The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1898-07-21
NO.3O
ing set for their expedition the last
preparatiOn had been made.

ing set for their expedition the last
preparation had been made.
"The torpedo boat was lying along
side the steamer, from which the crew
bad embarked. She was submerged
until the combing Of the hatch alone
was visible above the water. Her COM
mander, Payne, was standing In the
act of ordering her to cast off, when the
swell of a passing steamer rolled over
her and sank her with her eight men
In several fathoms of water. Lieuten-
ant Payne sprang out OF the hatchway
as the boat sank from under him, and
he alone was left alive.
"In the course of a few days she was
raised and again was made ready for
service. Again Payne volunteered, and
eight men with him. The embarka-
ton for their second attempt was made
from Fort Sumpter, and as before, all
having been made ready, Payne, stand
Ing at his post in the hatchway, order
ed the hawser to be cast off when the
boat careened and sank instantly.
Payne sprang out of the hatchway and
two of the men followed him, but the
other slx went down in the boat and
|
perished.
/ CREW AFTER CREW LOST.
"Again the boat was raised and made
ready for action, and her owner, Capt
ain Hundley of Mobile, took her tor an
experimentaI trip into the Stono River
After going through her usual revolu.
tions she dived into the deep water and
for hours and for days the return Of
poor HundleY and his crew was watch
ca for and looked for in vain.
"After many weeks search she wa
found inclining at an angle OF forty
tour degrees. Her nozzle was driver
!. deep into the soft mud at the bottom
The crew of nine dead men were stand
ing. sitting, lying about her in he
hold asphyxiated. Hundley was stand
) | ing dead at his post, candle In on
hand while the other hand had grow
stiff with death in his vain efforts t.
+ unclamp the hs tcb. Others OF tn
crew had been working at the keys
D the ballast but the inclination
a which the boat had gone down Jam
med the keys so that the men couI
, not cast off the heavy weight thu
q sealed their doom. Their death ha
n been hard and lingering.
"Again the vessel was made read
for action, and volunteers being calle
for Lieutenant Dixon, OF the Twent
T. first Alabama Volunteers, native
Mobile, and eight men, volunteered
y = take her against the enemy.
DOWN WITH THE HOUsAToNIC.
,e "Tbe new and powerful Union wa
d ship Housatonic was selected Tor Il
b attack. On a drizzly, nasty, rail-
d night the brave crew set out fro
,e Charleston in this terrible, namele
ID torpet,o boat. We all know the fate
So the Hnnsatonic. Dixon guided t
r. torpedo boat fairly against her. i
of EXPLOSION tore off the warshlp's SID
a. so that she went down with nearly
in her crew in verv few minutes.
k TIE torpedo boat also disappear
from view. Whether she went do'
of with her enemy, or whether she or
n. ed out to sea to bury her gallant de-
i was not known until some time at
er the close of the war. Divers In subn
IT. rine arnor visited the wreck o!
Housatonic, and there they found t
ng little torpedo vessel lying by her hu
a victim, and within her were the bo
,er of as devoted and daring men as e
KS went to the war"