SH '
“RGEZhPDUNDE’ANFO E?!
T W0 '5
SMALLPACKS 50°“- DnsrPAiii.
NORWALK GAZETTE WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 16 1889.
4&3?
CMAKEHENS W
9 LIKE: DE
DANSEUNDITiINPOW R
J
Sheridanus Condition Powder
is absolutely pure. and highly concentrated.
medicine, to be given in the food, once daily, in small
Worth its weight in gold when hens are nioulting, and to keep them healthy.
Ask your druggist, grocer,- general store, or feed dealer for it.
Take no other kind. We will send postpald by mail as followsz—A. new, enlarged,
by mail.
once to us.
One ounce is worth a. pound of any other kind. Strictlya .
Prevents and cures all diseases of hens.
doses. _ .
Testimonials sent free
If you can’t get it, send at
elegantly illustrated copy of the “FARMERS’ POULTRY RAISING GUIDE” (price 25 cents; tells how
to make money with a few hens), and two small packages of Powder for 60 cents; or, one large 2 1-4
bound can and Guide, $1.20. Sample package of Powder. 25 cents, five for $1.00. Six large cans, express
brepaid, for $5.00. Send stamps or cash.
UNAOQUAINTED WITH THE GEOGRAPHY OF THE COUNTRY, WILL OBTJ- .'.2
I. S. JOHNSON & 00.. 22 Custom-House Street. Boston, Mass.
MUCH VALUABLB INFORMATION FROM: A STUDY OF THIS MAP 01"
M10 N"l‘.
River
'1'
N 0.3
{Li'chltaF
“ new
1963. by E. St.
BIT-'17 war
ii (its;
(Chicago, Rock. Island 8:. Pacific and
Its main lines, branches
include Cnica, 7"" ‘
' 190131:
E, Kn
and Council
N W'atortown 311
9.. Joseph, and Kan:
:n l‘iEpRASKA—Eiorton,
Abilene, '
RADO. ‘7‘
) .
JL - L1.:<_l?‘all_s in D
(qty in MISSO
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ELVCTS ‘3.
affording the be 1 LCl' :s of iiitsi'coz'r
towns and ClL-.... 111. 53. urngrn Nebra
l'-.’_fe::ico, incl 311 'I‘«"‘l‘ll.3'."-7 Hera-‘3, Armed
coast and trans-cowl; . Seal.
IN! Eu
5.3-.)le
Of Palace Coaches—ls -.~
luxury of ac iicfmino
ratio Sprii Denv
TRAIN 82
between Chicago and
’ " Chair Cars {Fl
1 '7 Choice of :01:
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an. d Pueblo. i3
; 55215 City.
sic s
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CUTE.
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Ff.“ veer. ”LANE active.
Chicago, Kansas <5: Nebraska Rye.)
and extensions west, northwest and southwest
“‘btawa, Peoria, ‘aSalle, Molina, Rock Island in
Jatine, Ottuin wa, Oskaloosa, Vv'est Liberty, Iowa.
\Vintorsst, Atlantic,-Audubon, Harlin, Guthrie
.1 10V] A—Minnoapolis and St. Paul in MINNE-
. K TA—Gallatin,ITrenton, Cameron,
URI—Beatrice, Fan-bury, and Nelson
_ ~ _ _ Topeka, Hutchinson, XVichita, Belleville, Norton,
.zl.;lv.rsil, in KAN SASS—Colorado Springs, Denver, Pueblo, in COLO-
nsvv and vast are s of r
cu farming and grazing lands,
”171011 to older States and to all
.msas, Colorado, Utah, New
. I4.
3 2;- .,. . , .
a, macho, Calixornia, and Pacrflc
VESTS Eu 3E. EXPRESS TRAENS
1.1;: all competitors’jn splendor of_equipmcnt and
none—run throuirn daily between Chicago and Colo-
iinilar .MAGNIFICENT VESTIBULE
.VICE daily between Chicago and Council Bluffs (Omaha), and
. hleg. nt _Day Coaches, Dining Cars,
:l and Palace Sleeping Cars.
