Roanoke island, where / was 10
ascertain IL there was a channel deep
enough to float vessels from the sea.
We set out with a schooner, tug, and
rowboat In rough weather. A few
evenings later we saw an object far
down the sound battling with the
waves, heading. apparently. for our
landing on Roanoke island. When the
object neared We saw that II was
steam launch. After a hard struggle
II pulled UP at the landing. In the
craft were Cushing and four compan-
ions. and a ry-looking lot they were.
The craft was about half full of water
her stack was down, and the fires near
ly submerged. Had she been out a lit
tie longer her misslo would never
have been accomplished. Cushing and
his men were sent to our quarters
where food and a change of clothing
were provided, while l, with a few of
my men, set about preparing the
launch. The next morning Cushing
set forth with his launch and announc-
ed his arrival to Admiral Porter on the
flagship Shamrock.
THE day following Cushing's de-
parture we finished our soundings and
set out for the fleet. which was lying
on Ellington, N. G. / had hardly got
on board the Otsego when l was in
formed that a number of my ship
mates had answered Cushing's call for
volunteers to accompany him up the
Roanoke on his voyage of destruction.
did not enlist very readily. having al
ready had a good share of dangerous
and difficult work. but was finally pre-
vailed upon to enlist myself for death,
glory, or promotion, as our captain had
announced when giving out the call.
n NvralR lRaNxse &C.,.
were her purser, whose name was
Swan. a man named MCGUIRE and N.Y.
self. The names of those from the
other ships ! never learned, save those
OF Donnelly and Huntington, the lat
ter being mentioned in Cushing's re-
port. TWO days after the launch was
brought alongside the flagship, from
which she proceeded, about s O'Clock
In the evening, on her round from shin
to ship. gathering her crew. In the
meantime Captain Arnold OF the Otseco
had called all hands aft TO bid us good
bye and godspeed. AS he went over
the side he cheered us by a few re
marks and said that he hoped he would
see US again. although he clearly never
expected 10 do so. We soon showed off
in our coffin as the launch had been
chr1stened. Care had been taken In
the construction OF the craft, and nor
the least noise was made as she
moved.
About o'clock In the evening w,
steamed up the river. 1t was rainine
hard. and in order to avoid detection
IL possible we Rugged close TO the edge
OF the bamboo swamp. making oul
way up to where the Southfield was
sunk. Here We were discovered ant
hailed by the rebel pickets stationed
on the sunken craft. Refusing to an.
swer and running close to them. the,
opened fire as warning, having a reg.
ular system of musket telegraphy. II
was but few minutes when IL wa
known at Plymouth that somethins
had happened down the river and ev
erybody was on the alert Cushinl
coisluded TO return 10 the fleet, which
was Gone.
"On the evening of Oct. q Gushing
with his launch. was around picking uI
his crew again, and about O'Clock W,
were once more In the mouth Of IN.