Appletons' cyclopædia of American biography . hsix volunteers on board the steamer until she was-disabled by a cross-fire from the shore, when he sether on fire and made his escape to the schooner ina row-boat. He distinguished himself the sameyear on the Blackwater and in the sounds of NorthCarolina. In 1863 he added to his reputation forbravery and judg-ment by an ex-pedition up theCape Fear andLittle rivers andoperations on theNansemond. Hismost brilliant ex-ploit was the de-struction of theConfederate iron-clad ram Albe-marle on thenight of 27 Oct.,1864. This power-ful vessel had suc-cessf
Appletons' cyclopædia of American biography . hsix volunteers on board the steamer until she was-disabled by a cross-fire from the shore, when he sether on fire and made his escape to the schooner ina row-boat. He distinguished himself the sameyear on the Blackwater and in the sounds of NorthCarolina. In 1863 he added to his reputation forbravery and judg-ment by an ex-pedition up theCape Fear andLittle rivers andoperations on theNansemond. Hismost brilliant ex-ploit was the de-struction of theConfederate iron-clad ram Albe-marle on thenight of 27 Oct.,1864. This power-ful vessel had suc-cessfully encoun-tered a strongfleet of U. S. gun-boats, and foughtthem for sev-eral hours with-out sustainingmaterial damage. There was nothing able to copewith her in the sounds. Cushing volunteered to de-stroy her, and with a steam launch and a volunteercrew he ascended Roanoke river, towing an armedcutter. The river was lined with pickets to guardagainst just such an attack as this; but Cushingsluck did not desert him, and he was within a few. 7%-<&^^^J!L CUSHMAN CUSHMAN 41 yards of the Albemarle before he was oil the boat that was in tow, he ordered itscrew to attack a picket-post near by, while, with afull head of steam, he drove the launch straightat the huge bulk of the iron-clad, whose crewrushed to quarters and at once opened fire. Thelaunch replied effectively with her howitzer. Araft of heavy logs surrounded the larger vessel,but the launch was driven over them, and by thetime she had received her death-wound from theAlbemarles guns Gushing had coolly swungthe torpedo-boom under the great ships overhangand exploded the charge. A large hole was blownin the iron-clads side, she sank at her moorings,and was never raised. Telling his companions tolook out for themselves, Gushing left his sinkinglaunch and swam down stream, reaching the bank,thoroughly exhausted, half a mile below. As soonas he recovered his strength he plunged into thedense swamp, and
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