The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1898-05-27
'CUSHING'S BIG FEAT.
HI COMMANDED THE FIRST TOR
PEDo BOAT IN WAR.

NOUS ExpedltlOn 1nat DUNK ING SOnACeAoA'
ate IroncIad AIbemarIe, Lives at Hamp-
stead, N. 81.
Between the two villages Of Hamp-
stead, N. H, twelve miles north of the
city of Haverhill, Mass, resides Daniel
George, the sole survivor of the famous
expedition of Lieut.. Gushing, which
sunk the rebel ram Albermarle near
the close of the American civil war.
Cushing himself was only 81 years
old when he undertook this adventure,
and he possessed all the fire and agil-
ity of youth. Every mothers son of
his twelve followers had tact as well as
daring in his makeup.
The party started in a diminutive
launch, such as was carried as a ten
der by the smaller gunboats Of the
navy.
Extending from her bow was a spar
and on the end of the spar was fixed
a torpedo of common gunpowder, the
outfit arranged so as to be lowered
when desired. This converted the
launch into the first steam torpedo
boat known to the world. The tor
pedo was to be fired by lanyard
The night was black as Egypt, yet
with this advantage the path of the lit.
tie steamer was beset with difficulties.
The Albermarle lay eight miles up the
River Roanoke, whose channel is
crooked as a rams horn, with an aver.
age width of not more than 200 yards.
Despite their fancied security the Con-
federates, in view of the Importance
of the big ironclad to their cause, had
taken every precaution to protect her
from just such an attack as Cushing
and his comrades were making Bon
fires were kept burning along the
shore, and two companies of infantry
were bivouacked on the wharf to which
the rebel battleship was moored, while
her crew vigilantly kept double
watch.
Notwithstanding the Confederate
pickets on either bank the little tor
pedo boat felt her way along, past the
wreck of the sunken Southfield, up the
tortuous channel of the Roanoke,
guarded by lines of rebel batteries, and
was not molested until hailed by the
marine sentries on board the Abe
marie.
This was signal for the cutter to
make dash for her huge antagonist.
There was a big alarm on the deck of
the ram and on shore, and it was
real alarm, too. To those in the as
sailing boat the air seemed filled with
bullets, yet the little steamer paused
not. Under full head of steam she
dashed against the boom of logs,
which. in place of the more modern
netting, protected the Southern fight
ing machine.
At this moment the launch received
charge of canister from one of the
howitZers on the main deck of the
ram. She needed it not. The boom
Of logs was pushed in by the impact
of the charge of the launch. Then
came the critical moment; the spar
torpedo was lowered.
AT this moment one of the ports of
the Albemarle opened and heavy
pivot gun protruded. The torpedo of
the assaulting craft exploded with
roar with which was blended the sharp
thunder of the pivot gun. The launch
was shattered into kindlings and the
members Of her crew-killed, wound
ed and battered-were left in the hos
tile water.
The damage to the ironclad was not
so great as those who planned her de-
etruction hoped. The torpedo, owing
to the restraining influence of the
boom Of logs, did not lie snug to the
ship when it exploded. But the ex-
plosion opened 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 IN
done. 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 en-
emy'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
HOE uIluSSl AuOuS CHOS0 dDl0 10
swim were Lieut.. 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 and did.
Lieut.. Cushing survived his great
triumph only few years, but his in
trepidity won him place among the
brayest men of naval history.
Woodpecl1ers Eat Poles.
Readheaded woodpeckers have de-
stroyed, during two years, carload