Year: 1864

From the Army and Navy Gazette.l


AS history of the recent disaster of
the U. S. steamer Housatonic may be of
interest to many of your readers, 1 will
attempt a brief statement OF facts:


On the evening of February 18th, the
Housatonic was anchored outside the bar.
two and half miles from Breach Inlet
battery, and five miles and three -fifths
from the ruins of Sumter-her usull sta
ion on the blockade. There was but lit.
tie wind or sea, the sky was cloudlcss aud
the moon shining brightly. A slight mist
rested on the water, not sufficient. howev-
er, to prevent our discerning other vessels
on the blockade two or three miles away.
The usual lookouts were stationed on the
forecastle, in the gangway and on the
quarterback. oci


AT about S:45 of the first watch, the of.
ficer Of the deck discovered, while looking
in the direction of Breach Inlet battery, q
slight disturbance Of the water like that
produced by porpoise. At that time it
appeared to be about one hundred Yards
distant AMI a-beam. The Quartermastsr
examined it with his glass and pronounced
il school of fish. As it was evidently
nearing the ship, orders were at once Civ
en- to slip the chain, beat to quarters, and
call the captain. just after issuing these
orders, the Masters Mate from the fore
castle reported the suspicious appearance
to the officer in charge. The officers and
men were promptly on deck, but by this
time the submarine machine was SO near
us that its form and the phosphorescent
light produced by Its motion through the
water were plainly visible. At the call to
quarters it had stopped, or nearly SO. and
then moved towards the stern of the ves-
sci, probably to avoid our broadside guns.
When the Captain reached our deck, it
was on the starboard quarter, and SO near
us that all attempts to train gun on it
were futile. Several shots were fired into
it from revolvers and rifles; it also receiv-
g | two charges OF buckshot from the Cap
tain's gun.


The chain had been slipped and the en-
giaes had just began to move, when the
crash came, throwing timbers and splin-
ters into the air, and apparently blowing
off the entire stern Of the vessel. This was
Immediately followed by fearful rushing
of water, the rolling out of dense. black
smoke from the stack, and the settling of
the We, sci.


/ Orders were at once given to clear away
the boats, and the men sprang to tho work
with will. But we were filling too rap
idly. The ship gave a lurch to port and
all the boats on that side were swamped
Many men and some officers jumped over
board and clung to such portions Of the
wreck as came within reach, while others
sought safety in the rigging and tops.-
fortunately we were IN but twenty eight
feet of water, and two of the boats on the
starboard side were lowered. Most Of
those who had jumped overheard were Ell
ther picked up or swan back to the wreck.
The two boats then pulled for the Canaan
daigua, one and a half miles distant. As
sistance was promptly rendered by that
vessel 10 those rena ming on the wreck.
At muster next morning. five of onr
number were found missing. The Captain
was thrown several feet into the air by the
force of the explosion, and was painfully
bat not dangerously bruised and cut.


1t was the opinion of all who saw the
strange craft, that it was very nearly or
entirely under water, that there was q,
smoke stack, that 1t was from twenty to
thirty feet In length, and that it was
noiseless in her motion through the water.
1t was not seen after the explosion. The
ship was struck on tho starboard side
sbaft the mizzen mast. The force of the
explosion seems to have been mainly nm
ward. A piece ten feet square was blown
out Of her quarter deck, all the beams and
carlines being broken transversely across.
The heavy spanker boom was broken in
its thickest part, and the water for some
distance was white with splinters of oak
and pine.


Probably not more than one minute
elapsed IRON the time the torpedo was first
seen until We were struck, and not over
three or four, minutes could have passed
between the explosion and the sinking ol
. the ship. Had we been struck in any 9th
er part. or before the alarm had been given
J the loss of life would have been much
greater. s -


The Housatonic was steam sloop,
t with tonnage Of 1.240. and she carried 9
r battery of thirteen guns She was com
pleted sbout eighteen months ago, end hs'
+, been in the blockade ever since. She j.
the first vessel destroyed by contrivanct
Of this character. and this fact gives e
this lamentable affair Significance which
It would not otherwise possess. Desert


ers tell us that there are other machines o
t this kind in the harbor ready to come ont
S and that several more are in process o
: cpnstrHction. The country cannot atten'
S too earnestly to the dangers W which threate'
: our blockading fleets. and the gunboat
y and steamers on the southern rivers.