CAPTAIN CUSHING’S EXPLOIT.–

3. June 2009 by admin.

One pleasant night, while the blockading fleet lay off Wilmington, young Cushing, of the gunboat Monticello, took a first cutter, with fifteen men and two officers (Acting Ensign Jones and Acting Master’s Mate Howard), and succeeded in passing the forts of the west bar at Wilmington, and started up the Cape Fear River. After a narrow escape of being run over by one of the rebel steamers plying the river, he passed the second line of batteries, and continued his course until Old Brunswick was reached, where the rebels had a heavy battery, when he was hailed and fired upon, but succeeded in passing unscathed, by feigning to pass down the river, and crossing to the friendly cover of the opposite bank. He then continued his course up the river. By this artifice the rebels were deceived, and signalized to the forts to intercept him as he came down the river, which they supposed was the direction taken.

At half past two the next morning the Captain had reached a point seven miles distant from Wilmington, where he caused the boat to be hauled on the banks, and concealed from view by bushes and marsh grass. Day had now dawned, and it became necessary to select a place of concealment, which was found in the brush on the banks.

Soon after daylight, the rebel steamers, blockade runners, and transports could be seen by the party plying up and down the river; and, in fact, the flagship of the rebel Commodore Lynch passed by, pennant flying, the distinguished gentleman unconscious of the fact that a rifle in a steady hand could, and would, but for obvious reasons, have given him his quietus. Two blockade steamers, of the first class, passed up, and one down, during the first twenty-four hours. When night had fairly set in, the Captain prepared to launch his boat, when two boats rounded the point; and, as he supposed, having discovered his positions, they designed to attack him; but it proved to be a returned fishing party. The entire party were captured–eight in number. Compelling them to act in the capacity of guides, he proceeded to examine all the fortifications, river obstructions, and other objects of interest within three miles of Wilmington. Here he was compelled to pass through a creek, running through a cypress swamp, for several hours, through grass eight feet high, and immense cypress trees on each side, whose shadow cast a dark gloom, only exceeded by darkness.

By two o’clock that morning a road was reached, which proved to be a branch of the main road to Wilmington, and joining it at a point two miles distant. The party were here divided, ten being left to hold this road; and the Captain, taking the remaining eight men, took position at the junction of the roads, one of which was the main. Several prisoners were here captured, but none of importance. At about eleven o’clock in the morning, the rebel courier, with the mails from Fort Fisher and lower batteries, en route to Wilmington, whose approach was awaited, came duly along, and he, with his entire mail, was captured.

On examination, this proved to be a prize of value, there being upwards of two hundred documents, private and official, and many of great importance. The party, having thus far labored successfully, experienced the necessity for refreshment for the inner man, and accordingly Master’s Mate Howard garbed himself in the courier’s clothes, and mounting the same worthy’s horse, proceeded two miles to a store, and purchased a supply of provisions, with which he safely returned. The prices the mate thought exorbitant, but did not feel disposed, in his liberal mood, to haggle or beat down.

Shortly after, more prisoners were captured, and all that was now required to add to the eclat of the achievement was to capture the courier and mail from Wilmington, whose advent was looked for at five P. M. The impatience of the party may be imagined, when it is stated that the mail would contain the day’s papers issued at Wilmington at one P. M., and our nomadic friends were anxious to obtain the latest news early.

The courier arrived slightly in advance of time; but one of the sailors, having moved incautiously across the road, was seen by him, and taking alarm, he took to his heels at full speed. Capt. Cushing, like Paul Duval No. 2, awaited him on the road, with pistol cocked, put spurs to his horse, and pursued for about three miles. But the courier speeded on like a whirlwind, and the Captain, being rather farther from his base than he thought prudent, took to his line of retreat, and fell back in rapid, but good order.

The telegraph wire leading to Wilmington was then cut for several hundred yards, and the party, with prisoners and spoils, rejoined the squad left with the boat, and proceeding down the creek, reached the river about dark. The prisoners impeding the speed of the boats, measures were taken to dispose of them by depriving one of the fishing boats of oars and sails, and setting it adrift in the middle of the river, thus rendering it impossible for them to give the alarm until the tide floated them on some friendly bank. But while putting this plan into execution, a steamer approached rapidly, and detection was only avoided by the party leaping into the water, and holding on to the gunwales of the boat. The steamer passing, the prisoners and boat were sent adrift.

Nothing of interest occurred on the route down the river, until at a point between the batteries at Brunswick and Fort Fisher, when a boat was discovered making rapidly towards the shore. After an exciting chase she was overtaken, and her occupants, consisting of six persons, four of whom were soldiers, were taken on board and the boat cut adrift. From them information was obtained that the rebels were on the qui vive, having boats posted at the narrow entrance between the forts to intercept the return. To understand the position of the party, it should be known that they were but three hundred yards distant from two forts, and this on a moonlight night. Capt. Cushing, on learning the rebels’ designs, resolved to take a desperate chance of fighting his way through, supposing that in case there were but one of two boats, he might, by giving a broadside, escape in the confusion. On arriving at the mouth of the harbor, he perceived, as he imagined, one large boat, which, wonderfully prolific, soon gave birth to three more, which were afterwards increased in number by five from the opposite bank.

This completely blocked up the narrow entrance to the harbor. The helm was put hard aport to gain distance, and, seeing a large sail-boat filled with troops (seventy-five musketeers), it was decided that the only hope lay in outmanoeuvring them. The rebels, providentially, did not, during this interval, fire a shot, no doubt anticipating the certain capture of all. There being another means of entrance into the harbor (the west bar), the only possible hope was in impressing the rebels with the opinion that he would attempt that, the only remaining chance of escape. Accordingly, apparently making for this point, the rebel boats were drawn together in pursuit, when, rapidly changing his direction, the Captain brought his boat back to the other entrance (the east bar), and, deeply loaded as she was (twenty-six in the boat), forced her into the breakers. The rebels, evidently foiled, dared not venture to follow, and the guns of the batteries, which were pointed to rake the channel, were unprepared to inflict damage.

Capt. Cushing arrived safely with his prisoners and the mail, having performed one of the most hazardous and daring feats of the war, and obtained information of great value to the service.

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