California Excur—
.y ._ .
tes to and from Salt Lake City, Portland, Los
.‘cl: .
vangeles, San Die-go, San Francisco, and intervening localities. Quick time,
prompt connections and transfers in Union Depots.
THEE. F’h"-3d3 ALE
1.1115
superbly equipped Ezmress
_ 001-; t '
Island, A tclnson
r'1 '
irain
St. Joseph, Leavenworth, Kansas City and Minne—
El’iT LEA ROUTE
s' daily each way between Chicago,
. ’ s .1 '4. . . .
apolis and St. Paul. The savorite Tourist Line to the scenic resorts, and
,2,
hunting and fishing " unds of the
Northwest.
Its Watertown Branch
courses through the mo st productive lands of Northern Iowa, Southwestern
Minnesota, and East Southern Dakota.
. THE SHORT LINE VIA SENECA AND KANKAKEE ofi‘ers facilities to
travel between Cmcmnati, Indianapolis, Lafayette, and Council Bluffs, St.
Joseph, Atclnson, Leavenworth, Kansas Clty, Minneapolis, and St. Paul.
. For Tickets, Maps, Folders, or desired information, apply to any Coupon
T1cket Office in the Unlted States or Canada, or address
E. ST. JOHN,
General Manager. CHICAGO,
E. A. HOLBROOK,
ILL. .. Gcn’l Ticket & Pass. Agent.
’55—:-
ii‘“ ii i?
hiltlilliiflll it
I F YOU W A NT
iii. ii. E it
'3‘“ A'l‘ Willi.
wmm
———G BIT—+4
€33 .3
' The “Record.”
The Nerwalk Record
is an established fact. Alilioug on
year old its circulation already averag
3,000 COPIES PER WEEK,
ll fact which alleslsns rapid rise and Him hold on
the public favor. it aims to be clean and whole-
some, and presents all the legitimate news in
readable, spicy and terse shape. its subscription
price is suiiicieiilly low 10 enable anybody to have
it-without discarding any other of their favorite
journals, and it prospers Without encroaching
upon the prosperity of any of its excellent and
esteemed local contemporaries, as is shown by
ihe fact that it enjoys and appreciates the hearty
good will of all—the GAZETTE, Hour, Sentinel
Journal and Republican.
THE RECORD is sent to an
mall sum or
75 CBIllSfl YGHI‘; Single Units, 2 cents
Now is the Time to Subscribe
dress for th
SPECIAL TO FARMERS.
The Record
PUBLISHES EVERY SATURDAY TUE
The New York Market Report
CU‘tRECTED UP TO DATE. :17.
k.
summits, .i'iiriiiii‘ioil
WM. H. HAYWARD,
Pew soon .33 tiorncy,
708 East Capitol Sir’cei,‘
“'ASHINGTON I). (2.,
Located at the National Capital, adjacent to allthe
Executive Departments, gives me superior
advantage in the prosecution of Claims
against the United States.
INCREASE YOUR PENSION.
Many pensioners borne on the rolls are entitled
loainucliliiglier rate of pensidn than they now
receive. inagreat majority of cases in which
pension was granted for disease, the pensioner is
entitled to an increase of rate, and in most cases
where it was granted for wounds or injuries the
disability increases each year. As time passes the
disability of all classes naturally increases. Many
were at first. rated too low, and it often occurs
that pensionersai'e unjustly or erroneously re-
duced by examining surgeons. A pensioner is
entitled to increase on a disability not set forth in
his original declaration. The pension laws are
more liberal than formerly, and better rating can
be had for many disabilities. I make a. specialty
of Aegiecled and Rejected Claims, and if you will
present me williabrief statement of your case
stating by whom it was presented, I will obtain ii.
rehearing of your case, and, if it has merit, will
procure a favorable settlement. Many claims
Stiiud rejected before the department, when it
only requn‘es a competent attorney to make them
good Vases. Soldiers savoring with disabilities
contracted in service, who hare not applied for a
pension, should do so as 2'6 is their RiGiiT.
