The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, June 19, 1898, Page 20

20 THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, NDAY, JUNE 19, 1898. HOW 1| HELPED LIEUTENANT CUSHING DESTROY THE ALBEMARLE BY GEORGE M. WILSON, One of the Last Survivors of that Most Heroic Exploit. the same experience. Let any well and bly short time it seemed as if the whole teries, besides the heavy guns at Fort CO0000QCO0OO0O00200N0C0O0000000000000000 his children and 1 survi ticipated in the Cust honor. He is a e in the Ux to Southern velous of comparison, £r supreme valor of 0000000000000000000 X was a sal t Porter South with Gene Sherr Arrived at mouth of tk 1an in 3 , at the orth- importa and thus aiding Ge mammoth ram, 0NN %e R AR that Captain Sigsbee, of the blowing up of the a nephew of Captain | Mackenz swing fondness of people --. a knowl- al naval h ¢/, have new interest in the next December : United States” were At _ the new of mu tragedy on board United Stat brig Somers, under command of - Cap- ackenz he ~hief ringleader azing plot of crime and blood was Midshipman Philip Spencer, son of the dis d statesman, John C. Spencer of New York, Secretary of War under Pret Tyler, officiating in that capacity at the very time of the occurrences her ited. In the whole histpry of the an navy this act stands out by itself without a parallel or precedent—the first regularly organ- ized mutiny in the annals of the United States naval service. ‘When the Somers anchored in New York harbor and the news went ashore that a son of a Cabinet officer had been hanged at a yardarm for mutiny, the city of New York was excited. Then the excitement spread. ‘When the news came from Washing- ton that President Tyler was shocked and the Secretary of War and his fam- ily were prostrated by the information, ahile Chief Justice Ambrose Spencer de d TALL, spare, gray-haired man, who was a most thrilling chapter of American heroism,lives quietly with randchildren among the near Corona, in San Bernardino County. He is one of the several rs of Lieutenant Cushi October, 1864, to desiroy the Confederate ram, the is George M. Wilson, and wherever he goes and it is one of the iron-hearted crew that par- ing expedition, he is a subject of attention and ve of Rochester, ted States navy d rom Indianapo! at of bravery of Lieutenant Hobson and nis crew ve the attention of American people the ng expedition. 00O0CO0000T0O000000C000000000000 sequently ¢ _BHARUE participant in a orange groves g's expedition up the Ro- . Y., and ke served three ; the civil war. He came Ind. 'fhe recent of rimac has brought, by way Q00000000 CO0QCQ00D000 craft th were of almost & for Admiral Porter, d States naval author d worried were at the Brook- ummer of 1864 i a small, open launch ( et long) con upervision. When the Otsego s 1 south the launch was taken aboa and it sub- her Albemarle ch about up the were s etly v of the river. reported pri- sound, g the evening 288 ne Cushing BRERRBBRRRE 2R RNN of the New York State a grandfather of the ha almost inse iuse of Supreme Court, nged youth, was the shame that had be bught upon the family name, the United States talked of nothing el For a few days the only information *ould be had from the men on the s was that mutiny had been fer- ed by the three who had been exe- v such prompt nder Macken- zie, Lieutenant Gansevoort, Purser Heiskel, Quartermaster Rogers, Sur- geon Leecock, and idshipmen Hayes, s, Thompson and Tillotson been saved from contemplated murder, pri- marily instigated by Midshipman Philip Spencer, a lad of 19 years. sensation deepened when finally ne known that the son of the ary of War had planned, through the mutiny and the murders, to convert the United States armed brig into a pirate vessel and scour the seas for prey. Not only was the tragedy thus conspicuous in public regard because of the relationship of the condemned midshipman to the Cabinet officer, but also because Commander Mackenzie had already been notable in literary circles as author of several books of travel, and also politically notable as being the cousin of Congressman John Slidell of New Orleans—he who twenty years later, while a Confederate Com- missioner, was captured on the British steamer Trent by Commodore Wilkes NRBVRNVURINRRN vately to Admiral Porter. Late on the afternoon of October 27 Cushing and two comv:nions went from ship to ship in the fleet. gathering volunteers to go with them and destroy the Albemarle. Fourteen more men were wanted. Cushing plainly told the sailors on each ship that there was scarc one chance in a hundred of any man ever coming out of the expe- ditfon alive. He sald he wished no one to join him in his expedition unless he was a single m and was thoroughly