The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-10-09

| order came down from Washington to
convene courtmartial to try the
dashing young officer for some infrac-
ton of international law, which Secre-
tary Seward feared would endanger
the entente cordial between Great
miral Porter summoned Cushing and
showed him the order.
Admiral, let me go blow up the AL
bemarle first and try me afterwards, -
pleaded the lieutenant
The admiral looked into the Iieuten-
| ants gray eyes for a moment and
said: Gushing, I believe you'll do it.
Go ahead"
That night there were festivities
somewhat unrestrained in a little cir
Gle of naval officers-Cushing had a
liking for terrapin and it's accompany
| ing good things-and the next morn
ing an officer was sent to arrest Cush-
ing. But he had already started on his
perilous expedition.
The trip through the Chesapeake and
Albemarle canal, passing for so miles
through a hostile country, was made
in safety by the little boat and its crew
of seven, TO which eight men were
added after the Union fleet was gained
Here Cushing for the first time in
formed his companions of the purpose
of the expedition, but none of them
took advantage of the opportunity to
turn back
Cushing's boat was an open launch.
about 80 feet long. with a small en-
CINE and propelled by a screw. In the
bow was mounted a 12-pound howitzer
and a boom Is feet long, swung by a
goese-neck to the bluff of the bow.
This boom was raised or lowered by a
topping lift, carried to a stanchion in
board, The torpedo was fitted into an
iron slide in the end. This was to be
detached from the boom by means Of
a hell-jigger leading inboard, and ex-
ploded by another line connecting with
pin which held a grapeshot over a
nipple and cap.
to accompany Gushing. In the Roam
oke river, a mile below Plymouth,
where the Albemarle was moored, lay
the partially sunken Southfield, a fed
eral steamer which had met with dis
aster in conflict with the ram. On
this wreck was stationed a picket
guard, which was likely to give warn
ing of the approach Of the boats. The
men on the cutter were, if necessary,
to board the Southfield and capture the
pickets before the warning rockets
could be sent up. On the night of Oct
81, however, the vigilance of the guard
was evidently relaxed, for Cushing's
launch, with the cutter in tow, passed
within 80 feet and made its way to-
wards the Plymouth wharf without
discovery. There were several thou
sand soldiers in the town and forts
and the confederates occupied both
sides of the river.
Fortune had thus far so favored the
Adventures that Cushing had deter
mined to attempt to capture the ram
by landing and making a dash from
the wharf, when, as they were putting
close in, there came abruptly a sharp,
quick hail, which was at once repeat
ed. No answer was given and a heavy
fire at once opened from the bank The
cutter was rdered back down the river
to capture the guard on the South
field. The confederates had now started
a huge bonfire on the shore, by the
light of which Cushing discovered that
the ram was surrounded by a circle of
logs. doomed well out from its sides,
to guard against torpedoes. The lieu
tenant ran up close under the CALLING
fire and at once decided upon his plan
of action. AS the logs were probably
Shiny. from being in the water a con-
siderable time. it was thought that by
drawing off and approaching the rap
at full speed the little launch would