USA > New York > Albany County > Albany > The heroes of Albany. A memorial of the patriot-martyrs of the city and county of Albany, who sacrificed their lives during the late war in defense of our nation 1861-1865 > Part 54
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The following account of the destruction of the " Albemarle" appeared in one of our papers:
"The rebel ram ' Albemarle' was one of the most formidable vessels which the Confederate navy ever floated. It played a conspicuous part in the capture of Plymouth last spring, and on that occasion sank the 'Southfield.' She attacked the 'Miami' also; and a shot from the latter, striking the iron walls of the ram, rebounded and killed Capt. FLUSSER, of the ' Miami,' who was an intimate friend of CUSHING. It was said that for this reason Lieut. CUSHING vowed vengeance against the ' Albemarle.' This ram was the same which was engaged in the memorable conflict with the ' Sassacus,' and two other heavily armed double- enders, on the 5th of May last. The utmost, however, which these three vessels, by their combined efforts, were able to accomplish, amounted to but a slight injury to the rebel iron- clad, though sufficient to compel its retirement. It has ever since been a source of considerable apprehension, and has made it necessary for Admiral LEE to greatly increase his naval force in the sound. As early as last June Lieut. CUSHING, then com- manding the 'Monticello,' submitted to the Admiral a plan for
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the destruction of the 'Albemarle.' The plan was approved, and the Lieutenant withdrawn from the 'Monticello' to perform this special service. Since that date Admiral LEE has been suc- ceeded by Admiral PORTER, who has signalized his assumption of command by the destruction of the 'Albemarle.'
"After the conception of his plan, Lieutenant CUSHING came to New York, and in conjunction with Admiral GREGORY, Captain BoGos, and Chief Engineer W. W. Woon, applied to one of the new steam-piekets a torpedo arrangement, and returned to the Sound. The torpedo arrangement was invented by Mr. WOOD, and was illustrated in the ' Weekly' of October 1. The ' Albe- marle' had been lying at Plymouth for some weeks previous to its destruction. A mile below the town on the wreck of the ' Southfield' a rebel picket was stationed. On the night of October 27, CUSHING, with a company of thirteen men, proceeded up the Roanoke river, toward Plymouth. The distance from the mouth of the river to the ram was eight miles. The picket above mentioned was passed without alarm, and the ' Albemarle' was discovered lying fast to the wharf ' with logs around her about thirty feet from her side.' -As the party approached, the rebels opened fire from the shore, which was returned by the steam launch. The approach was made in the form of a cirele and with hows on, and when the logs were struck they were driven in some feet, the hows of the launch resting on them. ' The torpedo-boom was then lowered,' says Lieutenant CUSHING, ' and by a vigorous pull I succeeded in diving the torpedo under the overhang, and exploding it at the same time that the ' Albe- marle's' gun was fired. A shot seemed to go crashing through my boat, and a dense mass of water rushed in from the torpedo, filling the launch and completely disabling her. The enemy then continued his fire at fifteen feet range and demanded our surrender, which I twice refused, ordering the men to save them- selves, and removing my overcoat and shoes. Springing into the river I swam, with others, into the middle of the stream, the rebels failing to hit us."
" CUSHING's escape was so precipitate that he was not able to report the destruction of the ram from his own observation, but
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formed his judgment from a conversation which he heard while concealed in the marshes close to the enemy's fort, and from the report of a negro whom he sent into the town for information. He had become exhausted in swimming, and had taken shelter in the immediate vicinity of the enemy. He was picked up by the ' Valley City' on the night of the 30th, having made his way to that vessel in a skiff captured from an enemy's picket. Lieut. CUSHING is a citizen of New York.
" From the Richmond papers we learn that the 'Albemarle' was destroyed, and that none of CUSHING's party were killed, only one of them, indeed, having been wounded. No lives were lost on board the 'Albemarle.' The destruction of this vessel has given us possession of Plymouth."
It is an interesting fact, which I will state in this connection, that another of the heroes of this hazardous expedition was a native of Albany, and after his gallant conduct and his great sufferings in Southern prisons, has returned to us to enjoy the reward of his patriotic services. I allude to Mr. HENRY WILKES, who is at present connected with PARSON's book bindery in James street.
Mr. WILKES and Mr. KING were among the five sailors who received medals of honor prepared by the Navy Department. Each medal was accompanied by a letter from the Secretary, stating that it was awarded for gallant and meritorious conduct.