pre- pared to die that night in the Roanoke. While these words struck terror in the hearts of the sailors, who were at first inclined to volunteer, a crew for the little launch was got together in an hour or two. Eight of us went from the Otsego. I had no one dependent upon me, so I volunteered. Captain Arnold of the Otsego called all hands aft to say good-by to us as we were getting ready to start. It was the most ng scene I remember in my whole rience. The captain spoke heer to us personally as each went over the side of the Otsego and got into the launch, which we jokingly called our coffin. “Hoys, remember you are doing the vest thing in this war for your he called to us as cheerily as he as the launch slowly moved uld At'7 o'clock we cast off from a moor- ing in the sound, as lively a crew of daredevils as e swabbed a deck. ‘We had been coached for an hour in particular duty each of us was to form at the critical moment of ap- hing the rebel ram, and that each to try to save his own life when explosion came as best he knew The night was very dark. Cush- ing had chosen it for that reason. A sprinkle of rain fell at intervals. Naturally our faculties were at fullest tension. I never saw and observed minute de- tails so closely before or since, and the impressions received were all very deep. I can never forget them. I be- lieve every one of our little crew had and was the occasion of a serious dip- lomatic controversy between England and the Washington administration. Amid the excitement that raged in the Eastern States the President or- dered the Secretary of the Navy to in- stitute immedijately a court of inquiry into the hanging of Spencer and the two associates, Cromwell and Small. It was a famous body of men. There were Commodore Stewart (Old- Iron- sides, the grandfather of Charles Stew- art Parnell), and Commodores Dallas, Jones and Jacob. Ogden Hoffman, the most eminent American criminal law- yer of his day, was judge advocate. Horace Greeley himself did special re- porting of the case for his Tribune, and newspapers far and wide gave columns to * indorsing and denouncing Com- mander Mackenzie. James Fenimore Cooper wrote a powerful pamphlet stig- matizing Commander Mackenzie as a coward and a fool. The court-martial lasted forty days and resulted in Mackenzie's acquittal. But so fierce was public opinion against him that he asked for a second trial of his case. He was again acquitted, but the animosity of a good share of Ameri- can people yet remained, and he died a few years later in retirement at Tar- rytown, N. Y. The disgrace hastened the death of Secretary Spencer and ended the days of Mrs. Spencer in a month. The findings of the court-martial oc- cupy a book of over 800 pages, published vigorous man embark upon an errand that seems well-nigh certain to end his life in a few hours and he will see, hear and feel things as never before. Plymouth lies on the south side of the Roanoke on a bluff. Opposite across the water was a dense, swampy forest. Every precaution was taken to advance silently. We spoke only in whispers. ‘We knew the river was sown thick with torpedoes, and that almost every foot of both banks of the river was guarded by Confederates. As soon as we turned the bend in the river and were near the swamp we saw the lights of Plymouth. We were then thirty-two miles from our fleet, and in the heart of the rebel country. None of us spoke. Cushing stood aft and silently gazed ahead. Occasionally he whispered to the pilot. Opposite Plymouth we saw a huge, black object extending into the river. ‘We never spoke, but all of us felt sure it was the Albemarle, and each pre- pared for work. Steaming toward the object we found it to be a coal pier. Turning slowly away in the darkness of the night, another black object was presently seen off to the left. Cushing whispered that it was surely the Al- bemarle at her dock. We were now under the parapet of Fort Bateman. A dog belonging to the sentry began to bark. The sentry listened, and heard the ripple of our launch. Suddenly there came the call from the bank: “Boat ahoy! Who goes there?” In a second Cushing, leaping on the seat about the bow of the boat with the deadly torpédo in his arms, shouted back defiantly: - “We'll damn soon let you know!"” In a second Cushing had fixed the torpedo (a riveted copper affair like a small pumpkin, containing fifty or sixty pounds of guncotton) on the tor- pedo boom at the bow. We all sprang each to his respective duty. Mean- while full steam was turned on The little engine coughed and wheezed and we went straight ahead. The sentry fired at us. In an incredi- by the Government in 1843. The follow- ing facts are narrated therein The' Somers had 'set put in November, 