SOLDIERS OF THE MEXICAN WAR,
Who were in that service sixty days, [or their
widowsif not re-iiiai‘ried] are entitled to $8.00 per
month from January 29m. 1857. tf20
F53: Sale Cheap.
A SECOND-IIAND Cast Iron Fence, with gate
all in perfect order and as good as new,
adout 120 feet in length. Will be sold at a sacri-
iiceif applied for soon. Enquire at
30ft. GAZETTE OFFICE
PEARL’S *
Beautifies the Complexion; Purifies, Whit-
ens and Softens the Skin, eradicating all im-
perfections such as Freckles, Moth Patches,
Blackheads, 'Pimples, etc., without in-
jury, Cures Sunburn, Chapped and Chafcd
Skin, instantly.
SOLD AT DRUGGISTS’
PRICE, 50 CENTS.
ri‘iFORAKINGl
Kiiii’s
300x .
,_ . Tm Mark. ‘
IS ESPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR
HOME USE.
There is no inconvenience attendin it. and the
ex ense is a. mere trifle compared wit the luxury
of having a cool, delightful
SUMMER BEVERAGE
always in the house. 25-081"; bottles make
10 311110115. Price. 250... 500. and 1.25.
DRUGGISTS AND GROCERS.
We R
de
ELY?“T
Cream Balm
Cleanses the
Nasal Passages.
Alleys Pain and
' Inflainaiion.
Heals the Sores.
Restores 1lie
Senses of Taste
and Smell.
TRY THE was.
A pnrlicleis applied into each nostril and is
agreeable. Price 50 ceiilsal lli'iiggisir': by mail,
registered, to cis. ELY UllO’i‘ll biti‘, 5.5 Warren
Street, .\'ew York. 15214
i EERLESS
532%
Y ES
Do four Own Dyeing, at Home.
The} .cill dye everything. They are sold every-
where. Price £06.:i package. Tlieyhave noequal
for Strength, Brightness, Amount in Packages
or for Fastness of Color. or non-fading Qualities.
They do not crock or smut; 40 colors. For sale by
J. (i. .i'egm‘y .t (50.; .l. A. Riggs, No. ll Main
Street, (lee. .3. i’lziisled. ,lli‘iiggisls. ly27
This grape origi- I
nated in the Green
Mountains of Ver-
. meat. It is very
early: color, green-
' [Copyright, 1880, by American Press Association]
, sols upon those waters vei'e annihilated at a
I blow by Commander S. C. Rown‘s squadron
ish whire; pulp, len-
der, sweet and deli-
cious. The only
= grape yet introduc-
ed that ranks first,
/ both in earliness
and quality. it
sho Cl be in every
» — ~ garden. Send for
circular, glviiig further information. “’0 also offer
a full assortment of other nursery‘stoek.’ Address
STEPHEN HOYT’B 3‘0th
New Canaan, Conn
- «7,35,
Eai‘rRI‘tDEM‘ARK
GOLD MEDAL, PARIS, 187;.
w. BAKER & cuss
l
- Blflfllllll 0033i.
Is absolutely pure and
it 2's soluble.
o —.
No Chromosome
are used in its preparation. It has more
than three times the strength of Cocoa
mixed with Starch. Arrowroot or Sugar,
and is therefore far m"re economical,
costing less than one cent a cup. " '
("nu—x
.. 13
delicious, nourishing, strengthening, EA-
SILY DIGESTED, and admirably adapted
‘ for invalids as well as persons in health.
' Sold by Gaels everywhere.
"V. BAKER. &‘ 00.. Dorchester, Mass.
