The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1898-05-12
TWO THRILLING ADNEN-
TURES.

| the ederal government sent neetS o,
war vessels to blockade all the ira
portant southern ports. This result
ed in almost almost entirely shutting
off the south from trade with foreign
countries, and was severe loss tC
the Confederates, for it made al
goods and provisions very scarce and
very dear So they resorted to every
means in their power to drive the
Federal ships away.
When the usefulness and terrible
destructive power Of torpedoes com
menced to be realized. the southern
| inventors turned their attention to
devising means by which these sub
marine engines might be effectively
used.
The result was little iron boat
called the DAVID, about thirty five
feet long and seven broad, shaped like
a cigar and built of iron. This craft
could be sunk to any depth by letting
water into a tank and could be raised
to the surface again by pumping it
| out. The boat could stay under wa
ter half hour before compelled to
come up for fresh air.
The David required crew of nine
men and was propelled by working
the shaft of the screw by hand. Ii had
a speed of about five miles an hour
The vessel had two means of ex
ploding the torpedoes. One was a
long spar projecting from the bow,
on the end of which the explosive was
placed. The other was a floating tor
pedo which was dragged after the
boat. In using the latter the David
| was intended to sink and pass be
meath the enelny's vessel, thus drag
ging the torpedo down and against
her side, the conclusion causing it to
explode.
As soon as this novel craft was com
pleted, Lieutenant Paine, of the Con
| federate navy, manned it with eight
volunteers and set out to attack the
Union fleet off Charleston While
moving slowl y from the barbor the
swell of passing steamer caused the
cranky boat to oyerturn. Lieutenant
Paine WAS standing on the deck and
was able to keep himself ahoat until
picked up, but the unfortunate men
were all below, working the screw,
and were drowned.
This was discouraglng and awful
| keginning, but Lieutenant Paine was
not daunted. The boat was raised
and be called for another crew. A
large number Of brave men volunteer
ed to man the risky craft, and eight of
them were selected.
Again the little David started on its
mission of destruction. While NOV
ing smoothly along opposite Fort
| Sumter it suddenly upset without ap
parent cause and the crew below, help
lessly imprisoned, were all drowned
Lieutenant Paine and two of the men
were fortunate enough to be working
on deck and escaped.
Fourteen men had thus uselessly
sacrificed their lives and the David
lay at the bottom of the sea. One
| would think that this experience
would have convinced everyone that
nothing could be accomplished with
the treacherous craft
But Mr.. Aunley, the inventor of the
| boat, thought the accidents had oc
| Cured through mismanagement,a and
insisted on taking trip in it himself
| SO 1t was once more raised, another
crew secured, and he proceeded to
show what the David could do. 1t
stood the trial very nicely and Mr.
Aunley attempted to prove that it
would endure every test. He finally
closed up the matches and went be
meath the water From some unknown
cause the boat became unmanageable
while submerged and could not be
forced to the surface. MIR. Aunley
and the crew of eight men were
| drowned
Once again this death trap crowded
with victims, was brought to the sur
face. 1t seems incredible that men
would again risk their lives in the
fatal craft, or even think of putting it
to further use. But, wonderful to re
late, as soon as the David was brought
above the surface nine more courage
GUS spirits came forward and demand
ed that they be allowed to tempt fate.
Can anyone imagine more ven
turesome undertaking. For daring
and herolsm it passes ali belief. Lieu
tenant Dixon, of Mobile, was the bold
leader of this gallant crew. On the
night of February II, 1864, they set
out to attack the blockading fleet.
The Housatonic was the nearest yes
sci, and toward it the David slowly
moved.
That night the officer of the deck
on board the Union vessel noticed a
dark spot on the water about two
hundred feet away. 1t did not look
like boat, but resembleu large fish
He watched it closely and soon made
out that 1t was approaching the ship
Not receiving a reply and in order to
be prepared for every emergency, be
gave the alarm.
The crew was Instantly piped tc
quarters, the anchors raised and the
engines started. BY this time the
David was too close for the heavy
guns to be depressed enough tc strike
it, but a shower of rifle bullets was
poured ct the little craft, which, clat
tering against its iron sides. proclaim
ed to the officers of the Housatonic
that 1t was no fish they were dealing
with.
The engineer was at once signaled
to start the vessel, bu. before it could
gain headway the Davis came close
up and jammed it's torpedo agains,
the ships side. Instantly there was
tremendous explosion, the sound o.
crashing timber, mass of falling wa
Ter, and the Housatonic keeled over
hesltated moment, and then Wen
down stern foremost.
Fortunately the water was shalloy
and most of the crew saved themselye
10y clnging to the upper rigsin,
of the vessel. The other ships of th
blockading fleet hastened up and too
the men from the foundered ship.
Nothing more was seen of the d,