1842, on a cruise arodnd the West In- dies in order to train for the navy a number of cadets, or, as'they were then termed, naval apprentices. ‘While nearing the West Indies on the night of November the purser’s steward, John W. Wales, was encountered by Midshipman Spencer on deck. In a mysterious manner Spencer asked Walcs to go on top of the booms with him as he had a matter of importance to communicate. No sooner were the two seated out of hearing from the deck than, according to the extraordinary testimony of Wales, Midshipman Spen- cer abruptly opened the conversation by asking him in a sepulchral voice “Are you afraid of death? Do you fear a dead man? Dare you kill any- body " Wales answered “No,” and then Spencer told him in whispers that he was leagued with about twenty of the crew to get possession of the vessel, murder the commander and officers, choose from among those of the crew who were willing to join him such as would be useful and murder the rest, and commence pirating. It was his purpose to carry the vessel to the Isle of Pines, where one of his assocfates who had been in the business before, had friends; to attack no ves- sels that he was not sure to capture; to destroy every vestige of the cap- river from above Plymouth teemed with shooting soldiers. The Confed- erates had prepared well to avoid a sudden attack on their prize, Albe- marle, for in a thrice a dozen beacon fires blazed and lighted up the Roan- oke. Cannon on shore and howitZers on the ram opened fire, and their grape and canister flew all about our craft as we sheered from shore straight to- ward the Albemarle. Pandemonium was let loose. On we sped at full steam toward the great black ram, now as plain as day ahead of us. It did not seem» as if a rat could live in the shower of lead and iron all about us - In the middle of the river and steam- ing ahead like mad, what was our con- sternation to find that, as a protection to the ram, a raft of logs chained to- gether and placed lengthwise in the water was there before us. The ram was but eighty feet away. Cushing, never moving from his bold position in the bow, standing with the torpedo boom in his hands, leaned over the boat, and amid a deafening rcar of cannon and shrieking of rifle balls ex- amined the logs. A glance sufficed. He was a quick thinker. He made up his mind that but one thing was to be done and that was to jump the partially sub- merged, water-soaked and slimy logs. His coolness was almost superhuman. He gave his orders soberly, but quickly. As the launch sheered away from the logs he told us tosrim ship aft. That was to raise the bow out of the water. Cushing also told us to be calm and not forget our duty to our flag. In a second the launch, under all its steam, started ahead toward the raft. It was an indescribable moment. I have often tried to tell, but I can't. Amid a literal blizzard of fire, our launch banged against the logs and .then shot over them as if she were a thing of life. Our smokestack was shot away and one man's arm was shot off at the elbow: but we never gave it a second’s thought. The howitzers on the ram, with half a dozen fleld bat- tured vessels after having removed what was useful. ‘Wales secretly reported the conver- €ation to a lieutenant and he to Captain Mackenzie. The latter testified that he refused to believe such a young lad and one from such a distinguished ‘family could conceive of such a crime. Mac- kenzie, however, directed the lieuten- ant to wateh Spencer without, of course, seemins to do so. :In the course of the day Lieutenant Gansevoort gave information that Spencer had been in the wardroom ex- amining a chart of the West Indies, and had asked the assistant surgeon some questions about the Isle of Pines, the surgeon re~'--ing that it was a place much frequented by pirates, and dryly asking him in return if he had any ac- quaintances there. He had endeavored, too, far some days to ascertain the rate of the chronometer by applying to Mid- shipman Rogers, to whom it was un- known, and who referred him to the master, These and various other circum- stances determined Captain Mackenzie to make sure at once of Spencer’s per- son, and, accordingly, at evening quar- ters all the officers were ordered to lay off on the quarterdeck except the mid- shipman stationed on the forecastle. ‘The master was ordered to take the wheel and those of the crew stationed abaft were sent ot the mainmast. Captain Mackenzie now approached Spencer and said to him: “I learn, Mr. Spencer, that you aspire Bateman, were belching and thundering at us. Cushing yelled an order to us, but we could not hear him. The jaws of hell opened to receive us. Flames seemed to leap from cannon mouths. The air shook and