Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 12.djvu/94

84 down the sound she encountered the Federal fleet, consisting of the double-enders Mattabesett, Sassacus, Wyalusing and Miami, and the gunboats Ceres, Whitehead and Commodore Hull, all under the command of Commodore M. Smith, U. S. N. These vessels were heavily armed, and the Miami carried a torpedo and a seine, the latter to foul the Albemarle's propeller. The Cotton Plant was sent back to Plymouth, and the Bombshell should have been, for of course she had. soon to surrender.

About 5 p. m. the engagement commenced. The Albemarle made repeated attempts to ram her huge antagonist, but her slow speed prevented. The enemy poured broadside after broadside into her; but even the loo-pound rifled projectiles and the 9-inch solid shot failed to penetrate her shield. The Sassacus rammed her just abaft the shield, but without effect. In return, she received from the Albemarle a 100-pound Brooke rifle- shot, which passed through one of her boilers, scalding many of her crew, and sending her out of action, disabled. The Miami made no use of her torpedo and the seine accomplished nothing. The Albemarle kept up a constant fire, though one of her guns was badly cracked. Finding it impossible to capture the Albemarle, the Federal fleet discontinued the action at 7 130 p. m., and the unconquerable little ram made her way slowly back to Plymouth. The total loss in the Federal vessels was 29. We have no returns of the Albemarle's loss.

As the Confederate navy department was building an ironclad ram on the Neuse river, the Albemarle now awaited her co-operation. On the night of October 27, 1864, she was sunk while lying at the wharf at Plymouth, by a torpedo boat under the command of the heroic Lieut. W. B. Gushing, U. S. N., one of the most brilliant exploits in naval annals. At the time, the Albemarle was commanded by Lieut. A. F. Warley; Commander Cooke, who had been promoted to captain, having