Omaha daily bee., 1898-07-03
Preparing for Busin e->.

., SO. d. preparing for N~usiuesS.
1.-THE repairs were finished by the middle
of October and we were awaiting the ar
rival of three Finch guns before we
started down the river to once more deal
with the federal fleet. We knew that Gen
| eral Sherman's army was operating in North
| Carolina, and therefore unusual efforts were
put forth to protect the pride of the con-
federate navy against any surprises. The
garrison at Fort Bateman, which stood guard
over the river at Plymouth, was Increased.
Two field pieces were put on the deck Of the
Albemarle and an artillery guard was sta
toned there day and night. While the river
was strewn with torpedoes, the river banks
were guarded against surprise by beacons,
three small batteries and fifty sentries.
There was an abundance of ammunition for
both men and muskets. To make our craft
doubly safe from attack a Gordon Of pine
logs, thirty feet long, chained together like
a raft, was placed in the water about the
Albemarle. 1t seemed as If the ram was
absolutely secure.
81 recall the night Gushing came with
his little launch and blew up our big ram
as well as If it were but yesterday. 1t was
a cold, cheerless day, October 81. The
guards reported everything all right. and 1t
was generally believed the Yanks down in
the sound were shaking in their boots at
our prospective early advance upon their
fleet. When darkness approached that even
ing the fresh sentries went on guard and
the men at the fort signaled to the men
on the Albemarle that all was well. Supper
was served, and soon the great, grim fighting
machine settled into slumber The guards
at the bow and stern kept watch. ! had a
letter to write that night, and I bad per-
mission to sit with a shaded lantern aft in
tho cabin IF Was n vary black nipht and
rain fell in sprinkles.
IT had been writing about two hours wher
l heard some one calling from the river
bank. / paid no attention. In a second
heard a musket shot and then an excited
running about on the deck above me
Quicker than l can tell 1t some one yelled
down into the cabin:
"All hands to quarters!'
The Attcck-
"I snatched the lantern and ran up. Fort!
or more of our crew, who had been ASLEEP
in their hammocks, came running after me
We all instinctively knew it was a Yanke'
attack, but we supposed 1t was from tn
land. Before any of us had reached tn
deck there was a firing of muskets and
belching OF howitZers. 1t seemed as !
the whole OF Sherman's army had suddenl,
swooped down upon the Albemarle. TIL
beacons were tanning and the guards wer
shooting. All was confusion on the uppe
> deck. The artillerymen were training thei
cannon and calling for ammunition. / re
: member that five bells were rung in tn
! cabin at that moment.
> "Off at our bow l saw a narrow stear
= launch without top, like a large rowboa.
! about twenty-five feet long, coming acros
the river straight at the Albemarle. 1t wa
about o00 feet ouaV than In tho nipkapin
n light OF the beacons we could see a ma
standing in the bow in his shirt sleeves, wit
. a long stick in his hand like a heavy fish
pole. We afterward knew that he wa
Lieutenant Cushing, The screech of sht
n and grape and canister began, and III
batteries on shore roared and famed. I'll
n launch moved right along. Captain Welc
Of the Albemarle danced about excited
n and we tried to train our cannon on IL
craft, which was below our range. Amid
shower of lead and iron that made II
"a Roanoke all about the little boat seethe al
IF boil like mad, the launch ran up to Il
Gordon OF logs. The man in his shirt sleev,
standing in the bow leaned over apparent
unconscious OF the roar Of cannon and II
dropping of ball and grape close about hin
and looked critically at the half ~submerg,
water-soaked logs. The launch was turn
he to one side, and while Captain Well
screamed frantically to the men in the boa
m Surrender! Surrender, or we'll blow you
IN h-l!' the little boat came again full tilt I
e. ward the raft The dozen men aboard h
TO were In the stern, so the bow was raise
Full steam was on. and the boat went scu
as ding before our astonished eyes straig
RS across the slippery and water soaked ra
ry 1.-The howitzers at Fort Bateman had nc
added their voice to the din Of firing. I