New-York tribune., 1901-11-17
THE OLD SASSACUS.
FAMOUS EXPLOIT OF A wARsHIP. NOW
AN ICE BARGE.

sad and bitter ore. They not infrequenty Gle
neglected and alone who were once the centres OF
attraction wherever they moved The sight of the
old Ice barge Sassacus which now lies at her dock
at the foot of West Forty -sixth-st-, calls this
vfvidly to mind Built gunboat at the be-
ginning of the Civil War her decks, which now
support the rigging for hosting ice, have re-
sounded to the tramp of armed men; her sides, now
scratched and scared by contact with many dock
and pier have beched forth smoke and death
dealing fire in more than one desperate struggle
There are four vessels formerly belonging to the
American navy now engaged in the ice carrying
trade on the Hudson. They are known as the
double enders'' by the icemen along the river,
lust as they were in the navy in 1851. when, a
new type of war vessel, they with others were
armed and manned and sent South to take no uh
important share in the labors Of that terrible
conflict They built to meet a sudden de
mand for a vessel combining considerable arma-
ment with light draught. and by the of rudders
a bow and stern possessing the power Of running
in and out of the shallow Southern sounds and
creeks, whence issued the small gunboats Of the
enemy's feet.
These boats the Sassacus. the Pawtuxet.
the Pontiac and the Chenango. The two former
were built Portsmouth, Va; the Pontiac
Philadelphia. and the Chenango at Brooklyn. Each
vessel built in 1861. had a wooden hull with
double copper sheathing. and side paddewheels. Of
feet draught. ana capable Of fourteen and half
knots speed hour. Each mounted eight guns
and had n crew OF l60 men. They cost the govern
rnent s157.Oo0 each. and were part of the fleet of
2ll vessels built or planned by the Federal Gov
ernment the outbreak Of the
It may that the Sassacus more active
service than other OF the double enders" This
Is the that such boats still spoken OF
OF the Sassacus class. The Sassacus went into COM
mission Boston October 8. 1862, under the
command Of Lieutenant Commander F. A Roe af-
terward admiral. and was assigned TO the
North Atlantic Squadron. She soon moved South
do scout and patrol duty against the blockade
runners until May. 1864 when she In the
vicinity OF Pamlco Sound. where the Federal fleet
was meeting with considerable and alarming
reverses. The Confederates had ironclad similar
the Merrimac and built to run in shallow waters.
called the A1bemarle which had attacked the
bockading feet, sunk the South1eid and driven the
rest of the Federal vessels from the vicinity. and.
as a result. Plymouth. y. c. fell into the enemys
hands
The Sassacus ordered from Hampton Roads
April % help I'm n determined effort TO batter
this formidable army pieces. She reached the
western end OF Albemarle, and anchored OF Plym-
outh with the rest of the Federal feet. under the
command OF Captain Smith of the Mattabessett.
this latter also double ender" In a council OF
war of the various commanders. held on May 2, the
line of battle drawn up and the vessels were
arranged in the following order: The Mattabes-
sett the Sassacus the Wyalusing the White
Head in the front. right. line and the rest with
the Miami in the lead in the second line 1t was
suggested then that the Albemare be rammed.
but Captain Smith preferred to try 10 wind up
something in her propeIlers, and disable her.
The matter of rammng was left 10 the discretion
OF the naval commanders. Lieutenant Commander
Roe has since said he had favored ramming. and
went into the battle determined to do So believing
It would be a good trade If he should destroy the
enemy by expending 'his vessel his crew. himself"
The Albemarle came down the Roanoke River
May s accompanied by the steamer Cotton
Planter loaded with troops and the captured Fed
eral gunboat the Bonabshe. loaded with coal and
stores. Although the Confederate fleet WAS well
in sight and in battle array. the iron ram came
straight Her armed sides were well creased.
shining in the afternoons sun. The little fleet
In line except the flagship, the Mattabessett which
had low fires to save coal and got in line in time
only because the Albemare came on her 50 slowly
and cautiously 1t 4:f0 D. m. when the Able
marie opened battle by shot from her forward
guns, which pieces the launch OF the Malta
bessett The second shell from the source
damaged the fagshp's rigging.
The Albemarle, being headed for the Mattabes
with the intention of ramming her, that yes
sci starboarded her helm and circled the
the port. giving her g broadsde at close range
as she passed. and afterward came around the
enemys stern. crossing her wake. The Albemarle
falling TO strike the Malta bessett. turned on
sassacus, and that vessel narrowly escaped being
rammed she followed the lead of the flagship
around the Albemarle. giving her also broadside
as she passed. The Sassacus also put a broadside
into the Bombshell which surrendered the
Sassacus, though the Mattabessett's and
commander thought they had received its
render and so reported. The commander of the
Bombshe however. reported that he had sur
rendered the second in line which was the
Sassacus.
In the evoutions following the attempt of
Albemarie to the Sassacus and the receiving
of the surrender of the Bombshe by the Sassacus
the Mattabessett dropped of the Able
marie while the Sassacus was abeam and at
distance OF from three hundred to five hun
dred yards. Lieutenant Commander Roe saw
the chance for which he had hoped and
asked his navigators Can you strike herr"
Yes" answered Boutelle (afterward Congressman
from Maine). Then go for her. was the order
Boutelle shouted to the engineer that the time had
now come to get all possible speed out of his en-
gipss Engineer Hobby understood the situation
and to get all possible steam power resorted TO
"gagging' his engine the hand working gear being
called into play to hold the steam valves open
Hobby thus became part of the engine itself and
by the regular and unerring motions Of the lever
hurled forward the boat, giving 1t a fearful mo-
struck the Abernarle abaft her port beam Win SO
terrible q force that her bronze stem was driven
Sessacus hung there. and worked her engines al ~
full speed, trying to ride the AIbsmarie down
whle nring from all the small arms that could be
The forward movement of the Albemarle and the
showing OF the sassacus brought the vessels around
10 suh an angie that the starboard batteries of each
vessel could be used effectively. The second shot
from Ehe Albemarie entered the Sassacus abreast
or her foremast. four feet above the waterline on
the starboard side, travelling obliqueIy throueh
the dispensary. a bulkhead coal bunker sterhoaTd
inch stanchion; then passing through the sfeeraee
wardroom bulkheads, smashing doors and side
board. and. cutting through the magazine screen
glanced off and rolled into a starboard stateroom
instantly there WAS terrible rush OF steam
through the engine room driving ali hands rom
badly scaldinK fourteen. Without was sca,a ai1 ~
confusion: the yeY was cut a1 by the smoke md