The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1898-05-12
which he was to work the torpedo.

which he was to work the torpedo.
An instant later the launch struck
the boom and slid over close to the
Albemarle. Within a few feet was
the muzzle of one of the rams big
guns. A perfect storm of shot from
small arms rained upon the lieuten
ants boat, but in the darkness the
aim Of the Confederates was poor and
none struck him.
Now came the most delicate and
wonderful Part of the undertaking
that of discharging the torpedo
Gushing had four seperate lines at
tached to his person. Two of these
ran to the engineer of the launch and
ty the use of them the lieutenant di-
rected the movements of the boat
The other two were to be used in
loosing and exploding the torpedo.
As soon as the launch slid over the
boom Gushing dropped the spar into
the water Then, by means of one of
the cords, he signsled the engineer to
go ahead slowly When he was sure
that the torpedo was we'll under the
Albemarle, he stopped his boat and
pulled the line which loosed the en-
gine of destruction from its socket on
the end of the spar. Then, standing
erect in the bow of the boat, a conspi.
cuous target for the enemy and with
bullets humming around him, he
coolly waited until the torpedo hoated
| up and rested against the bottom of
| the ram.
AS he stood there a bullet cut his
hand This did not unnerve him in
| the least and as soon as he felt sure
that the torpedo had reached the pro
per place, he gently drew on the line
attached to the trigger-pin. A tre
mendous explosion followed and at
the same instant the big gun of the
Albemarle sent one hundred pounds
of grapes shot into the launch. A sec
ond later an immense weight of wa
| ter fell into the little boat and almost
swamped it.
The work was done and escape was
now to be thought of; but the launch
could not be carried back again over
the boom inclosing it. Twice refusing
to surrender, Cushing tore off his
sword, revolvers, shoes and coat.
Save yourselves" he cried to his
men. Setting them an example he
| leaped into the river and struck out
from his disabled and sinking boat
The water was very cold and chilled
| his blood, and the surface of the
stream was plowed up by grape-shct
and musketry.
Before Gushing reached the oppo-
site shore, toward which he was head
ing, the Confederates had boats out
| Oh tne river, picking up the men from
| the launch who were trying to es-
cape by swimming.
The lieutenant was not noticed and
| bid fair to make the shore when one
| of his men who was near him gave a
yell and, thoroughly exhausted, sank
to rise no more The searchers heard
the cry and pulled in that direction
Gushing thought he surely would be
| captured.
But his good fortune did not desert
him. He changed his course and
| fioated down the stream, while his
| pnrsuers looked for him close to the
shore. Soon he was far enough away
to attempt again to make landing
and headed toward the bank.
He had nearly reached it when he
heard a groan out on the river and
knew that one of his comrades was in
distress. Although much exhausted
by his long swim, this noble sailor re
solved to try to assist his mate and
turned back 1t was some time be
fore he could find the sinking man III
the darkness. Nearing him at last he
proved to be Masters Mate Woodman.
| Gushing knocked the hat from the
swimmers head and sustained him
with his arm. For ten minutes the
two men moved slowly to the shore.
Then Noodman gave up completely
and throwing up his hands went down
like a stone.
| Again alone upon the water the
lieutenant directed his course toward
the town-side of the river, thinking
that the Conferates would hardly look
for him there. His strokes were now
very feeble and it required a vast
amount of will power to enable him
to keep at his efforts. But if any
man possessed resolution, that man
| was Cushing, and he persevered unit
at last his feet touched the soft mud
at the bottom of the river.
| With desperate effort he stood uI
and threw himself at full length to-
ward the land. To his great delight
the most of his body was out Of the
water but he was so exhausted tha,
| he did not make another move unit,
morning and lay there with part o
his body in the river.
As the sun rose its warmth revived
him and inspired him with enough
energy to drag himself into swamp
: | After resting short time longer b,
aroused himself and looked about
He found himself in a point o
= swamp that enters the suburbs of Ply
mouth and only about forty yard
, from one of the forts. He could Sc,
the town, swarming with soldiers VIII,
were moving about excitedly, and b.
3 concluded that he had better get ava,
, from that vicinity as soon as possible
, The fleet to which he intended escap
t ing was twelve miles away.
81 When he was ready to start h
3 found that in order to get into th
= i swamp he had to pass over thirty Q
forty feet of open ground right unde