The Greater Republic Part 46

In this crisis, Colonel Joseph Bailey, of Wisconsin, submitted a plan for a series of wing dams above the falls, believing they would raise the water high enough to float all the vessels. The other engineers scoffed at the project, but Porter placed 3,000 men and all that Bailey needed at his command.

The task was a prodigious one, for the falls, as they were termed, were a mile in length and it was necessary to swell the current sufficiently to carry the vessels past the rocks for the whole distance. The large force of men worked incessantly for nearly two weeks, by which time the task was accomplished and the fleet plunged through unharmed to the deeper water below the falls. The genius of a single man had saved the Union fleet.

Banks, having retreated to Alexandria, paused only long enough to burn the town, when he kept on to New Orleans, where some time later he was relieved of his command. The Red River expedition was the crowning disgrace of the year.

THE CAPTURE OF MOBILE.

After the fall of New Orleans, in April, 1862, Mobile was the leading port of the Southern Confederacy. It was blockaded closely, but the Confederate cruisers succeeded now and then in slipping in and out, while a number of ironclads were in process of building, and threatened to break the blockade. Admiral Farragut, the greatest naval hero of modern times, after a careful reconnaissance of the defenses, told the government that if it would provide him with a single ironclad, he would capture Mobile. He was promised a strong land force under General Granger and several monitors, which were sent to him.

Farragut, fully appreciating the task before him, made his preparations with care and thoroughness. His fleet consisted of eighteen vessels, four of which--the _Tec.u.mseh_, _Winnebago_, _Manhattan_, and _Chickasaw_--were ironclads, while the others were of wood. Admiral Buchanan (commander of the _Merrimac_ in her first day's fight with the _Monitor_) had less vessels, three gunboats, and the formidable ram _Tennessee_. But he was a.s.sisted by three powerful forts, with large garrisons--Gaines, Morgan, and Powell--which commanded the entrance, while the _Tennessee_ was regarded by the Confederates as able to sink the whole Union fleet.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BAILEY'S DAMS ON THE RED RIVER.]

The wooden vessels were lashed in couples, so as to give mutual help, and with the _Brooklyn_ and _Hartford_ (Farragut's flags.h.i.+p) in the lead, the procession entered Mobile Bay on the morning of August 5, 1864. As they came opposite the forts they opened fire upon them, and in a few minutes the latter began their thunderous reply. The battle was tremendous, and the smoke was so dense that Farragut, who was closely watching and directing the action of the fleet, gradually climbed the rigging, so as to place himself above the obstructing vapor. His height was such that the captain of the vessel became anxious for his safety, since if he was struck, as looked probable, he was sure to fall to the deck or overboard. He, therefore, sent a man after him, with a rope in hand. Amid the gentle remonstrances of the admiral, this man lashed him fast to the rigging. When the increasing smoke made it necessary to climb higher, Farragut untied the fastenings, and, after he had taken several upward steps, tied himself again.

The harbor bristled with torpedoes, to which, however, Farragut and his officers paid little heed. The _Tec.u.mseh_, Commander T.A.M. Craven, was hurrying to attack the ram _Tennessee_, when a gigantic torpedo exploded beneath her, smas.h.i.+ng in the bottom and causing her to sink so suddenly that nearly a hundred men went down with her. The pilot and Craven were in the pilot house, and, feeling the boat dropping beneath them, both sprang to the narrow ladder leading out. They reached the foot together, when the commander bowed and, pausing, said to the pilot: "You first, sir." He had barely time to scramble out, when Captain Craven and the rest went down.

The Union vessels pressed forward with such vigor that, with the exception of the loss of the _Tec.u.mseh_, the forts were pa.s.sed without the s.h.i.+ps receiving serious injury. When, however, the battle seemed won, the _Tennessee_ came out from under the guns of Fort Powell and headed for the Union vessels. She believed herself invulnerable in her ma.s.sive iron hide, and selected the flags.h.i.+p as her special target. The _Hartford_ partly dodged her blow and rammed her in return. The ram was accompanied by three gunboats, which were soon driven out of action, but the _Tennessee_ plunged here and there like some enraged monster driven at bay, but which the guns and attacks of her a.s.sailants could not conquer.

Tons of metal were hurled with inconceivable force against her mailed sides, only to drop harmlessly into the water. She was b.u.t.ted and rammed, and in each case it was like the rat gnawing a file: the injury fell upon the a.s.sailant. She was so surrounded by her enemies that they got in one another's way and caused mutual hurt.