Instant relief. Final cure in 10
days and never returns. No
)ui'g'e, no salve, no suppository.
.~.. .‘uii’ei‘ers will learn of a simple
“4*“? remedy FREE by addressing .
TUTTLE & 00.", 78 Nassau Street, New York City
ALL DRUGGIS'LS. » ly44
(3313.03.06
Billllfliiil fl LOTS
(ON INSTALLMENT PLAN.)
FOR SALE
02.», li/Vilta'l’n Aocnuc
———-AND—
Mm, lilo/woe) Plot.
APPLY TO
lL uriueror,
(l Ale' ‘TE OFFICE.
PETER L. GUIG UE,
FLORIST liNURSERlMAN,
UNION AVENUE,
North of Norwalk Cemetery,
NRWAEK. .. . - CONN.
Dealerinln Green House and Hot House an
Bedding and Vegetable Plants, Fruit and Orname
tal Trees Slirubbery, Vines. Cut Flowers alway.
on hand and all sorts of designsin Flowers arrange
to order. . " ' ' 41y2
Grading and lie-filling Cemetery Plots
promptly attended to.
A.
For Sale or Exchange.
THE Homestead of the late Abijah Betts,sltu~
ated at South Wilton, one mile from depot;
Dwelling has eleven rooms. good well of water
barn and sheds, eighteen acres of land, abundance
of fruit. Will be sold at a bargain. Enquire of
0. E. WILSON. 3 GAZETTE Building, Norwalk, or
bu ‘uaonv, Winnlpaulr, C'onn. m!
iiiii iiii SUNK
Heroic Exploits of U. S. Naval
Lieut. Cushinoz
REMARKABLE FIGHT FOR LIFE.
Blockade Runners on the North Carolina.
Coast—Desperate Efl'orts of the Confed-
erates—Tho Albemarle Built by Band
and Out of Fragments—Destroyed by
Cusbing’s Force—His Perilous Trip.
. The, career of the Confederate ram Albe-
marle twenty-five years ago in the waters of
North Carolina, beginning with her deadly
sea fights with the Union blockadiug fleet
and ending with her destruction bya torpedo
at the wharves of Plymouth, was a most ex-
citing episode in naval warfare. The coast
of N orth Carolina was favorable for running
in vessels from foreign ports carrying con-
traband goods. The numerous shoals pre—
vented heavy draught war ships from hugging
the coast, and the fleet little craft used in the
trade, by taking advantage of darkness and
fog, could elude the guard ships first and out—
sail them afterward, making port and un-
loading before they could be overhauled.
Down to the very last months of the war
North Carolina. remained the store house of
the Confederates, and the supplies were for-
eign, coming by way of Bermuda and Nassau.
The port of Wilmington held out as a reg-
ular refuge for blockade runners until J anu-
ary, 1865. Other ports were made. occasion-
ally by vessels chased away from Wilmington
by the Union cruisers, but the capture of
Hatteras Inlet, Roanoke Island and the adja-
cent region by Burnside’s expedition of 1862
closed a long stretch of coast, as well as the
Albemarle and Pamlico sounds and the
mouth of the Roanoke river, to the Confeder-
ates. The conquest-s of Burnside were fol-
itLOWiNG UP THE ALBEMARLE.
lowed by occupation of Plymouth . nil New
Bei‘nc by fortified posts forthe Union armies,
and formidable Union fleet-5 rode 1! pan the l
sounds and rivers. ’ “
lie Confederate war ves-
in connection with Burnsk es operations,
and tlieuceforth. until ISO—1,110 Confederate
flag was flung from the must in broad day-
light north of “’ilmingtou.
