60 HEREDITY AND DEVELOPMENT OF NAVAL OFFICERS. 



Anna, the flagship of the Spanish Admiral Alava; but he showed in this battle 

 rather the devotion to duty and pertinacity of the solid, unexcitable sort. 



There is no evidence that Collingwood had a special longing for the sea. 

 Constantly he regrets that he can not return to his home. During his brief sojourn 

 on land he made historical studies and educated his two daughters. He had a 

 brother, Wilfred Collingwood, captain of the Rattler in the West Indian service, 

 who died prematurely, and of whom the Duke of Clarence (later William IV) said: 

 "his majesty has lost a faithful servant and the service a most excellent officer." 



FAMILY HISTORY OP CUTHBERT COLLING WOOD. i fe \s * 



1 1 (F), Cuthbert Collingwood (died 1775), an unsuccessful merchant. L r p-' vy~1 



1 2 (M), Micah Dobson. Fraternity of M: 1 3, Dobson. 1 4, ' , 



Admiral Brathwaite (died 1805, aged 80 years). 



Fraternity of Propositus: II 2, Wilfred Collingwood (died 1787), 

 captain of a naval vessel in the West Indian service. II 4 (Propositus), 

 CUTHBERT COLLINGWOOD. II 5 (consort), Miss Blackett, of naval stock. 



Children of Propositus: I 1, Sarah (born 1792) and 2, Mary Patience 

 (born 1793) Collingwood. 



BIBLIOGRAPHY. 

 DAVTES, W. 1875. A Fine Old English Gentleman, exemplified in the life and character of 



Lord Collingwood. London: Sampson, Low, Marston and Searle. 263 pp. 

 RUSSELL, W. C. 1891. Collingwood. London: Methuen & Co. 271 pp. 



13. WILLIAM BARKER GUSHING. 



WILLIAM BARKER GUSHING was born at Delafield, Waukesha county, Wis- 

 consin, November 1842. He was appointed to the Naval Academy in 1857, and 

 resigned under pressure, without having distinguished himself in his studies, in 

 March 1861. In May of the same year he was appointed master's mate, attached 

 to the frigate Minnesota, one of the blockading squadron. Having shown great 

 spirit, Gushing was appointed a lieutenant in July and in October was put in charge 

 of a gunboat and ordered to capture Jacksonville, North Carolina, and seize any 

 vessels found on the New river. He captured the city and three schooners, but 

 on the return trip his gunboat ran aground. Sending off all its contents by one of 

 the prize vessels, he fought the enemy as best he could on its arrival, then set fire 

 to the gunboat and escaped in a skiff. For two years more Gushing played the 

 part of a blockader with skill, vigilance, and energy. In October 1864, the Con- 

 federate ironclad ram Albemarle sank Federal naval vessels and threatened to regain 

 control of Albemarle sound. Gushing had a plan for her destruction. He brought 

 from New York an open launch provided with a boom to carry and direct a tor- 

 pedo. At night he approached the Albemarle (lying in the Roanoke river), which 

 opened fire upon him. As she was encircled by logs to ward off torpedoes, Gushing 

 drove his launch through the cordon of logs and right up to the hull of the 

 Albemarle; by lines attached to his body he aimed the torpedo, which exploded 

 under the Albemarle' s hull and sank it. At the same moment his launch was 

 sunk by the enemy's fire, and out of the entire party only two, including Gushing, 

 escaped. By swimming and rowing he made his way into Albemarle sound and 

 to the Federal fleet; for this exploit he was promoted to be lieutenant commander. 

 In similar daring fashion he attacked and reduced Fort Fisher. After the war 

 he commanded the Maumee and was advanced to the grade of commander. He 

 died of brain fever, December 1874, at the age of 32 years. 



