hero tales from american history-第26部分

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ith　cool　intelligence；　is　unsurpassed　in　all　time。

The　Confederates　showed　the　same　skill　and　energy　in　building　their　great　ironclad　rams　as　the　men　of　the　Union　did　in　building　the　monitors　which　were　so　often　pitted　against　them。　Both　sides；　but　especially　the　Confederates；　also　used　stationary　torpedoes；　and；　on　a　number　of　occasions；　torpedo…boats　likewise。　These　torpedoboats　were　sometimes　built　to　go　under　the　water。　One　such；　after　repeated　failures；　was　employed　by　the　Confederates；　with　equal　gallantry　and　success；　in　sinking　a　Union　sloop　of　war　off　Charleston　harbor；　the　torpedoboat　itself　going　down　to　the　bottom　with　its　victim；　all　on　board　being　drowned。　The　other　type　of　torpedo…boat　was　simply　a　swift；　ordinary　steam…launch；　operated　above　water。

It　was　this　last　type　of　boat　which　Lieutenant　W。　B。　Cushing　brought　down　to　Albemarle　Sound　to　use　against　the　great　Confederate　ram　Albemarle。　The　ram　had　been　built　for　the　purpose　of　destroying　the　Union　blockading　forces。　Steaming　down　river；　she　had　twice　attacked　the　Federal　gunboats；　and　in　each　case　had　sunk　or　disabled　one　or　more　of　them；　with　little　injury　to　herself。　She　had　retired　up　the　river　again　to　lie　at　her　wharf　and　refit。　The　gunboats　had　suffered　so　severely　as　to　make　it　a　certainty　that　when　she　came　out　again；　thoroughly　fitted　to　renew　the　attack；　the　wooden　vessels　would　be　destroyed；　and　while　she　was　in　existence；　the　Union　vessels　could　not　reduce　the　forts　and　coast　towns。　Just　at　this　time　Cushing　came　down　from　the　North　with　his　swift　little　torpedo…boat；　an　open　launch；　with　a　spar…rigged　out　in　front；　the　torpedo　being　placed　at　the　end。　The　crew　of　the　launch　consisted　of　fifteen　men；　Cushing　being　in　command。　He　not　only　guided　his　craft；　but　himself　handled　the　torpedo　by　means　of　two　small　ropes；　one　of　which　put　it　in　place；　while　the　other　exploded　it。　The　action　of　the　torpedo　was　complicated；　and　it　could　not　have　been　operated　in　a　time　of　tremendous　excitement　save　by　a　man　of　the　utmost　nerve　and　self…command；　but　Cushing　had　both。　He　possessed　precisely　that　combination　of　reckless　courage；　presence　of　mind；　and　high　mental　capacity　necessary　to　the　man　who　leads　a　forlorn　hope　under　peculiarly　difficult　circumstances。

On　the　night　of　October　27；　1864；　Cushing　slipped　away　from　the　blockading　fleet；　and　steamed　up　river　toward　the　wharf；　a　dozen　miles　distant；　where　the　great　ram　lay。　The　Confederates　were　watchful　to　guard　against　surprise；　for　they　feared　lest　their　foes　should　try　to　destroy　the　ram　before　she　got　a　chance　to　come　down　and　attack　them　again　in　the　Sound。　She　lay　under　the　guns　of　a　fort；　with　a　regiment　of　troops　ready　at　a　moment's　notice　to　turn　out　and　defend　her。　Her　own　guns　were　kept　always　clear　for　action；　and　she　was　protected　by　a　great　boom　of　logs　thrown　out　roundabout；　of　which　last　defense　the　Northerners　knew　nothing。

Cushing　went　up…stream　with　the　utmost　caution；　and　by　good　luck　passed；　unnoticed；　a　Confederate　lookout　below　the　ram。