The rule of the sounds by the Union fleet
was by no means to the liking of the Confed-
erates, and many desperate attempts were
made to change this state of things. But the
coast was too well guarded to 1 ei‘init any re-
spectable war craft to get in; the oil ones l
had been destroyed or captured, and there
were no yards and shops at hand where they
could be constructed. Union guns frowned
from fortress walls on Plymouth and New
Borne, and Union vessels rode in their har-
bors. W’ith occasional attempts on the part
of the Confederates to end this unequal state
of things two years passed. Orders had been
given to construct vessels in the upper “wa-
ters of the state, but the work Went on
slowly, and in the winter of 1813i it was de—
cided at Richmond to conunence redeeming
North Carolina by the bold policy of captur—
ing a navy from the enemy. An expedition
to secure the largest Union guuboat at New
Borne, the Underwriter, vith 500 horse
ower engines and carrying four guns, was
intrusted to Col. John Taylor lVeod, an 032- l
perienced naval officer.
' Col. ’Wood had a force of 300 experienced
sailors, well armed, and, with [our boats and
two launches, left ”\Vilmingtd: on the King-
ston railway for Kingston, the. nearest point
to New Borne, for a rendezvous. From
Kingston to New Borne, a distance of thirty
miles, the boats moved stealthily on the
Neuso and at night reached the harbor.
Here W'ood formed his boats in two divis-
ions, and just as five bells, or half past 2,
sounded on, the Underwriter, the strangers
were discovered and the challenge rang out,
“Boat alioyl” No notice was taken, and
Wood urged on his boarders. When the
boats struck the ship's sides grappling books
were thrown and the Confederatesclambered
up, facing a musketry fire, and villi cut-
lasses am pistols begun the attack, man for
mail, against the. Underwriter’s crew. The
struggle on deck was sharp, the Under-
writer's crew cor. esting every inch.
The commander of the ship, Joseph lVest-
ervelt, was killed. and those of his men who
survived were driven into the water and
picked up by l’i'ood’s men, or Were impris-
oned below. The vessel was lying under
the guns‘of the Union forts, Anderson and
Stevenson, and the commanders here opened
fire as soon as'iho situation was understood,
and one shell exploded on the ship’s deck.
W'ood’s men soon manned the capture, but
when the engine was examined it was found
that the boilers were cold and she could not
be moved. The wounded and prisoners were
then loaded into the boats and the torch was
applied at several points, and in a few mo-
ments the Underwriter was in flames.
i
l
l
THE ALBEMARLE.
The failure of this bold cutting out expe-
dition turned the attention of the Confede-
4..
illilill '_
. . , .. - '4 .
: _ 3‘. —. -..—- sir.
‘pa -\ . .
A. ‘ . .. ‘ ’ _
41 ~— - .. . .
“"-=--*- . -.__ .. —-.. \%
..:'.-_v a - r J... __...
r -v :2 - e
.3.“ a: '3
SINKING or Tim SOUTHFIELD.
mus once more to their new constructions,
three of which were under Wayin these wa-
ters. The Albemarle was on the ways on a
farm 3;) the Roanoke river from Plymouth.
A general attempt was decided upon to se-
cure the important Union posts along the
whole coast, and a. force under Gen. R. F.
Hoke was directed upon Plymouth. The
place was defended by Gen. H. \V. \Vessells,
with about 2,500 infantry, and in the river
were the gunboats Southfield and Miami, and
an improvised war vessel, the Bombshell,
mounting three pieces. Gen. Hoke began
his attack on the 16th of 'April, and urged
l
gruous material, ingeniously dovetailed and put
the commander of the Albemarle to hasten .
g the Miami and the capture of Plymouth
down the river and assail i‘:e Union boats.
On the 18th the ram reached the obstruc-
tions of piles, torpedoes and sunken vessels
that had been placed about three miles above
Plymouth in anticipation of an attack from -
The river was swollen by a
spring freshet and
it was found that
there were ten feet
of water over the
obstructions. The
next obstacle was
Fort Warren,
whose guns com-
manded the river,
but the shot and
that quarter.
ram and she ran
on until two steam-
ers were sighted
bearing up the
COMMANDER FLUSSER.
river.
lashed together and directed by Fleet Com.
mender C. W. Flusser. The fasteiiings of
chains were arranged so that the rain could
be caught between the two. The commander
of the Albemarle, however, sheered his vessel
to avoid the trap and then suddenly turned
out and plunged the iron prow into the side of ‘
the Southfield, ripping her sides so that she
went to the bottom at once.