But as continual dropping wears away stones, this incessant hammering finally showed effect. Admiral Buchanan received a painful wound, and a number of his men were killed; the steering-chains were broken, the smoke-stack was carried away, the port shutters jammed, and finally the wallowing "sea-hog" became unmanageable. Then the white flag was displayed and the battle was over. Farragut had won his most memorable battle, and the last important seaport of the Confederacy was gone.

Two days later Fort Gaines was captured, and Fort Morgan surrendered on the 23d of the same month. The land force rendered valuable a.s.sistance, and the blockade became more rigid. The coast line, however, was so extensive that it was impossible to seal every port, and the Confederacy obtained a good deal of sorely needed medical supplies through the daring blockade-runners, which often managed to elude the watchful fleets.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MONUMENT TO ADMIRAL FARRAGUT AT WAs.h.i.+NGTON.]

The Confederate cruisers were still roaming the ocean and creating immense havoc among the Union s.h.i.+pping. Despite our protests to England, she helped to man these vessels, and laid up a fine bill for damages which she was compelled to pay after the close of the war.

THE CONFEDERATE CRUISERS.

During the year 1864, several new cruisers appeared on the ocean, one of which, the _Tallaha.s.see_, boldly steamed up and down off our northern coast, and, in the s.p.a.ce of ten days, destroyed thirty-three vessels.

The most famous of all these cruisers was the _Alabama_, which was built at Birkenhead, England, and launched May 15, 1862. She was a bark-rigged propeller of 1,016 tons register, with a length over all of 220 feet.

Her two horizontal engines were of 300 horse-power each. When completed, she was sent on a pretended trial trip. At the Azores she received her war material from a waiting transport, while her commander, Captain Raphael Semmes, and his officers, who had gone thither on a British steamer, went aboard. The _Alabama_ carried 8 guns and a crew of 149 men, most of whom were Englishmen. Thus fairly launched, she started on her career of destruction, which continued uninterruptedly for twenty-two months.

DESTRUCTION OF THE ALABAMA.

One of the many United States vessels that was engaged in a hunt for the _Alabama_ was the _Kearsarge_, Captain John Ancrum Winslow. She was of 1,030 tons, carried 7 guns, and had a crew of 163 men, nearly all of whom were Americans. On Sunday, July 12, 1864, while lying off the town of Flus.h.i.+ng, Holland, Captain Winslow received a dispatch from Minister W.L. Dayton, at Paris, notifying him that the _Alabama_ had arrived at Cherbourg, France. Winslow lost no time in steaming thither, and reached Cherbourg on Tuesday, where he saw the cruiser across the breakwater with the Confederate flag defiantly flying.

Winslow did not dare enter the harbor, for, had he done so, he would have been obliged, according to international law, to remain twenty-four hours after the departure of the _Alabama_, which would thereby gain all the opportunity she needed for escape. He, therefore, took station off the port, intending to wait until the cruiser came out.

This precaution, however, was unnecessary, for Semmes, grown bold by his long career of destroying unarmed merchantmen, had resolved to offer the _Kearsarge_ battle. He sent a challenge to Captain Winslow, couched in insulting language, and the Union officer promptly accepted it.

The news of the impending battle was telegraphed far and wide, and excursion trains were run from Paris and other points to Cherbourg. On Sunday, June 19th, fully 15,000 people lined the sh.o.r.es and wharves, and among them all it may be doubted whether there were more than a hundred whose sympathies were not keenly on the side of the _Alabama_. France was intensely in favor of the Southern Confederacy, and nothing would have pleased Louis Napoleon, the emperor, better than to see our country torn apart. He did his utmost to persuade England to join him in intervening against us.

With a faint haze resting on the town and sea, the _Alabama_ steamed slowly out of the harbor on Sunday morning, June 19th, and headed toward the waiting _Kearsarge_. The latter began moving seaward, as if afraid to meet her antagonist. The object of Captain Winslow, however, was to draw the _Alabama_ so far that no question about neutral waters could arise, and in case the _Alabama_ should be disabled, he did not intend to give her the chance to take refuge in Cherbourg.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE SINKING OF THE "ALABAMA," THE MOST FAMOUS OF ALL CONFEDERATE CRUISERS.

The battle between the _Kearsarge_ and the _Alabama_ took place off the coast of Holland, June, 1864. "The famous cruiser was going down, and the boats of the _Kearsarge_ were hurriedly sent to help the drowning men. The stern settled, the bow rose high in the air, the immense s.h.i.+p plunged out of sight, and the career of the _Alabama_ was ended forever."]

