Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-06-12
CUsHING's BIG FEAT.
NE COMMANDED THE FIRST ToH
PEDO BOAT IN WAR.

NOUS Expedition Tint sunk the Confetier-
alto Ironciad Albeniarle, Lives Mt HAmp-
stead, N. II.
Between the two villages Of Hamp-
stead, N. H., twelve miles north Of the
city OF Haverhill, Mass, resides Daniel
George. the sole survivor of the famous
expedition OF Lieut. Cushing which
sunk the rebel ram Albermarle near
the close OF the American civil war.
Gushing himself was only 81 years
old when he undertook this adventure.
and he possessed all the fire and agil-
ty Of youth. Every mothers son of
bis twelve followers had tact as we'll as
daring in his makeup
The party started in a diminutive
| launch. such as was carried as ten
| der by the smaller gunboats Of the
| navy. -
Extending from her bow was a spar
and on the end of the spar was fixed
torpedo Of common gunpowder. the
| outfit arranged so as to be lowered
when desired This converted the
launch into the first steam torpedo
boat known to the world The tor
pedo was to be fired by lanyard
The night was black as Egypt, yet
WIN this advantage the path OF the lit.
tie steamer was beset with difficulties
| The Albermarle lay eight miles up the
| River Roanoke. whose channel is
crooked as a rams horn, with an aver
age width Of not more, than 200 yards.
Despite their fancied security the Con-
federates. in view of the Importance
Of the big ironclad to their cause. had
taken every precaution to protect her
from just such an attack as Gushing
| and his comrades we're making Bon
:res were kept burning along the
shore. and two companies OF infantry
were bivouacked on the wharf to which
the rebel batticship was moored, while
her crew visilanty kept double
| watch
| Notwithstanding the Confederate
p1ckets on either bank the little tor
pedo boat felt her way along. past the
wreck of the sunken Southfeld .Sup the
tortuous channel OF the Roanoke,
| guarded by lines OF rebel batteries, and
was not molested until hailed by the
marine sentries on board the Abe
marie
This was a signal for the cutter to
make dash for her huge antagonist
There was big alarm on the deck OF
the ram and on shore. and 1t was a
real alarm. too. To those in the as
sailing boat the air seemed filled with
bullets. yet the little steamer paused
not. Under a full Aaad of steam she
dashed against The boom OF logs.
which. in place OF the more modern
netting. protected the Southern fight.
| ing machine.
! At this moment the launch received
a charge Of canister from one of the
| howitzers on the main deck Of the
ram. She needed it not The boom
Of logs was pushed In by the impact
of the charge OF the launch Then
! came the critical moment; the spar
torpedo was lowered
| At this moment one OF the ports OF
The Albemarle opened and heavy
| pivot gun protruded The torpedo OF
the assaulting craft exploded with !.
roar with which was blended the sharp
thunder of the pivot gun. The launch
was shattered into kindlings and the
| members Of her crew--killed. wound
| ed and battered--weres!lefts In the hos
Tile water. 49,, u. i. 4,
The damage to the ironclad was not
so great as those who planned her de-
struction hoped. The torpedo, owing
TO the restraining influence Of the
| boom of logs. did not lie snug to the
ship when 1t exploded But the ex-
| Wosion opened a seam below the yes
| sells water line. A panic seized her
crew and her guards, and what might
have been accomplished had her pumps
! been manned promptly was left un-
done. Everybody deserted, the ship
sank, and no effort was ever made to
raise her.
| But the crew OF the launch had no
such easy time as those ashore. Cast
into the river directly under the en-
emy's fire, they were in desperate
straits. AS many as were able to
swim went to the mi ddle OF the stream.
and then they separated, every man
for himself. Among those able to
swim were Lieut.. Cushing and Seaman
lieorge from New Hampshire. The
survivors made their way to the shores
on either side at various places, and
although In the ene1ny's country, most
OF them finally managed to reach the
ships OF the fleet and there tell Of che
success of the object for which they
I<tared and did.
I Lieut. Cushing survived his grea,
triumph only a;few years, but his in
itrepidity won him a place among the
bravest men Of naval history.
Woodpeckern Eat Poles.