The Washington times., 1915-09-29
very severe engagement doing much

damage.
The Government had no ironclsd that
could enter the sounds. Tho fleet Of
from the Albemarle and. with their Dc.
feat. Newbern. Roanoke Island and all
that section OF North Carolina would
be at the mercy Of the Albemarie. and
Confederate forces. The expense Of
keeping a large fleet in the sound was
great, and the situation was a serious
problem to the Government.
About this time. or later. there appear
seeo4s for ne Sss
accomplishment OF purpose. In many
hazardous expeditions he had under
taken. His zeal. energy. and resourceful-
ness were remarkable for young man
details to his superior officer. which re-
ceived his approval and also that Of
Secretary Of the Navy Welles. Experi-
ments had developed the practibility OF
nary steam launches. and there were
two such launches constructed that
were lying in the Brooklyn navy yard
having torpedo booms and torpedoes fit
ted to them.
A portion OF the mechanical contri-
vances for operating these booms was
worked out bv hand in the blacksmith
shop OF the navy yard personally by the
late Chief George E. Mel
vile. The launches were open with
mounted l2-pound Howitzer, They
were fitted with low pressure engines
and propellers. thirty-five to forty feet
In length. nine feet six-inch beam. and
drew from forty to forty-two inches of
water. The operating and successful
manipulation OF the boom and torpedo
required great GOODNESS. presence Of
mind and nerve. On the end OF the
boom was a specially contrived mechan-
ism for holding the torpedo. which was
hnnm W Of
lanyard: bv use Of another lanyard the
torpedo was exploded.
Epic In Naval History.
These launches were selected. manned
and put into commission under charge
Of the young officer. who. after many
obstacles and hardships. succeeded in
reaching Hampton Roads with one of
the launches. the other one having run
ashore and was captured with its crew
by the Confederates in the lower end
OF Chesapeake bay. The young officer
reached Albenarle Sound. and the story
of how he destroyed the ram and his
miraculous ESCAPE from death is an epic
in the naval history Of our country
The Roanoke river is a stream aver.
aging $50 yards in width and quite deep.
empties into Albemarle sound about
eight miles below Plymouth, N. C..
which was garrisoned by a large Con-
federate force and well fortified by sew
eral forts and earthworks. The ram
was moored to the dock. surrounded by
a log barrier. About a mile below the
mooring place Of the ram the river
was partially obstructed by the wreck
of the Southfield. which had been sunk
by the ram at the attack in May pre-
vious. and as her hurricane deck was
above the water II was used by a guard
or lookout to give notice or signal to
the guard at Plymouth of any vessel
or boat going up the river. Both sides
of the river were In the hands Of Con-
federates. 1t would appear almost i'm.
possible for any boats to ascend the
river without an alarm being raised.
Alarm Is Given.
On the night of October 27. 1864, the
launch, manned by fifteen officers and
men, and having In tow a ships cutter
with the same number Of men. left the
sound and steamed up the Roanoke
river. The night was very dark. with
light drizzling rain. On arriving at the
obstruction in the river the launch and
tow steamed silently past without dis.
covery or an alarm. 1t was the original
intention to board the ram and stjxN
her and take her down into the sound.
but, on approaching the dock and ram
a lookout hailed the boats" and. get.
ting no response, fired his gun.
The cutter was cast off with orders
to 80 down the river aRd seize the