Three miles was the neutral limit, but Captain Winslow continued to steam out to sea until he had gone nearly seven miles from sh.o.r.e. Then he swung around and made for the _Alabama_. As he did so, Captain Semmes delivered three broadsides, with little effect. Then fearing a raking fire, Captain Winslow sheered and fired a broadside at a distance of little more than half a mile, and strove to pa.s.s under the _Alabama's_ stern, but Semmes also veered and prevented it.

Since each vessel kept its starboard broadside toward the other, they began moving in a circular direction, the current gradually carrying both westward, while the circle narrowed until its diameter was about a fourth of a mile.

From the beginning the fire of the _Kearsarge_ was much more accurate and destructive than her antagonist's. Hardly had the battle opened when the gaff and colors of the _Alabama_ were shot away, but another ensign was quickly hoisted at the mizzen. Captain Winslow instructed his gunners to make every shot count. This was wise, for its effects became speedily apparent. The _Kearsarge_ fired 173 shots, nearly all of which landed, while of the 370 of the _Alabama_, only 28 hit the _Kearsarge_.

One of these, a 68-pounder sh.e.l.l, exploded on the quarter-deck, wounding three men, one mortally. Another sh.e.l.l, bursting in the hammock nettings, started a fire, which was speedily extinguished. A third buried itself in the sternpost, but fortunately did not explode. The damage done by the remaining shots was trifling.

One of the _Kearsarge's_ 11-inch sh.e.l.ls entered the port of the _Alabama's_ 8-inch gun, tore off a part of the piece, and killed several of the crew. A second sh.e.l.l entered the same port, killed one man and wounded several, and soon a third similar shot penetrated the same opening. Before the action closed, it was necessary to re-form the crew of the after pivot gun four times. These terrific missiles were aimed slightly below the water-line of the _Alabama_, with a view of sinking her.

About an hour had pa.s.sed and seven complete revolutions had been described by the s.h.i.+ps, and the eighth had just begun, when it became apparent that the _Alabama_ was sinking. She headed for neutral waters, now only two miles distant, but a few well-planted shots stopped her, and she displayed the white flag. Her race was run, and Captain Winslow immediately ceased firing and lowered his only two serviceable boats, which were hurried to the aid of the drowning men. A few minutes later the bow of the _Alabama_ rose high in air, and then the noted cruiser plunged downward, stern foremost, and disappeared forever in the bottom of the ocean.

Cruising in the neighborhood of the fight was the English yacht _Deerhound_, which now joined in rescuing the crew of the _Alabama_ at the request of Captain Winslow. She was in duty bound to deliver the men she saved to Winslow as prisoners of war, but, instead of doing so, she watched her chance, and, under full steam, made for Southampton, carrying forty-two, among whom were Captain Semmes and fourteen officers. Semmes had flung his sword into the sea and leaped overboard as the _Alabama_ was going down. His vessel had nine killed, ten drowned, and twenty-one wounded, while on the _Kearsarge_ of the three wounded only one died. A demand was made upon the English government for the surrender of the men carried away by the _Deerhound_, but it was refused.

FATE OF THE OTHER CRUISERS.

The Confederate cruiser _Georgia_ took on the guise of a merchant vessel, but was seized off the coast of Portugal by the _Niagara_, and sent to this country as a lawful prize. The _Florida_, while lying in the neutral port of Bahia, Brazil, was attacked, October 7th, by the _Wachuset_, captured, and taken to Hampton Roads. This action was illegal, being similar to the attack made upon the _Ess.e.x_ in the harbor of Valparaiso in the War of 1812. While awaiting decision as to the legality of her capture, she was run into by a steam transport and sunk.

It may be doubted whether this method of settling the dispute was wholly accidental.

The _Shenandoah_ did most of her destructive work in the far Pacific. As a consequence she did not hear of the conclusion of the war until several months afterward, and she was, therefore, virtually a pirate fighting under a flag that had no legal existence. Her captain, when the news reached him, steamed for England, and turned over his vessel to the British government.

DESTRUCTION OF THE "ALBEMARLE" BY LIEUTENANT CUs.h.i.+NG.

Probably no more formidable ironclad was ever built by the Southern Confederacy than the _Albemarle_. She had been constructed under great difficulties, work being begun early in 1863, when, it was said, her keel was laid in a cornfield. When finished she was 122 feet over all, and was propelled by twin screws with engines of 200 horse-power each.

Her armament consisted of an Armstrong gun of 100 pounds at the bow and a similar one at the stern.

