Part 10

"At night, Lieutenant Cushing struck through the swamp, and after the greatest and most exhausting toil and pain--as he was in his stocking-feet, and continually plunging over roots, briers, logs, oyster-shells, and lacerating his flesh severely--he reached a point four miles below the town, where he discovered a skiff used by a picket. Watching his chance, he seized this, and, with a single paddle, paddled off to the squadron, four miles distant, which he reached in safety. Only one besides himself--William Holton, a sailor on the Chicopee, who had volunteered on the occasion--returned to the squadron. He was picked up by the Valley City, the following day, nearly exhausted.

"Lieutenant Cushing immediately came here on the special despatch-boat Valley City, and reported to Admiral D. D. Porter. To-night he will go to Washington and report to the Department. He is worn out and in need of rest, which we hope he will be permitted to enjoy.

"This last brave and gallant action of his is likely to gain him an advance of one grade in his rank, and it will also, if the law is rightly construed, be a great financial success, which is somewhat more substantial. His share of the prize-money from the Albemarle, if she is fairly placed at a valuation, would be in the neighborhood of fifty thousand dollars, an acceptable sum to any one. Lieutenant Cushing has been ordered to the command of the gun-boat Monticello, which will await him until his return from a short leave.

"The destruction of the Albemarle will release the large squadron of powerful light-draught vessels which have, since her debut last May, been maintained in the Sound. They can go elsewhere now.

"On a reconnoissance by the Valley City, to within a mile of Plymouth, it was discovered that the enemy had sunk the schooners which were engaged in attempting to raise the Southfield, directly across the channel, thus temporarily blockading the river. Although the town was in sight, not a trace could be seen of the rebel ram; and it is proved in other ways, beyond a doubt, that she lies in thirty feet of water, from which it will be impossible to raise her again.

"Captain Walley, who had assumed command of the ship only three weeks ago--relieving Captain Cook, who commanded her in the action of May last--began his duties in a very bombastic style. He mustered his officers and men, and assured them that in three weeks he could again attack the enemy and sink and scatter his fleet, and then he would re-take Newbern and drive the Yankees from every foot of North Carolina soil. With the Albemarle and their aid, with the co-operation of the gallant army, he would, before the new year, regenerate the state, and leave not a trace of a Yankee within its borders.

"It is not improbable that he might have effected a good deal of damage, and perhaps have endangered for the time being our tenure of Newbern and Roanoke Island, as he was nearly ready for his raid. Thanks, however, to the gallant Cushing and his brave comrades, through whose coolness, courage, and skill the coup de main was so admirably administered to the mailed monster, all danger has passed, and another destructive blow has been given to the declining rebel navy.

"A meed of credit and praise should be awarded to Chief Engineer William W. W. Wood, of the navy, to whose inventive abilities and experience in submarine warfare we owe the contrivance of the torpedo and the successful arrangement by which it is handled and exploded. The one fired by Lieutenant Cushing contained but fifty pounds of powder; but it did its work to a charm. There was no chance of its failing in his hands. The entire arrangement is exceedingly ingenious, and it would be manifestly improper to describe at this time.

"The cutters of the Shamrock, we omitted to mention, captured four rebel soldiers on picket on the Southfield, and brought them along safely to the squadron.

"THE ALBEMARLE.

"The Albemarle was an iron-clad vessel, similar in general features to the Merrimac and Tennessee, but much stronger. It is said her iron mail was twelve inches in thickness, and backed by several feet of solid timber. She was armed with two two-hundred pound Brooke's rifles, and was perfectly shot-proof. Her weak point proved to be below. She could have been captured only by ramming, and for that purpose much heavier vessels were needed than any that could be got into the Sound. The torpedo was the only means of destroying her, and that proved successful when tried.

"The Albemarle is probably the last formidable vessel that the rebels have in the inland waters of North Carolina, and they will hardly have an opportunity of building more."

"THE HERO OF THE ALBEMARLE IN WASHINGTON.

"WASHINGTON, NOV. 2, 1864.

