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

thing suspicious and to send up fire
rockets in case of an attack. 1t wa.
raining hard when we entered tn,
river. All went we'll until we reached
the wreck of the Southfield, but there
we were discovered and hailed by tn,
Confederate pickets. Upon our re
fusing to answer and running clos,
to them they opened fire. Five min
utes afterward it was known at Ply
mouth that danger was impending
and everything there was on tn,
alert. Accordingly Lieut.. Gushing
resolved to return to the fleet, which
was done.
''At 8 O'Clock on the following
night we again entered the mouth o
the Roanoke, and, passing the plac,
where we had been discovered tn,
evening before, counted ourselve.
safe and well on our mission. JUS
| before entering the river we haC
| taken in tow a small cutter with
few men. whose duty it was to dasl
on board the wreck of the SouthtielC
at the first hail and prevent an,
warning being given. Fortune, how
ever, was with us and we passed
within thirty feet of the pickets with
out being discovered. Plymouth lie.
on high land. Opposite it, on the
north side of the ruins, is a great
dense swamp. AS soon as we turned
the bend in the river we could see
the lights of the town. Huggins
the swamp side and keeping vel
within the shade of the overhanging
moss and timber, we kept on oul
way without being seen until there
arose before us a black object stand.
ing out of the water near the lower
end of the town. This we concluded
to be the Albemarle, but upon steam.
ing toward it found it to be pile OF
coal on a dock. Disappointed, we
returned to the north side and con
tinued on up the river for another
quarter of a mile.
ATTACK ON THE RAM.
again taking our bearings we de.
scribed a second black object across
the river-unquestionably the ram al
her dock. 1t was very dark and al
first we felt our way with utmost
caution, but when two-thirds of the
way across the cutter was cast of
and the signal given the engineer te
turn on full steam. With exhaust
turned in and sparks flying from the
stack we went full ahead at the
enemy. Almost Immediately we
were discovered and hailed. No an
swer was made to the first two calls
A third time the cry came:
"'Boat ahoy! What boat come:
there?'
standing in the bow of the launch
the torpedo lines in his hands, oul
leader shouted:
"'We'll soon let you know
This retort was answered by 9
rifle shot from the lookout on the
ram. At the same instant the gong
| was sounded, the whistle blown, and
| the bell rung. Then hell broke loose
on the Albemarle, and in less time
than it takes to tell it her ports were
thrown open and her guns trained
upon us. Yet on we rushed, paving
| no heed to the shot and shell tina,
| pIO" GU luC NdtCI Ou ali SlucS W.
| did not know that the ram had beer
surrounded by a log boom, extending
about twenty feet from her hull, ant
our little craft, going at her best
| speed, struck this boom head on, ant
| leaped almost over it. This CAV,
Gushing his opportunity. A strong
pull of the detaching line, mo
| hn tnrnnIl 4,
rise under the hull. followed instant
ly by mighty upheaval, and oul
work was done.
| There was no need Of Cushing!
cry for us to save ourselves. | hao
already cast off my cutlass, pistols
and shoes, and now, as the launch
sank beneath us, leaped into tn,
water. On coming up from my div
| found | was quite under the SHADOW
of the dock to which the Albemarl,
had been moored. Soon the rive
was lighted by torches and lanterns
and everything floating was fired on
lest one of our party might escape
| Hugging the shore as closely a
possible. swan long distance dowl
stream, and then crawled into SOM
long grass near the river bank
When morning came l found mysel
within a stones throw of path lead
ing from Fort Gardner to Plymouth
All dav | lay in the grass, not DARN,
to stir for fear of discovery, but afte
nightfall made my way down stream
walking cautiously along the shore
and having to wade and swim througl
many swamps and tributary streams
In the early morning of the secon'
day fell in with an old colored man
who gave me little corn bread am
kept me until night, when | proceede'
down the river in a scow, at las
reaching the Whitehead, which wa
on picket duty. Ragged, dirty, am
well nigh exhausted, | was taken t
the flagship, where | reported to tn
commander, after which | was sen
to the Chicopee to compare note
with Cushing, who had arrived tn
day before and reported the success
of our enterprise
CUsHING's OWN STORY.
Gushing has left graphic recor
of his own adventures after the dc
struction Of the Albemarle. All G
his followers. except McDermaid
were either killed or captured. an
he himself had dozen narrow es
capes from death. '.Completelv eN
hausted." he writes, Il managed t
reach the shore some distance belo'
tho town hut was too weak to craW
out of the water until Just at day
light when / managed to creep int
the swamp, close to the fort. Afte
several hours travelling in the swamp
l encountered negro, and sent hir
into the town for news of the ran
L L xS..>AL