The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-05-02

amiS deck. Certain of the Miami'S
force tried to board the ram, after she
righted but were repealed. With her
consert and her commander lost, the
Miami, with two tug boats in attend
ance, retreated down the river eX-
changing shots with the ram as long
as the guns carried The next day the
town of Plymouth, finding assistance
from the water front thus cut off, sur
rendered to the Confederate land
forces.
The Federalists realized that this eX-
plot was only the beginning of the AL
bemarles campaign, and that she
might be expected out in the sound to
give battle to the other gunboats in the
fleet. In anticipation, Captain Melanc-
thon Smith, who was in charge, sta
toned the double-enders Mattabesett,
Sassacus, Wyalusing, Miami, and two
ferry boats at the mouth Of the Roam
oke to be on the look out. The double
enders were armed with two 100
FOUNDER Parrott guns, four 9-inch
four 24-pounders, and two 12-pounder
! howitzers. The Sassacus carried two
additional 20-pounders, while the Mi
ami was fitted with torpedo intended
to be exploded under the rams hull,
and also with a net in which to entan-
gle the enemy's propellers. The ram
came out of the river on the 5th of
May, accompanied by the Bombshell, a
captured Union craft Gin shape like an
ordinary canal boat, and mounted
with one gun and two light pieces.
| They escorted the transport Cotton
plant, carrying military supplies to the
Alligator river. Captain Cooke meant,
| on the completion of this errand, to
| make an extended cruise on the sound
| against the Union fleet. Captain Smith
| got his little squadron under way as
soon as he saw the Confederates, and
| just about o'clock in the afternoon
| approached the enemy, then fourteen
miles from the mouth of the Roanoke.
| 1t was reported that thirty armed
launches then being equipped in near
| by river, would back UP the ram, and
| the smaller Union vessels were directed
| to look after them, while the other YES
| sells were to pass the ram again and
| again, delivering their broadsides each
| time.
While some distance off a puff of
| white smoke and faint flash told that
| the Albemarle had opened the battle
and almost Immediately two shells
from another discharge, skilfully aim
ed, cut away the rails and spars of the
| Mattabesett and wounded six men at
her pivot-gun. The Mattabesett, fol-
lowed by her comrades, eluded the
A1be,narle's attempts to ram, and,
passing, delivered broadsides of solid
S-inch and 100-pounder shot. Though
Of e,J,o 10,
glanced harmlessly from the iron case
mate. The gunboats turned and en-
deavored to renew the action on the
other side, but the ram turned about
also, thus forming the ships in a circle.
Well knowing that he could not in
flict serious injury by cannon-fire
alone Captain Smith had instructed
his vessels to ram. The Sassacus, af-
ter passing the Albemarle, had captur-
ed the Bombshell, and was about 400
yards from the ironclad. Observing
the A1bemarle change her course a lit
tie, in order to avoid ramming by the
Mattabesett, Commander Roe took adj
vantage of the chance to strike a full
blow on the enemy's broadsde. He or
dered his engineer to put oil and waste
to the fires, so as to get a good head of
steam, then, backing, until he had Sc
cured the right position, dashed at top
speed straight for the Albemarle's side.
All hands We're ordered to lie down Just
before the collision.
The Sassacus struck the ironclad at
right angles on the starboard side
abaft the casemate The shock was
terrific, careening the Albemarle over
and tearing away the bow of the Sas-
sacus. The gun-boat swung round
alongside, and her paddle-wheel, con-
tinuing to revolve, struck the deck of
the ironclad and forced the vessel sew
eral feet below the water. Many of the
Confederates indeed, believed that
they were sinking, but the ram righted
and proved to be not seriously injured
At the instant of the collision the Con-
federates fired a 100-pound shot, which
. crashed through the wooden side OF
the Sassacus as though it were as
! much paper. Assistant Surgeon E.
| Holden, who was aboard the Sassacus
. at the time, has this to say of the
eventful experience: Through the
. starboard shutter, which had beer
partly Jared off by the conclusion, J
saw the port of the ram not ten feet
| etWoy- - OPCHCut IIhG a. HASH VI
: lightning saw the grim muzzle Of the
! cannon; the gums crew naked to the
waist and blackened with powder; Their
J a blaze, roar, and the rush of the
shell as it crushed through, whirline
| me round and dashing me to the deck
| 1t was on this ship in this engagement
: that the present Congressman Boutellt
, distinguished himself so that he wa.
: promoted for his gallantry.
7 The Confederates next fired a sho
that pierced one of the gun-boat'.
boilers. In an instant the lower decl
3 was filed with steam, which scaldet
t many of the crew. Taking advantage
, Of the Sassacus' plight, the enem,
: tried to board her, but were repulsed
' The disabled Sassacus slowly drifteC
} out of action, heroically keeping up
1 fire as long as in range of the antagon
ist. Another danger threatened, how
: ever; her other boilers were in momen
3 tary danger of explosion, and the los
] of the whole crew would have ensueC
e had not Engineer Hobby summoned hi
! men to the fire-room to draw the fires
, a precaution that proved effective, bu
!, that resulted in his being led back t,
4 the deck helpless and blinded. TIL
: other gun-boatS continued to shell tn