XAVY, U. S., OPERATION'S OF. 



563 



the ' Manchester Guardian," it appears that 

 the total ventures made by English capitalists 

 and speculators, counting the values of ships 

 and cargoes, amounted to more than sixty-six 

 millions of dollars (13,241,000). The quan- 

 tity of cotton exported in twenty-two months 

 (January 1st, 18(33, to October 31st, 1864) was 

 137,937 bales, or 62,860,463 pounds, of which 

 the larger part was Sea Island. The value of 

 the export and import trade in one year (July 

 1st, 1863, to June 30th, 1864) was $65,186,000; 

 the rebel government rating exchange at five 

 for one. The total number of vessels which ran 

 the blockade in fifteen months (October 1st, 

 1863, to December 31st, 1864) was 397. The 

 average amount of capital invested by English- 

 men in trading ventures with Wilmington dur- 

 ing a period of fifteen months (October 1st, 

 1863, to December 31st, 18(34;. is stated in de- 

 tail as follows : 



The operations in the Sounds of Xorth Caro- 

 lina, with the exception of some unimportant re- 

 connoissances and boat expeditions, commenced 

 in April with the engagement between the 

 gunboats Miami and Southfield and the rebel 

 ram Albemarle, at Plymouth, near the mouth 

 of the Roanoke River, of which an account is 

 given under the head of Army Operations. 

 The advantages gained by the Albemarle on 

 this occasion, taken in connection with the re- 

 verses sustained at Plymouth by the land forces 

 in garrison there, called for vigorous measures 

 to prevent further disaster, including possibly 

 the overthrow of the Federal naval supremacy 

 in Albemarle Sound. Captain Melancton Smith 

 was accordingly sent to assume command in the 

 Sounds with several vessels of the double-ender 

 class, and was directed to attack the ram at all 

 hazards, and use every means to disable or de- 

 stroy her. On the afternoon of the 5th of May, 

 the Federal fleet being collected near the mouth 

 of the Roanoke River, the Albemarle came 

 out, followed by the Bombshell, a small armed 

 tender, and at 4 : 40 proceeded to engage the 

 gunboats. In accordance with instructions, 

 the larger gunboats manoeuvred to get along- 

 side of their antagonist, and fire upon her ports 

 or roof, which were her most vulnerable parts ; 

 but, owing to the neglect of the smaller ^^ 

 to obey the signals from the flag-ship, and to 

 their rapid and indiscriminate fire, it became im- 

 possible for the larger ones to take a desirable 

 position without risk of being riddled by their 

 own friends. The contest was, consequently, 

 for the first half hour of a somewhat desultory 

 character. The gunboats eluded the eflbrts of 

 the Albemarle to ram them, but their guns 

 seemed to make no perceptible impression upon 



her. Soon after 5 o'clock the Sassacus, watcn- 

 ing her opportunity, struck the enemy fairly 

 her starboard beam, causing her to careen 

 until the water washed over her deck and case- 

 mate. In this position the two vessels remain- 

 ed for about ten minutes, the crew of the Sas- 

 sacus throwing hand-grenades down the deck- 

 hatch of the Albemarle, and trying in vain 

 to get powder into her smoke-stack. Could 

 another of the gunboats at this juncture have 

 got up on the other side of the ram, she might 

 have been seriously disabled, and perhaps com- 

 pelled to surrender ; but before this could be 

 effected she swung clear of the Sassacus, and 

 in parting sent a 100-pounder rule shot clean 

 through the starboard boiler of her antagonist, 

 who, enveloped in blinding clouds of steam, 

 was compelled to withdraw for a short time 

 from action. About this time the colors of 

 the Albemarle . came down, whether by acci- 

 dent or design is not known ; but she never- 

 theless maintained a general engagement with 

 the gunboats until 7 : 30 P. M., when she retired 

 up the Roanoke River. With the exception of 

 the Sassacus, the gunboats sustained compara- 

 tively little injury, although several of them 

 were struck by the rifle shots of the Albemarle. 

 The latter had her boats knocked to pieces, her 

 smoke-stock riddled, and one of her guns par- 

 tially disabled, but in other respects seemed in 

 as good condition as upon going into action. 

 Her motive power was entirely uninjured, and 

 the rifled projectiles of the gunboats, even when 

 discharged at short range, rebounded harmless- 

 ly from her armored sides. Her tender, the 

 Bombshell, was captured early in the fight. 



The action, though without any definite re- 

 sults, reflected no little credit on the bravery 

 and skill of the small Federal squadron, and 

 showed that, with a proper effort, even by the 

 class of vessels engaged, the Albemarle might 

 be compelled to remain within the waters of 

 the Roanoke. She showed herself again on 

 May 24th at the mouth of the river, but retired 

 rapidly up the stream toward Plymouth upon 

 being approached by the gunboats. From re- 

 ports of refugees and deserters, it also appeared 

 that she suffered considerably in the action of 

 the oth, both in her outer plating and from the 

 concussion caused by the fire of the gunboats. 

 On the 25th a daring but unsuccessful attempt 

 was made by five volunteers from the gunboat 

 TVyalusiug to destroy her by a torpedo, while 

 lying at the wharf at Plymouth. 



But though manifesting no disposition to re- 

 assume the offensive, the Albemarle was of suf- 

 ficient importance to induce the naval depart- 

 ment to take measures during the summer for 

 her destruction. Lieut. ~\V. B. Cashing, who 

 had on previous occasions shown equal coolness 

 and daring in conducting hazardous reconnois- 

 sances, was selected for the undertaking, and a 

 small steam launch was equipped as a torpedo 

 vessel and put under his charge. On the night 

 of Oct. 27th he started up the Roanoke with a 

 crew of thirteen officers and men who chieflv 