the water seethed and boiled with the leaden hail. For- tunately our craft set low in the water, and we were below the range of the guns. One young fellow named Becker, two feet from me, fell dead as we passed the log raft, and we never knew where he was hit. Things happened so fast that their narration seems tame and slow. We saw everything. I remember that I even saw in that awful moment a tall man in a red shirt on the Albemarle training a howitzer-at us. In a trice we were over the logs and within thirty. or forty feet of the ram amidships. Each of us had a duty to do. I held the out haul of the torpedo chain and another man was at the trip- ping line. Cushing was now at the bow in his shirt sleeves, with a revolver in one hand and the firing line of the torpedo in the other. We all trembled with un- speakable excitement. In a few sec- onds more we were close under the sides of the Albemarle. Some one called from the ram: “Surrender! Surrender!” “Go to hell!” screamed one crew. At that moment Cushing called to Mate Jim Daniels: own with the pole!” The torpedo boom (a thing that look- ed like the tongue of a wagon) went down into a horizontal position a foot below the water. Then there came an unearthly explosion. It seemed as if everything terrific, monstrous and hor- rible had broken out upon us that mo- ment. It was like a roaring earth- quake. The great hulk of the ram raised and slowly rolled over. The fir- ing on the Albemarle ceased, but the batteries on the sho~- and the guns at the fort belched and roared. Cushing had told us each to save himself as best he could when the tor- pedo had done its work, but some of us expected to be annihilated by the tor- pedo itself.. So, for one, I was sur- d to realize I was still living after plosion. We had divested our- selves of extra clothing as we came past Plymouth. At'the moment the torpedo struck the ram we leaped to the water. The bea- con lights along the shore revealed what we were doing. For a minute, which seemed an age to us in the water, the Confederates were evidently amazed at the explosion of the Albe- marle before their eyes. Then the firing began even more furious than before. Meanwhile what remained of the lit- tle crew was swimming for the oppo- site shore. Each had to look out for himself alone. As nearly as ever could be ascertained there were ten of our crew killed in the water that night. Cushing and two others got to land, and by a series of extraordinary luck got back to the fleet in Albemarle Sound and aided in Porter’s operations in support of General Sherman. Cush- ing, you know, served in the navy until 1873, and died of brain fever in Decem- ber, 1874. As for my own escape, I happened to Jeap into the water in the shadow of the ram. Two others leaped with me, but they swam into the blaz> of lights and both were shot in the water. Their bodies were probably never recovered. Swimming about the ram as it settled in the water, I reachéd a coal wharf. It was dark under it, and resting there a minute or so I swam noiselessly down stream below the wharf. I ex- pected any moment to be shot, and I did not exert myself to swim when the odds seemed so much against me. The cannonading continued ‘and heavy musketry began. The Confederates of our . meant to let no Yankees get away after the fearful loss the Confederacy had just had. Tons of ammunition must have been wasted in a few hours. I crept along the river bank with reeds and marsh for over half a mile. I could hear the Confederates talking excitedly about the Yankee attack, and I knew they were watching the water as best they could for men swim- ming there. Fortunately the bank was twenty feet high there, and I crawled Jike a lizard along at the foot of the bank. The firing continued all night. I could see that the enemy believed that the Yankees who might have escaped from the water alive had made for the swampy forest opposite, and rounds of grape and canister were fired there. ‘When_morning came I was six miles below Plymouth. I was as nasty a sight as man ever presented. I crept out into some brush, almost sick from exposure, excitement and the cold wa- ter. I believed I was the sole survivor of Cushing's crew, and I actually felt sorry that I had alone been left to live like that with my brave mates at the bottom of the Roanoke. 