The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-05-25

howitzers on the main deck OF the
ram. She needed it not. The boom
of logs was pushed in by the compact
Of the charge of the launch. Then
came the critical moment; the spal
torpedo was lowered.
At this moment one Of the ports OF
the Albema lie opened and heavy
pivot gun protruded. The torpedo OF
the assaulting craft exploded with a
roar with which was blended the sharp
thunder Of the pivot guns. The
launch was shattered into kindling,
and the members Of her crew-killed,
wounded and battered-were left in
the hostile water.
The damage to the ironclad was not
so great as those who planned her de-
struction hoped. The torpedo, owing
to the restraining influence Of the
boom Of logs, did not lie snug to the
ship which it exploded. But the cx-
plosion opened a seam below the YES
sells water line. A panic seized her
crew and her guards, and what might
have been accomplished had her
pumps been manned promptly, was
left undone. Everybody deserted,
the ship sank, and no effort was ever
made to raise her.
But the crew of the launch had no
such easy time as those ashore. Cast
into the river directly under the enc
my's fire, they were in desperate
straits. AS many as were able to
swim went to the middle of the stream,
and then they separated, every man
for himself. Among those able to
swim were Lieutenant Gushing and
Seaman George, from New Hampshire.
The survivors made their way to the
shores on either side at various places,
and, although in the enemy's country,
most of them finally managed to reach
the ships of the fleet and there tell of
the success Of the object for which
they dared danger.
But most of those who survived the
desperate onslaught succumbed to the
effects Of the subsequent exposure
and lived only few years. The last
of these brave sailors excepting Mr..
George,) was 7. S. Gay, Of Ports
mouth, N. H., a sailmaker in the
navy with a warrant officers berth,
who died few years ago. Mr.. Gay
and George were great cronies during
the last six years of the sailmaker's s
life.
Lieutenant Cushing survived his
great triumph only few years, but
his int. epidity won him place among
the bravest men Of naval history.
Daniel George, the present sole survi-
vor of the torpedo launch, was born at
Plaistow, N. H., town Of considera-
BILE picturcsqueness on the State line
of Massachusetts ffty-two years ago.
He gave up sea-faring after the war
and settled in the neighboring town Of
Hampstead, where he married Miss
Mary Beardsley. Eleven children
have been the result of the union.
Most Of the offspring continue to live
with or near the parents in Hamp-
stead, but one or two have gone out
into the world, and the eldest daugh-
ter, girl of striking beauty, was
married this spring to one Of the lead
ing merchants at Law le4ce, Mass.
In speaking of the destruction of the
Albemarle, Mr.. George declared that
Lieutenant Gushing insisted on pull
ing the lanyard, which fired the torpe-
do ith his own hands.
II stood by his side and manned
one of the lines that let fall the spar
and guided it into place. continued
the sailor. ''lt took men with some
grit to do that kind Of work. he
added.