manner,
shouted, 'What boat is that?' The reply was an invitation for him
to go to ----! Thereupon arose a terrible clamor. The rattle was
vigorously sprung, the bells on the ship were sharply rung, and
hands were called to quarters, evidently in great consternation and
some confusion. A musketry fire was immediately opened on the
torpedo-boat, and a charge of canister was fired, injuring some of
the crew. Along the dock to which the Albemarle was tied, were a
large number of soldiers, evidently stationed there to guard
against a landing of our force after a surprise; and in front of
their lines blazed cheerily up a number of their camp fires, which
threw a strong light on the rebel vessel and the bosom of the
river. By the aid of this glare Lieutenant Cushing discovered the
raft of floating timbers which surrounded the ram on the accessible
sides, to guard against the approach of rams and torpedoes; and by
the aid of the same light he plainly saw the large body of soldiers
thronging to the wharf and blazing away at his boat. To quiet these
fellows, he brought the bow of his boat around a little, and
discharged a heavy stand of canister into them from his
twelve-pounder howitzer mounted at the bow, and sent them flying.
Making a complete circle under a scorching musketry fire, at less
than thirty yards, he came around, bow on, at full steam, and
struck the floating guard of timbers, pressing them towards the
hull of the ram. His boat soon lost headway, and came to a
standstill, refusing to back off or move ahead. The moment for
decisive action had now arrived. The enemy fired muskets and
pistols almost in his face, from the ports of the ram, and from the
hundred small arms on shore. Several of his men were injured, and
Paymaster Swann had fallen severely wounded. The officers and crew
of the Albemarle cried out: 'Now we've got him! Surrender!
surrender! or we will blow you to pieces!' The case looked
desperate, indeed; but Lieutenant Cushing was as cool and
determined at that moment as one could be under the most agreeable
circumstances. He knew that the decisive moment had come, and he
did not allow it to glide from his hands. He seized the lanyard to
the torpedo and the line of the spar, and crowding the spar until
he brought the torpedo under the over-hang of the Albemarle,