1 was sitting under a tree, clad only in a woolen shirt and tattered trous- ers, when the fort across the river opened up as if to shoot down any pos- sible Yank who happened to be over there. The gunners must have seen the brush move. A broadside of grape went whistling among the trees over my head. Leaves and twigs fell into my lap. but the broad sycamore tree trunk saved my skin that time. To- ward noon I saw a colored man out in a cornficld. He looked amiable. I found that he supposed I was escaping from the Confederate service, and he gladly helped me. He gave me some vile ham and corn and kindly present- ed me with a greasy and tattered over- coat. While I was drying my shirt and trousers before the negro's fire the old man said: ‘“Marse, dem soljers dey done gone come down lookin' fur ye.” He sup- posed they were my Confederate com- rades. I slid into a ramshackle out- building and had the negro cover me over with several bushels of corn. In 32?2828’5%?33883&’383?!2&!883&8232&!2823882?28289!2!2!2&8@23!382?33282888?82&9828382888282838888!3828282&8382893!38283 KRYRS to the command of the Somers.” “‘Oh, no, sir,” replied Spencer, with a deferential hut unmoved and gently smiling expression. “Did you not tell Mr. Wales, sir, that you had a project to kill the com- mander, the officers and a considerable portion of the crew of this vessel, and to convert Ler into a pirate?” “I may have told him so, .sir, but it was in joke.”’ ';You, admit, then, that you told him 807" “Yes, sir, but in joke.” “This, sir, is joking on a forbidden subject; this joke may cost you your life. It will be necessary for me to con- fine you, sir,” saying which Captain Mackenzie turned to Lieutenant Ganse- voort with the order: “Arrest Mr. Spen- cer and put him in double frons.” Lieutenant Gansevoort stepped for- ward and taking Spencer's sword, or- dered him to be doubly ironed, and as additional security handcuffed. Lieu- tenant Gansevoort was directed to keep a constant watch upon Spencer, to an- swer all his wants, but to have him instantly put to death if detected in speaking to or holding intelligence in any way with the crew. The next day tle crew was inspected at quarters at 10 o'clock, Captain Mac- kenzie taking his station wbaft with the intention’ of particularly observing Cromwell and Small. The persons of both were faultlessly clean. Cromwell stood up to his full stature, his muscles _bra&ed. hll‘ battle ax grasped resolutely, \ a few minutes three Confederates cane to the old negro and asked if ary Yanks had been seen there that day. Then one of the soldiers told the od man that their hope and pride, the iron-clad ram, had been blown to use- lessness by some Yankees, all of whom had no doubt been Kkilled for their cussed wildness. Toward night I had another meal of ham and corn with the faithful ol ne- gro and started down the river toward our fleet. I almost encountered » squad of Confederates, but hid behind a Zence and berry bushes until they had sed. g pajr. daybreak I was again within the Union lines. I was challenged ty a Union sentry, and when I was unable to give a reasonable acccunt of myself 1 was taken to the colonel. You ought to have heard him laugh when I said 1 was one of the Cushing créw that had gone to blow up the Albemarle. He thought that was the biggest cock-and- bull story of the campaign. I was so weak and worn that I did not argue the matter, feeling sure that I would get my dues very soon in any event. “Take the fellow to the cock tent and give him something to eat, then keep him under guard,” were the colonel's orders. He merely meant to keep me under surveillance until something happened to justify my presence in the ranks. I was content. I ate enormously and then lay down on some horse blankets and slept like a log. I never even heard the noise of providing the noon meal for the officers. Early in the afternoon the colonel, who proved to be Colonel H. A. Armstrong of the Eleventh Wiscon- sin, came himself and woke me. He sat down by my side and wiped tears of true sorrow from his eyes because he had so peremptorily ordered me about in the morning. He had heard while I was sleeping rrom Commcdore McComb that Cushing and two com- panions had returned on the United States steamer Valley City, and that a man answering my description was one of those who had gone against the Al- bemarle. He had further convinced himself while I slept that I was a gen- uine survivor of Cushing’s-crew. S0 ' he had come in humility to show his re- spect for a poor, forlorn sailor who had had the time we had up the river. Colonel Armstrong sat there an hour or more and asked me all about the work of the expedition. Other officers came and finally when it had become naised about camp that one of the boys who had been with Cushing in the Al- bemarle attack was there a great crowd of 200 or 300 men gathered within range of my voice. I was taken to Colonel Armstrong’s tent and was per- mitted to bathe and then dress m £ on what I saw there. I had fifty pairs of boots offered me by officers and enough hats and caps to stock a store. I had the best the camp afforded and was visited