. Stories of the civil war . ; but, the cries of one of hisdrowning men attracting the enemys fire, he turneddown the stream. The water was exceedingly cold, andhis heavy clothing rendered it very difficult for him tokeep afloat; and after about an hours swimming he wentashore, and fell exhausted upon the bank. On comingto his senses, he found himself near a sentry and twoofficers, who were discussing the affair, and heard themsay that Gushing was dead. Thinking that he hadbetter increase the distance between the rebels andhimself, he managed to shove himself along on hisback, by working with
. Stories of the civil war . ; but, the cries of one of hisdrowning men attracting the enemys fire, he turneddown the stream. The water was exceedingly cold, andhis heavy clothing rendered it very difficult for him tokeep afloat; and after about an hours swimming he wentashore, and fell exhausted upon the bank. On comingto his senses, he found himself near a sentry and twoofficers, who were discussing the affair, and heard themsay that Gushing was dead. Thinking that he hadbetter increase the distance between the rebels andhimself, he managed to shove himself along on hisback, by working with his heels against the ground,until he reached a place of concealment. After dark, he proceeded through the swamp for somedistance, lacerating his feet and hands with the briersand oyster shells. He next day met an old negro whomhe thought he could trust. The negro was frightenedat Gushings wild appearance, and tremblingly askedwho he was. *I am a Yankee, replied Gushing, andI am one of the men who blew up the Albemarle. M^^M. •-*f*::jLiAt« THE DESTRUCTION OF THE ALBEMARLE 9/ My golly, massa! said the negro, dey kill you ifdey catch you ; you dead gone sure ! Gushing askedhim if he could trust him to go into the town and bringhim back the news. The negro assented, and Gushinggave him all the money he had and sent him off. Hethen climbed up a tree and opened his jack-knife, theonly weapon he had, and prepared for any attack whichmight be made. After a time the negro came back, and, to Gushingsjoy, reported the Albemarle sunk and the people leav-ing the town. Gushing then went farther down theriver, and found a boat on the opposite bank belongingto a picket guard. He once more plunged into thechilly river and detached the boat, but, not daring toget into it, left it drift down the river, keeping himselfconcealed. At last, thinking he was far enough awayto elude observation, he got into the boat and paddledfor eight hours until he reached the squadron. Afterhailing them,
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Keywords: ., bookauthorblaisdel, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookyear1890