"Lieutenant Cushing arrived here to-day, bringing with him the official report of the particulars attending his destruction of the rebel ram Albemarle. This act relieves all the sounds of North Carolina from floating enemies, and thus leaves them free to the operations of our fleet. Lieutenant Cushing is a citizen of, and was appointed from, the State of New York. He is satisfied that a large number of lives must have been lost by the blowing up, as the Albemarle's guns were all manned. The Secretary of the Navy will recommend to Congress a vote of thanks, and he will be promoted to a Lieutenant Commander."

After landing Captain Wm. B. Cushing aboard the flag-ship of the fleet, the Valley City the same day, at 2-1/4 p.m., weighed anchor, and proceeded to Norfolk, Va., and from thence to the United States Navy Yard at Gosport, Va., and was put there on the dry dock for repairs. After the repairs of the Valley City were finished, on Sunday, November 27, at 4-1/2 p.m., we got under weigh, and arrived at Hampton Roads, Va., at 6-1/2 o'clock p.m. On Monday, November 28th, at 11-1/2 o'clock, a.m., we weighed anchor, and arrived at Hatteras Inlet at 9-1/2 o'clock a.m., Tuesday, November 29. At 2 o'clock a.m., on Wednesday, November 30, the Valley City arrived at Plymouth, and at 3-1/2 o'clock of the same morning the Valley City was ordered to Newbern: we weighed anchor and proceeded towards Newbern. We arrived at Roanoke Island at 11-1/2 o'clock a.m. Our orders were then countermanded, and at 2 p.m. the Valley City steamed towards Plymouth, where we arrived at 10. p.m.

During the month of November, 1864, whilst the Valley City was absent at Norfolk, the remainder of the fleet, commanded by Commander Wm. H. Macomb, steamed up the Roanoke river, then across through Middle river, and then up the Cashie river to Roanoke river, down which it steamed and made an attack on Plymouth, which, after a hot action, fell into the hands of the Federals. The ram Albemarle was soon afterwards raised by the United States government.

On Thursday, December 1, I went ashore at Plymouth, and observed the ram Albemarle as she lay at the bottom of the river. At 12:15 p.m., we left Plymouth, and arrived at off Edenton at 2 p.m., and at 4 p.m., the Valley City weighed anchor for Roanoke Island, where we arrived at 8 o'clock, a.m., December 2, and at 9-1/2 o'clock p.m. the Valley City left Roanoke Island, arrived at Newbern at 1 o'clock p.m., Saturday, December 3d; Sunday, December 4, I attended church at Newbern.

Monday, December 5, I visited the graves of Captain Charles W. Flusser and Acting Assistant-Surgeon George W. Wilson. The latter died after two hours' sickness, of yellow fever. He was stationed, at the time, on the United States steamer Hetzel, off Newbern, and was the surgeon of that vessel when he contracted the disease. He was a young man, and was expecting soon to return North and visit his aged parents, and also a betrothed young lady. They waited, but he never came.

On Tuesday, December 6th, at 4 o'clock p.m., we left Newbern, with Commander W. H. Macomb and his son on board, and on Wednesday, December 7, at 8-1/2 o'clock a.m., we arrived off Roanoke Island. The Valley City left Roanoke Island at 12 o'clock m., and arrived at Plymouth at 10 p.m. On Thursday, December 8, at 12-1/2 o'clock p.m., we left Plymouth and arrived at Edenton at 2-1/2 o'clock p.m. We left Edenton at 8 o'clock p.m., and anchored at 10 o'clock p.m., at the mouth of the Roanoke river, where the U.S. steamer Ceres and a schooner were anchored. On Friday, December 9, at 9 o'clock a.m., the Valley City weighed anchor and proceeded to Plymouth, where she arrived at 10 o'clock a.m.

RAINBOW BLUFF.

HOW A FLEET WENT UP THE ROANOKE AND CAME DOWN AGAIN.