The _Albemarle_ demonstrated on the first opportunity the appalling power she possessed. The Federals had captured Plymouth, North Carolina, which was attacked by the Confederates, April 17th and 18th. They were repulsed mainly through the a.s.sistance of two wooden gunboats, the _Miami_ and _Southfield_, but the _Albemarle_ came down the river on the 19th and engaged them. The shots of the gunboats did no more harm than those of the _c.u.mberland_ and _Congress_ when fired against the _Merrimac_. The _Southfield_ was crushed as so much pasteboard, and sent to the bottom of the river, while the mangled _Miami_ limped off, accompanied by two tugboats. The next day Plymouth surrendered to the Confederates. In a fight some weeks later with the Union vessels, the _Albemarle_ inflicted great injury, and withstood all the ramming and broadsides that could be brought against her. She was a most dangerous vessel indeed, and caused the government a great deal of uneasiness.

Several attempts were made to destroy her, but the Confederates were watchful and vigilant. She was moored to the wharf, about eight miles up the river, upon the sh.o.r.es of which a thousand men were encamped. They patrolled the banks and kept bright fires burning all night. The crew of the ram were alert, and a boom of cypress logs encircled the craft some thirty feet from the hull, to ward off the approach of torpedoes. It would seem that no possible precaution was neglected.

Among the most daring men ever connected with the American navy was William Barker Cus.h.i.+ng. He was born in 1842, and educated at the Naval Academy. He was of so wild a disposition that many of his friends saw little hope of his success in life. But, entering the service at the beginning of the war, he quickly gave proof of a personal courage that no danger could affect. He seemed to love peril for the sake of itself, and where death threatened he eagerly went. He expressed confidence that he could destroy the _Albemarle_ and asked permission to make the attempt. His superior officers knew that if its destruction was within the range of human possibility, he would accomplish it, and the ram was so great a menace to the Union fleet that he was told to try his hand at the seeming impossible task.

Although Cus.h.i.+ng was a young man of unsurpa.s.sable bravery, ready at all times to take desperate chances, there was what might be termed method in his madness. He needed no one to tell him that in his attempt to destroy the _Albemarle_, the slightest neglect in his preparations were likely to prove fatal. He, therefore, took every precaution that ingenuity could devise. Two picket boats were constructed with spar torpedoes attached, and with engines so formed that by spreading tarpaulin over them all light and sound was obscured. When traveling at a low rate of speed, they could pa.s.s within a few yards of a person in the darkness without his being able to hear or see anything. A howitzer was mounted at the bow, and the spar, with the torpedo attached, was fitted at the starboard bow.

The boats, having been completed in New York, were sent to Norfolk by way of the ca.n.a.ls. One of them was lost in Chesapeake Bay, but the other reached its destination. Several days were spent in preparation, and the night of October 27th was selected for the venture. It could not have been more favorable, for it was of impenetrable darkness and a fine, misty rain was falling. Cus.h.i.+ng's companions in the picket boat were: Acting Ensign W.L. Howarth, Acting Master's Mates T.S. Gay and John Woodman, Acting a.s.sistant Paymaster F.H. Swan, Acting Third a.s.sistant Engineers C.L. Steever and W. Stotesbury, and eight men whose names were as follows: S. Higgens, first-cla.s.s fireman; R. Hamilton, coal heaver; W. Smith, B. Harley, E.J. Houghton, ordinary seamen; L. Deming, H.

Wilkes, and R.H. King, landsmen. He took in tow a small cutter, with which to capture the guard that was in a schooner anch.o.r.ed near the _Southfield_ that had been raised, and whose duty it was to send up an alarm rocket on the approach of any expedition against the _Albemarle_.

It was intended to run ash.o.r.e a little below the ram, board and capture her by surprise, and take her down the river.

It was about midnight that the start was made. Several of the men were familiar with the river, and the boat kept close to sh.o.r.e, where the gloom was still more profound. No one spoke except when necessary and then in the lowest tones, while all listened and peered into the drizzly night. The straining ears could hear only the soft rippling of the water from the prow and the faint m.u.f.fled clanking of the engine. The speed was slackened as they approached the schooner, whose outlines soon a.s.sumed form. No one whispered, but all held themselves ready for the rush the moment the guard discovered them.

Sentinels, however, are not always alert, and on this dismal night the guard detected nothing of the phantom craft which glided past like a shadow with the cutter in tow. This was the first stroke of good fortune, and each man felt a thrill of encouragement, for only a mile remained to be pa.s.sed to reach the _Albemarle_.

A little way further and the boats swept around a bend in the river, where, had it been daylight, they could have seen the ram. Here was where the fires had been kept blazing the night through, but the guards were as drowsy as those below, for they had allowed them to sputter and die down to a few embers, while the sentinels were doubtless trying to keep comfortable in the wet, dismal night.