by the surgeons, who dosed me medicinally. ,..The second day I was escorted down the sound and there a boat was hailed and I went back to the Otsego. Lieu- tenant Cushing and two survivors had arrived there in frightful condition. They had crawled through the swamp and forest opp-rite Plymouth and had lived on bark and roots. They had got down the Roanoke to a point where the United States steamer Valley City saw their sign of distress and took them back to the Union fleet. One of their number was insane from the agony of a gunshot wound in the shoulder, priva- }Sons and excitement. I believe he died ater. Lieutenant Cushinz had a golden medal and a vote of thanks from Con- gress for his bravery and his scheme in arranging and executing the expedition. He deserved them as well as his pro- motion in the naval service. I was pro- moted from ensign to lieutenant in the next month after the Albemarle affair. The most distinguished honor I ever had was in February, 1865, when I was asked by President Lincoln at the ‘White House to tell him from maps all about our experiences with Cushing. It came about in this way. I was in Washington on my way home on sick leave. I went one day during a pub- lic reception given by the President to see Father Abraham. One of the ush- ers in the hall knew me from boyhood and recognized me. My name had been published as among the Cushing ex dition survivors, and he had seen it. He asked me a little about the affair. It seems that while I was slowly walk- ing my way down the line of visitors to shake the President’s hand and then depart, the usher had privately in- formed Mr. Lincoln that a Cushing ex- pedition survivor was there. Anyhow, when I came to go out of the big front doors, my friend, the usher, was wait- ing for me with a request from the President that I remain and tell Mr. Lincoln some facts he would like to know about the historic occasion. When the crowd had gone and Mr. Lincoln had retired to his office-room upstairs, I was escorted there by the usher. - It happened that Secretary Se- ward and Senator Charles Sumner were there to consult with,the "President. Nevertheless, I was cordially received, and was introduced to the Secretary amfi the Senator by Mr. Lincoln him- self. “This is Lieutenant Wilson,” said he, “who was with Cushing in his Albe- marle expedition. I've asked him to come and tell me the ever-new story again. Don’t you want to hear it?" Secretary Seward and Senator Sum- ner acquiesced. I told the story sub- stantially as I have just done, and then I was asked scores of questions. The President was curious to know how a torpedo could do such powerful damage to a great mass of iron as the Confed- erate ram was, by merely exploding on its outer surface. Sepator Sumner asked me whether men like Cushing lose all thoughts of death when they undertake such frightfully hazardous errands, or whether they are so filled with zeal to win against the enemy that they forget their danger. usifi’}afihfifizi&&i&?s‘-’usfi&8388835?S5"83%83!28383823383fl&&&u&u&&fi&fisfififl&fifi&fifi8983835373!335!5838988RSS833833988838323232323232323;3232323253855335 HANGED FOR THE FIRST MUTINY IN THE U. S. NAVY. : his cheek pale, but his eye fixed as in- differently at the other side, and he had a determined and dangerous air. Small made a very different figure; his appearance was ghastly; he shift- ed his weight from side to side, and his battle ax passed from one hand to zie. Cromwell was immediately iron- ed and Small was alsc sent for, inter- rogated and ironed. Increased vigilance was now en- joined upon all the officers. Hence- forward all were perpetually armed, and either the captain or his first lieu- tenant was always on deck, and gener- ally both of them were. It is an in- teresting fact that every one'of the officers of the Somers, from the first lieutenant to the commander’s clerk, proved faithful, chivalrous and patri- otic from first to last. The most seriously implicated of the crew began once more to collect in knots during the night. Seditious words were heard through the vessel, and an insolent and menacing air as- sumed by many. This alarming state of dissatisfaction, the increased num- ber who missed their muster, repeated acts of insubcrdination, together with their considerations, induced Ceptain Mackenzie to have a thorough in- spection of the crew, the immediate arrest of those principally suspected, and on the 30th of November he ad- dressed a letter to all of the officers. Captain MacKenzie then called & court of all the officers which unani- mously agreed that the trio were guilty. The verdict was for death. This was accordingly carried out and the bodies burfed at sea. The three young men met their deaths bravely.