The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1898-07-07
(BrOOklyn Eagle.)

(Brooklyn Eagle.)
Once in generation there appears
some high, intrepid spirit, who. in a
single instant. and by single act of
peerless daring, writes his name in
unfading letters on the open page OF
his country's history. Richmond
Pearson Hobson, who sank the Mer-
tiago harbor, belongs to this class; so
did William Barker Gushing, who, on
the night of October 81, 1864, de-
strOyed the Confederate ram Abe
marie as it lay at anchor in the Roa-
noke River, near Plymouth, N. c.
Hobson is native of the South,
Gushing was a product of the hardy
Northwest. Born in Delafeld, Wis
in November 1912, he entered the
Naval Academy at Annapolis when
still several months under fifteen
years of age, but resigned in March,
1861, and few weeks later secured
a place in the naval service af1oat as
an acting masters mate. Restored
in the following October to his rank
as midshipman, he was advanced in
July, 1862, to the grade of Lieuten-
ant, and henceforth for period of
nearly three years underwent arduous
yet admirable training for what was
to prove the master achievement of
his career.
Veterans like Admiral Ammen and
Admiral Roe, who knew Cushing well
and loved him as an elder loves a
younger brother, delight to dwell
upon the daring deeds performed by
him during the first years of the civil
war. Shrewdness in the planning
and boldness in execution marked
them all-this, too, in service and
at a time when lack of gallantry
meant sure and quick disgrace. In
November, 1862, Cushing, then in
command of the steamer Ellis, was
ordered to capture jacksonville,
thirty-five miles from the sea, inter
cept the Wilmington(N. C.)mail, and
destroy the salt works at New River
Inlet He captured large mail, and
then, entering New River Inlet, as
cended to Jacksonville, where he cap
tured two Confederate prizes and
shelled Confederate camp. Return
ing, the pilot hesitated to cross the
bar in the waning light, and when
the Ellis got under way early next
morning she soon went hard aground.
A day-long effort to release her
proved fruitless. At dusk the crew
transferred everything except the
pivot gun from the steamer to one OF
the captured schooners, and dropped
down to place of safety a mile and
a half below.
CUsHING's DARING DEEDS.
However, Cushing, with six volun-
} teers, remained on board the Ellis,
and next morning sought an engage
ment with the Confederate batteries
on shore. Fighting began at day
light, the enemy waging fierce cross
fire with ritied guns. From the first
the contest was seen to be hopeless
one, but Cushing fought his single
gun until it was disabled, after which
he fired the Ellis and with his men
escaped to the schooner and gained
the open.
Other forays on the enemy, clever
ly planned and admirably executed
by Gushing, followed, reaching an
apt climax in what was declared by
Farragut to be the most dauntless
deed ever performed by an American
naval officer. Early in 1864 Union
fleet of six gunboats began block
ade of the Roanoke River which prom
> ised to be effective until word cam
that forty miles up stream the enemy
were constructing a ship far more
powerful than anything yet put
atioat in those waters-the Albemarle
The vessel was 1852 feet long and A
feet beam. sheathed by a complete
armor of iron. while sloping roof o.
iron shielded her primary battery
from attack. This primary battery
consisted of two 100-pound rifles and
she had also a secondary battery O.
four howitzers.
THE TERRIhLE ALBEMARLE.
The finishing touches were giver
the Albemarle in the opening days o
April. Steaming down the river
under command of Capt. J. w. Cooke
she engaged the Union fleet on the
10th of that month, and in the stub
born and desperate fight that fol
lowed sank one gunboat, the South
field: disabled another, the Mama
and Joined with the Confederate lanC
forces in the recapture Of the town o
Plymouth. A few weeks later shs
again encountered the Union fleet
and after doing much damage to hel
opponents again returned uninJuret
to her anchorage at Plymouth. II
both OF her conflicts the Union Cap
tains sought by every means at thei1
A command, to conquer or disable thu
Albemarle, but failed each time
Shot from the heaviest ritled cannon
l were unable to penetrate or breal
her armor plates, and when rammet
by one OF her opponents. the Sassa
Gus, she not only escaped with triflins
damages, but in return effected tn.
complete disablement of the Fedora
steamer. There was no Northern
vessel of light draft which could cop
on equal terms with this new ..ter
ror of the seas" and it soon becam,
evident that. unless other means o
comprising her destruction wer
found. she would clear the offiHg O
every Federal gunboat and wrest from
the Northern forces the Southern sea
hoard sounds.
II Indeed. so wholesome was the fear
and So bitter the hate, with whic