The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1906-12-27


pose of attacking at all hazards the rebel
ram Albermarle there in the best man
ner to insure her destruction by running
her down by double-enderS, or in any
other manner which my Judgment Or
yours may suggest. The Miami and Ia
take with you the Mattahessett, Com
mander Febiger, and the Wyalusing,
Lieut.. Commander Queen. Leave with
all possible despatch, availing yourself
of the present high tides to enter the
Sounds.
| enclose copy of my instructions If
the DIST to Commander Davenport Cor
YOUR information and guidance, unless
Won find occasion to vary them for d
more promising plan of attack. Wish
ing you success and promotion l have
the honor to be
Respectfully yours,
S. p. LEE,
Acting Rear Admiral.
To show the Importance attached to this
ram | append the following resolution Of
the House of Representatives of the United
States, 3Sth Congress, desiring the Secre-
tary of the Navy to furnish information
concerning the construction of the c. $.
Ram Abermarle.
May ., 1864
On motion of Mr.. Nelson,
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Navy
be directed to furnish this House with all
the information in his possession concern
ing the construction OF the rebel ram Abe
marie, which participated i'll the recent
Rebel attack on the y. S. forces and yes
sells at or near Ply mouth also to inform the
House why the construction of said ram
was not prevented; whether any steps were
taken to prevent the same, or to guard
against the action of said ram; also what
action was taken In relation to the subjects
of this inquiry, and why the same was not
effective.
tAttest) EDW. MCPHERSON, Clerk.
1t always seemed somewhat strange why
! the Department should have selected Cap
tain Melancthon Smith to take charge in an
effort to destroy this formidable iron clad,
when so much was at stake. Captain Smith
was brave man, no doubt, but he was con-
tinually doing the wrong thing or was in
the wrong place at the right time or some
thing of that sort. At the capture of New
Orleans he was in charge of the U. S. ship
Mississippi. Lieut. George Duey was his
executive officer and that ship was always
behind or in the wrong place during that
fight; so much so that Admiral Farragut
neglected to make a report of the part taken
by that ship n the fight, though the report
was subsequently made and the Mississippi
did good work, for there was no chance to
do nothing in that fight. But SO far was she
removed from the flagship that the Admiral
knew nothing of the part she had taken
until several days after the fight was over.
Later in the same year, while Farragut'S
fleet was above the city of New Orleans on
the Mississippi river near Nicksburg, the
enemy opened fire on the Mississippi while
Capt Smith was on shore and the ship in
charge of Lieut.. Duey. The ship was
driven aground in the river and fire from
the rebel batteries was so hot that Lieut..
Duey thinking she would be destroyed,
after making a few unsuccessful efforts to
float her abandoned her to her fate, and a
short time after the officers and crew had
all left her she toatcd off herself and float
ed to place of safety; and Commander
Smith in his report of the affair not only
found an excuse for his absence from the
course in abandoning the ship to the mercy
of the rebel batteries. If volunteer officer
had done the like he would have been sum-
marily dismissed without a hearing. 1t was
a common remark throughout the fleet that
the Old ship Mississippi knew better how to
conduct herself in action than did her COM
manding officers. But to return to the sub
ject.
If a volunteer officer had done the like he
would have been summarily dismissed with
out hearing. 1t was a common remark
throughout the fleet that the old ship
Mississippi knew better how to conduct
herself in action than did her commanding
officers But to return to the subject
Captain Melancthon Smith brought into
about 1000 tons each. They were d new
class of vessels, built for river and shoal
water work, and were known as double
epders, or in other words both ends were
alike, with rudder at each end, the same
as the Commodore Hull. They were flat
bottomed and extremely light draft for
vessels of that size. Eight feet of water
was all UHey COulu tdht oFcI tllt val lHpo
| the sound at IIatteras Inlet, and they came
| over all right, SO that their draft of water
| could not have been more than feet, one
| foot less than the Commander Hull, which
was less than half the size of these ships.
| But subsequent events showed that we
could put the old Commodore Hull into
places where none of them dared follow
These three ships were assembled al
Roanoke Island. The object was not to lei
the Rebels know that they had anything tc
contend with in fight with the exception
| of the ships they knew to be there. Cap
tain Smith had visited us the day before
the fight in the Army Transport Trumpeter
and had made all his preparations to meet
the Rebel ram when she should appear
which we were hourly expecting. He was
very sanguine of success and had assured
us that in case we did destroy the ram he
would see to it that every officer that took q
part in the fight should receive promotion
These three ships came in the night before
the engagement and anchored behind d
point of land out of sight from the mouth Of
the Roanoke river and distant about Il
miles.
There ships were the Mattahessett, Com
mapder Febiger, on board which Flag Off
Ger Smith had hoisted his flag at the fore
Il - ,,,os tho Aou chin tbrourhout th.