About　midnight　he　made　his　assault。　Steaming　quietly　on　through　the　black　water；　and　feeling　his　way　cautiously　toward　where　he　knew　the　town　to　be；　he　finally　made　out　the　loom　of　the　Albemarle　through　the　night；　and　at　once　drove　at　her。　He　was　almost　upon　her　before　he　was　discovered；　then　the　crew　and　the　soldiers　on　the　wharf　opened　fire；　and；　at　the　same　moment；　he　was　brought…to　by　the　boom；　the　existence　of　which　he　had　not　known。　The　rifle　balls　were　singing　round　him　as　he　stood　erect；　guiding　his　launch；　and　he　heard　the　bustle　of　the　men　aboard　the　ram；　and　the　noise　of　the　great　guns　as　they　were　got　ready。　Backing　off；　he　again　went　all　steam　ahead；　and　actually　surged　over　the　slippery　logs　of　the　boom。　Meanwhile；　on　the　Albemarle　the　sailors　were　running　to　quarters；　and　the　soldiers　were　swarming　down　to　aid　in　her　defense；　and　the　droning　bullets　came　always　thicker　through　the　dark　night。　Cushing　still　stood　upright　in　his　little　craft；　guiding　and　controlling　her　by　voice　and　signal；　while　in　his　hands　he　kept　the　ropes　which　led　to　the　torpedo。　As　the　boat　slid　forward　over　the　boom；　he　brought　the　torpedo　full　against　the　somber　side　of　the　huge　ram；　and　instantly　exploded　it；　almost　at　the　same　time　that　the　pivot…gun　of　the　ram；　loaded　with　grape；　was　fired　point…blank　at　him　not　ten　yards　off。

At　once　the　ram　settled；　the　launch　sinking　at　the　same　moment；　while　Cushing　and　his　men　swam　for　their　lives。　Most　of　them　sank　or　were　captured；　but　Cushing　reached　mid…stream。　Hearing　something　splashing　in　the　darkness；　he　swam　toward　it；　and　found　that　it　was　one　of　his　crew。　He　went　to　his　rescue；　and　they　kept　together　for　some　time；　but　the　sailor's　strength　gave　out；　and　he　finally　sank。　In　the　pitch　darkness　Cushing　could　form　no　idea　where　he　was；　and　when；　chilled　through；　and　too　exhausted　to　rise　to　his　feet；　he　finally　reached　shore；　shortly　before　dawn；　he　found　that　he　had　swum　back　and　landed　but　a　few　hundred　feet　below　the　sunken　ram。　All　that　day　he　remained　within　easy　musket…shot　of　where　his　foes　were　swarming　about　the　fort　and　the　great　drowned　ironclad。　He　hardly　dared　move；　and　until　the　afternoon　he　lay　without　food；　and　without　protection　from　the　heat　or　venomous　insects。　Then　he　managed　to　slip　unobserved　into　the　dense　swamp；　and　began　to　make　his　way　to　the　fleet。　Toward　evening　he　came　out　on　a　small　stream；　near　a　camp　of　Confederate　soldiers。　They　had　moored　to　the　bank　a　skiff；　and；　with　equal　stealth　and　daring；　he　managed　to　steal　this　and　to　paddle　down…stream。　Hour　after　hour　he　paddled　on　through　the　fading　light；　and　then　through　the　darkness。　At　last；　utterly　worn　out；　he　found　the　squadron；　and　was　picked　up。　At　once　the　ships　weighed；　and　they　speedily　captured　every　coast　town　and　fort；　for　their　dreaded　enemy　was　no　longer　in　the　way。　The　fame　of　Cushing's　deed　went　all　over　the　North；　and　his　name　will　stand　forever　among　the　brightest　on　the　honor…roll　of　the　American　navy。



FARRAGUT　AT　MOBILE　BAY

Ha；　old　ship；　do　they　thrill；　The　brave　two　hundred　scars　You　got　in　the　river　wars？　That　were　leeched　with　clamorous　skill　（Surgery　savage　and　hard）；　At　the　Brooklyn　Navy　Yard。

　*　　*　　*　　*

How　the　guns；　as　with　cheer　and　shout；　Our　tackle…men　hurled　them　out；　Brought　up　in　the　waterways　。　。　。　　As　we　fired；　at　the　flash　'T　was　lightning　and　black　eclipse　With　a　bellowing　sound　and　crash。　　　*　　*　　*　　*

The　Dahlgrens　are　dumb；　Dumb　are　the　mortars；　Never　more　shall　the　drum　Beat　to　colors　and　quarters　The　great　guns　are　silent。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Henry　Howard　Brownell