In the fall of 1864, when General U.S. Grant was shortening his lines around Petersburg, it was his policy to have every man, both in the army and navy, employed, in order to draw off as many as possible from General Lee's forces at Petersburg. Accordingly, for the purpose of capturing Rainbow Bluff, the fleet composed of the United States steamers Wyalusing, Otsego, General Berry, Bazeley, Valley City, Chicopee, tug Belle, and the picket launch No. 5, weighed anchor at 5 p.m., December 9, 1864, and proceeded up the Roanoke river, with Commander W. H. Macomb on board the Wyalusing leading, the Valley City second, and the Otsego third, followed by the Chicopee, Bazeley, General Berry, tug Belle, and the steam launch No. 5.

Commander Macomb was informed by what he supposed was reliable authority that there were no torpedoes in the river from Plymouth to above Jamesville, twelve miles up the river. A fortunate occurrence for the Valley City took place on our passage to Jamesville. The engine of the Valley City gave out, and the engineer slowed up and repaired the damage, the Otsego in the meantime passing on ahead. By this circumstance the Valley City became third, and the Otsego second. We arrived off Jamesville about 9 p.m. The Wyalusing signaled the fleet to come to anchor, and just as the fleet was slowing up previously to anchoring, we heard a loud report, the concussion of which shook the Valley City, which was a short distance off, as if there were an earthquake in the locality. Presently it was reported that the Otsego was lost, two torpedoes, one before and the other aft, striking her simultaneously, and sinking her to the bottom of the river. From some fortunate occurrence, the Wyalusing had passed safely over the place where the Otsego was blown up.

On the following day, December 10, there was found to be a perfect nest of torpedoes in the river off Jamesville, and while passing near by the wreck of the Otsego, the Bazeley was blown literally to pieces, Captain Aimes, in command of her, and the pilot and also paymaster, Louis Sands, of the Shamrock, were in the pilot-house at the time the explosion took place, and were blown with the pilot-house about thirty feet into the air, and alighted in the river unhurt. William C. Rossell, a lad, and John Gerrard, first-class boy, were killed. Captain Aimes then immediately reported to Commander Macomb that "the Bazeley is gone up," but by that time she had gone down.

The Roanoke river, from Jamesville to Poplar point, a distance of thirty miles, was dredged for torpedoes. In all, in the river between these two points, the dredging party took up and exploded eighty torpedoes. From Jamesville on, the Valley City took the lead, having previously rigged a torpedo-fender on her bow. The river was dredged by means of six boats' crews, each two of which were paired, rowing about twenty feet apart, with a chain suspended between them, dragging along the bottom of the river. Each torpedo was anchored at the bottom of the river by means of a rope, one end of which was tied to the torpedo, the other end to a staple fastened in the centre of the surface of a hemisphere of iron six inches in diameter, resting at the bottom of the river. The rope was sufficiently long to float the torpedo just beneath the surface of the water. The torpedoes were made of tin, each about eighteen inches long and ten inches in diameter, and divided into two separate apartments, one for air, the other for powder. Through the centre of each torpedo, running longitudinally, there was an iron bar placed, extending beyond each end. On the upper end there was a spring trigger, which was held by a light iron cross bar, ingeniously attached to the longitudinal bar, so arranged that from the lightest touch it would fall off, letting the trigger fall on the upper part of the torpedo, striking a percussion cap immediately underneath it in the powder chamber, thus exploding the torpedo.

The boats were protected as much as possible by the Valley City following close after, watching the banks of the river on either side. There were dykes on each side of the river, behind which in the undergrowth the rebels often lurked. To obviate this, Commander W. H. Macomb ordered the marines to march a short distance ahead of the dredge-boats on either side of the river; but notwithstanding this precaution, the men in the dredge-boats were fired into, and several were either wounded or killed by the sharpshooters. Sometimes the marines ashore would be driven back. The farther up the river we proceeded, the more numerous the rebels became, and the more our difficulties increased. The men in the dredge-boats did not consider the place a very safe one by any means, and often went into the boats with many forebodings. It was not a desirable place either on the Valley City, for there was a constant dread of torpedoes below and sharpshooters above.

UP AND DOWN THE RIVER.