Many of the officers and crew went down
in the wreck, some were captured and others
were saved by the Miami. The Miami
opened at once with 100 pound shot and
eleven inch shell, but the projectiles made no
impression on the heavy armor of the ram.
Commander Flusser, on the Miami, fired one
of the guns personally. The third shot, an
eleven inch shell, rebounded from the ram,
exploded, and killed the commander and
wounded several men. The Miami was now
nearly grounded, and on swinging into the
middle current found the ram had become
disentangled from the Southfield and was
making for her consort, and the acting com-
mander withdrew from the combat and
steamed back into Albemarle sound.
The result of the Alberziarle’s victory was
that Gen. LIoke stormed the Union works on
the foll<,:'..‘i:ig morning and carried them,
making 1)I'i.""il01's of Gen. Wessells and his
garrison. '
The Albeitiai‘le at once became a sea mou-
stcr equal in the eyes of friend and foe to the
terrible Mei'i‘iinac. Yet the pl‘edlCllOllS dur-
ing her construction had been that she would
prove a failure. Nearly a year before this
ccziibat the unfortunate Commander Flusser
had written to the admiral of the North At-
lantic squadron describing a new ironclad
battery which he had heard of as being under
construction up the Roanoke, on 1116 plan of
the Merrimac. He closed 'the report as fol—
lows: “l‘i'e are driving piles iii the river and
pr \paring to receive them. I do not doubt
we shall whip them if they venture down.”
Adiiiii'al Lee expressed the opinion to the
secretary of the navy that the sound needed
ironclad defenders, but iliat they could not
be floated over the bar at Hatteras Inlet. A
land expedition was now recommended to de-
stroythe rain, but after passing through sev-
eral headquarters the suggestion was pigeon
holed, with the indorsemeiit that the general
in immediate command “never attached any
importance to it.”
\Vhilc these investigations and suggestions
were going on to no purpose the Confederates
were adding daily to the 1)O'\"‘G of the bat-
tery and bringing her toward C(llllplCthll.
Tli- yard where this new terror was taking
shape consisted of a cornfield near the water,
just above the overflow tides. The con-
structor was Gilbert Elliott. an engineer of
Elizabeth City, and Capt. J. ll'. Cooke, of
the Confederate navy, was assigned to the
command.
Cooke was an old naval officer, a native of
Virginia, and had taken part in the naval
battlesin these waters when Burnside cap-l
tured the region, losing his vessel, the Ellis,
in the contest. In the construction of a new
ship in the pine bai'i'eus of North Carolina,
he found full scope for his energy.
The region where the keel was laid aficrded
nothing but pine, and to secure timbers,
portable saw mills were run about the coun-
try to pick out suitable trees. The vessel was
153 feet long and 45 wide at the extreme.
Her depth was 9 feet and her draught, when
ironed and armed, about 8 feet. Her armor
was two courses of iron, ’2‘ inches Wide and 2
inches thick, laid on 16 inches of wooden back-
ing. The iron for the armor was rolled at
the Tredegar works in Richmond, but the
crude material was hard to get, and Cooke
made use of all the old pieces that could be
gathered. At the yard, old smith forges
from farms roundabout were brought into
requisition, and the work began and ended
as a piece of hand made manufacture. It re—
quired twenty minutes to drill an inch and a
quarter hole through the plates with the first
drilling outfit. Finally no of the builders
prepared a drill that would bore a hole in
four minutes. Every detail of her construc—
tion required a new invention to overcome
the drawbacks of working “without tools.”