FARRAGUT　AT　MOBILE　BAY

During　the　Civil　War　our　navy　produced；　as　it　has　always　produced　in　every　war；　scores　of　capable　officers；　of　brilliant　single…ship　commanders；　of　men　whose　daring　courage　made　them　fit　leaders　in　any　hazardous　enterprise。　In　this　respect　the　Union　seamen　in　the　Civil　War　merely　lived　up　to　the　traditions　of　their　service。　In　a　service　with　such　glorious　memories　it　was　a　difficult　thing　to　establish　a　new　record　in　feats　of　personal　courage　or　warlike　address。　Biddle；　in　the　Revolutionary　War；　fighting　his　little　frigate　against　a　ship　of　the　line　until　she　blew　up　with　all　on　board；　after　inflicting　severe　loss　on　her　huge　adversary；　Decatur；　heading　the　rush　of　the　boarders　in　the　night　attack　when　they　swept　the　wild　Moorish　pirates　from　the　decks　of　their　anchored　prize；　Lawrence；　dying　with　the　words　on　his　lips；　〃Don't　give　up　the　ship〃；　and　Perry；　triumphantly　steering　his　bloody　sloop…of…war　to　victory　with　the　same　words　blazoned　on　his　bannermen　like　these；　and　like　their　fellows；　who　won　glory　in　desperate　conflicts　with　the　regular　warships　and　heavy　privateers　of　England　and　France；　or　with　the　corsairs　of　the　Barbary　States；　left　behind　a　reputation　which　was　hardly　to　be　dimmed；　though　it　might　be　emulated；　by　later　feats　of　mere　daring。

But　vital　though　daring　is；　indispensable　though　desperate　personal　prowess　and　readiness　to　take　chances　are　to　the　make…up　of　a　fighting　navy；　other　qualities　are　needed　in　addition　to　fit　a　man　for　a　place　among　the　great　seacaptains　of　all　time。　It　was　the　good　fortune　of　the　navy　in　the　Civil　War　to　produce　one　admiral　of　renown；　one　peer　of　all　the　mighty　men　who　have　ever　waged　war　on　the　ocean。　Farragut　was　not　only　the　greatest　admiral　since　Nelson；　but；　with　the　sole　exception　of　Nelson；　he　was　as　great　an　admiral　as　ever　sailed　the　broad　or　the　narrow　seas。

David　Glasgow　Farragut　was　born　in　Tennessee。　He　was　appointed　to　the　navy　while　living　in　Louisiana；　but　when　the　war　came　he　remained　loyal　to　the　Union　flag。　This　puts　him　in　the　category　of　those　men　who　deserved　best　of　their　country　in　the　Civil　War；　the　men　who　were　Southern　by　birth；　but　who　stood　loyally　by　the　Union；　the　men　like　General　Thomas　of　Virginia；　and　like　Farragut's　own　flag…captain　at　the　battle　of　Mobile　Bay；　Drayton　of　South　Carolina。　It　was　an　easy　thing　in　the　North　to　support　the　Union；　and　it　was　a　double　disgrace　to　be；　like　Vallandigham　and　the　Copperheads；　against　it；　and　in　the　South　there　were　a　great　multitude　of　men；　as　honorable　as　they　were　brave；　who；　from　the　best　of　motives；　went　with　their　States　when　they　seceded；　or　even　advocated　secession。　But　the　highest　and　loftiest　patriots；　those　who　deserved　best　of　the　whole　country；　we　re　the　men　from　the　South　who　possessed　such　heroic　courage；　and　such　lofty　fealty　to　the　high　ideal　of　the　Union；　that　they　stood　by　the　flag　when　their　fellows　deserted　it；　and　unswervingly　followed　a　career　devoted　to　the　cause　of　the　whole　nation　and　of　the　whole　people。　Among　all　those　who　fought　in　this；　the　greatest　struggle　for　righteousness　which　the　present　century　has　seen；　these　men　stand　preeminent；　and　among　them　Farragut　stands　first。　It　was　his　good　fortune　that　by　his　life　he　offered　an　example；　not　only　of　patriotism；　but　of　supreme　skill　and　daring　in　his　profession。　He　belongs　to　that　class　of　commanders　who　possess　in　the　highest　degree　the　qualities　of　courage　and　daring；　of　readiness　to　assume　responsibility；　and　of　willingness　to　run　great　risks；　the　qualities　without　which　no　commander；　however　cautious　and　able；　can　ever　become　really　great。　He　possessed　also　the　unwearie