\Viien the craft was ready to launch it was
decided to move her twenty miles up the
river to the little town of Halifax, where
there were shops and other conveniences to
help in completion.
She was here at
Halifax when word
came, on the 17th
of April, that Gen.
Hoke needed the
rum to assist in
capturing P1 y m-
outh. The vessel
was not ready, but
Capt. Cooke had
promised to take a
hand in the battle
and had named the
day. How he kept
his promise under .
the circumstances I will quote in part from
the narrative of Lieut. J. N. Maflitt, who
was on board. {e says:
At dawn on the 18th steam was up ' ten portable
forges, with numerous sledge hammers, were
placed on board, and thus equipped the never
failing Cooke started on his voyage as a floating
work shop. Naval history affords no such re
markablc evidence of patriotic zeal and individual
perseverance. 3
On the turtle beck numerous stages we: sus-
pended, thronged with sailors wielding huge
sledge hammers. Upon the pilot house stood
Gapt. Cooke, giving direct-ions. Some of the crew
were being exercised at one of the big guns.
“Drive in spike No. 10!” mag out the command-
er. “On nut below and screw up 1” “In vent and
spongel Load with cartridge!” were the next
commands. “Drivein No.11. port side—so. On
nut and screw up hard!" “Load with shells—
prime 1” And in this seeming Babel of words the
floating monster glided by.
By 5 in theafternoon the Albemarle was secured
to the river bank, her forgesianded, decks cleared,
and the efil-ciency of the mm insured so far as
human ingenuity contendlrg against meager fa-
cilities could accomplish.
The entire construction was one of shreds and
patches. The engine was adapted from, i331;-
CAPT. cocks.
.‘ --.l -M J...
shell made no im- .
pression upon the I
, heavily armored ‘
They were the'Miami and Southfield, ,
l
together with a determined will that mastered
doubt, but not without some natural anxiety as to
derangements that might occur from so hetero-
geneousacombination. * * C
Soon that dull, leaden concussion, which to
practiced ears denotes a heavy bombardment,
smote upon the car. Nearer the rapid explosions
grew upon the ear. and ere long,‘by the dawn‘s
early light, the spires of Plymouth greeted the
sight. Cooke was up to time, and now for his
promise.
The sinking of the Southfield, the defeat of
showed how his word was kept and how cost-
ly to the Union cause was the indifference of
those who scouted the idea. that a seaworthy
war ship could be built under such conditions.
AGAIN VICTORIOUS.
The Union officers in North Carolina, more
especially the commanders of the fleet in
Albemarle sound, no longer doubted the de-
structive power of the new ram, and a. very
energetic correspondence took plaCc between
the authorities at \Vashington, the admiral
and the officers of the fleet. The correspon-
dence resulted in careful instructions from
Admiral Lee to Capt. Melancton Smith; the
spirit of them being that somehow or other
the Albemarle must be sunk or blown up.
Smith had in the sound the double enders
Mattahesett, Sassacus, W’yalusing and Miami,
the armed ferry boat Commodore Hull and
the guiiboats Whitehead and Ceres. The
total amount of the fleet was thirty-two guns
and twenty—three naval howitzers, fifty—five
pieces in all.
Admiral Lee thought the vessels should ap-
proach the ram in a double line with double
enders ahead. The first two should attack
the run), one on a side, and fire solid shot
with heavy charges. Shells were to be
thrown down the smokestack of the mm.
The shots, it was believed, would loosen the
armor bolts, and the concussion would stun
and demoralize her crew shut up in the iron
plated chamber. Also, by ramming, the ad-
miral thought she could be driven into shoal
water and beached; and finally, if all else
failed, by desperately mounting her low ends
and sinking her by dead weight. Before the
fleet was ready to proceed to the attack the
rain appeared again Oil the scene as the ag-
gressor. After the capture of Plymouth by
the Confederates and- the dispersion of the
little fleet in Roanoke river, the Albemarle
lay off Plymouth. On the 5th of May she
steamed down the river to its mouth, intend-
ing to enter Albemarle sound and recover
the control of all the waters, including Hat-
teras Inlet, and also to get through to New
Borne and aid Gen. Hoke in an attack on
that point.
The coming of the Albemarlc was not un-
expected to the Union commander, and sig-
nals were received on the flagship announc—
ing; her approach. Meanwhile Capt. Smith
had arranged a plan of action suited, as he
thought. to the occasion. This was to await;
her advance into the open sound and here
the large vessels would run up at close quar-
ters and deliver a broadside, then round to
snssacus RAMMING THE ALBEMAIILE.
for another volley. The contending ships’ met
about sixteen miles from the river’s month,
where the sound is four to five miles wide.
The Mattahesett led the Union fleet, and the
rain opened with her forward guns and sent
two well aimed shells crashinrr into the upper
works of 1101' foremost opponent. The ram
then boldly dashed at her enemies to run
them (local, but the Mattehesctt veered and
escaped the blow. The Sassacus followed the
Mattahesctt and was in good position, when
the rain overrun the elusive mark, to give
her a broadside of solid shot. Although fired
at very close quarters the missiles were harm-
less on the iron sides of the ram. _
The Albeinarle kept up a fire and made
havoc with the vulnerable wooden boats.
The maneuvers of the Mattahesett and Sas-
sacus soon brought the mm between them.
Commander lee, of the Sass'acus, new order-
ed all stcazzi on and backed off to secure head-
way. Then the valves were opened Wide, the
vessel fairly leaping iuider the impulse of the
loosened engine wheels. The ram was also
coming on and the Sassacus struck her amid—
ships and sent her stern deck several feet un-
der water. The Shock was so severe that the
crew of the rain believed their vessel to be
sinking and had to be rallied by the com-
mands of Capt. Cooke. On board the Sassa-
cus the damage and alarm was greater than
on the rain. The moment the vessels struck
the ram sent a shot through the Sassacus,
piercing her boilers and filling her with
steam and boiling water.
The vessels were so entangled that the for-
ward movement of the ram wreiiched the
Sassacus and fairly hurled her off into the
\T..tei‘.. The Confederates now attempted to
board the Sassacus, but the riflemen iii the
rigging, who had not been disturbed by the
hull shots and the scalding water below,
opened a brisk fire and kept the boarders at
bay during the time the vessels were entan-
gled. The guns of the Sassacus opened fire
on the rain the moment the smoke and steam
cleared up, and for the first time the shots
took effect. The smokestack of the Albe-
marle was riddled and some of her armor
broken. The headway of both vessels was
such that after the collision they drifted
alongside one another, and this position gave
the Union gunners their chance. One gun
of the ram was disabled, and she fought the
rest of the battle with one only.
The ramming of an ironclad by a wooden
vessel was a bold undertaking, and some-
thing unusual in naval warfare. But the
Sassaeus was a. fast steamer, and she went at
the ram at a speed of between ten and eleven
knots an hour. Her bow was armed with a
beak weighing several thousand pounds, and
the result was such that had she had the aid
of two or three more vessels of the same
class in the nick of time, when she lay fairly
aboard of the ruin, the latter might have
been destroyed. '
While the Sassacus was engaged with the
ram the next in line, the Miami, stood for
the ram, but failed to get within striking dis-
tance. This vessel was provided with a spar
A SPAR romeo.
torpedo, and as soon as the Sassacus backed
away from the ram, Capt. Smith, seeing that
the latter was surrounded, signaled the Mi-
ami to “go ahead and try her torpedo.” The
steering apparatus of the Miami was defect-
ive, and she could not move with the Alba.
marle. Orders were now given to get in line
“a ~._..._,..... _...-. .- -—~ .n‘ ~—
0“
Norwalk Chronicler