Mr. WILKES after having passed through scenes of great danger, was selected for his daring and bravery for this enter- prise; and he has kindly furnished me with the following account of it, and of his own capture and imprisonment:
"On the night of the 27th we got under weigh from the fleet, off the mouth of the river, and steamed up the river. In the steam launch, were Lieutenant CUSHING, Paymaster AVOLINGTON, from the 'Otsego,' SWAN, Master's Mate, WILLIAM B. HOWITT, of the gun boat 'Monticello,' and third assistant Engineer, STOKES- BURY, in charge of the engine, with a crew of ten men."
" An assigned cutter of the 'Shamrock,' with an officer and ten men, was towed along for the purpose of capturing the rebel pickets on the river. It was known that the rebels had pickets
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along the river, and on the 'Southfield,' which had been sunk by the ' Albemarle' last spring, which laid about a mile below the town of Plymouth. The pickets were stationed on the hurri- cane deck of the 'Southfield,' the only portion of the wreck above water. These were turned over to the care of the 'Sham- rock's' cutter."
" When the time came, about eleven P. M., the picket boat entered the Roanoke river, and steaming up without making any noise, the ' Southfield' and three schooners along side of her, engaged in raising her up, were passed, so near, that we could toss a biscuit aboard of her without being hailed.
" We arrived within pistol : hot of the ram which lay along side of the dock, at Plymouth. We were hailed, and CUSHING made no answer. We steamed on towards the ram, the rebel Captain shouted " what boat is this ?" Then we said, " go to grass." Then the rattle was sprung, the bells on the ram were rung, and all hands were beat to quarters in great confusion. A musketry fire was opened on one boat, and a charge of canister, injuring some of the crew.
" Along the dock where the 'Albemarle' was, there were a large number of soldiers stationed to guard against a landing of our force. After the surprise, in front of their lines, there were a number of fires, which threw a light on the ram. By this light Lieutenant CUSHING could see the timbers which were around the ram to guard against torpedoes, floating down on her. We could see the soldiers on the wharf blazing away at our boat. Then we brought the bow of our boat around and dis- charged a load of canister into them, from our twelve-pound HOWITZER mounted on the bow. This sent some of them flying, and making a circle about forty yards round, under a scorching fire. We came around, bow on, at full steam, and struck the logs which were around the ram, pressing against them in towards the ram. Our boat came to a stand-still. We could not back or go ahead. Then the fun commenced. The rebels fired muskets and pistols almost in our faces from the port holes of the ram and the wharf. There were two killed. Paymaster SWAN got a slight scratch on the side of his face with a ball.
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The officers of the ram cried out surrender, or we will blow you to pieces; but CUSHING took it all with perfect coolness. He seized the laniard attached to the torpedo, and the line of the spar, and crowding the spar until we brought the torpedo under the ram, he detached it by a line attached to a pin, which held the torpedo on the boom. He then pulled the laniard of the torpedo, and pressed it under the ram on the port side, just below the port holes. A two hundred pounder which was dis- charged at us, instead of sinking our boat, went over us, and did no damage. A large body of water was thrown out by the explosion of the torpedo, which came down on the boat, and gave us a good ducking. Lieutenant CUSHING ordered every man to save himself the best way he could. He pulled off his coat and shoes, and jumped into the river, followed by those of us that could swim. We struck out for the middle of the river under a hot fire. The water was so cold there was only one escaped with CUSHING. His name was WILLIAM HOUTON, a sailor, who belonged on the 'Chicopee,' one of the fleet in the Sound.
" The enemy called out for us to surrender, or they would sink us. Our boat being fast on the logs, we could not get out, and we surrendered, and then they stopped firing, and came out in their boats and picked us up.
"We were put in a jail that night, and we had the soft side of a plank for a bed. We were wet and hungry the next morning, and shivering with the cold. We had no change of clothes with us. Some of us threw off our overcoats about ten o'clock that morning. They gave us some thing to eat, and our bill of fare was corn bread and stewed beef. Some of the boys said it was mule's meat. We were hungry, and we did not care what we ate.
" We stopped there until noon, and then they started us on a march of sixty miles. While we were in Plymouth we were treated very well. We had a guard of twelve mounted men placed before us. We heard our gunboats coming up the river, and we were hurried along as fast as possible. While we were in the jail, we had a good many call to see us. They asked us a good many questions, and wanted to know who was in com-
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mand of the boat. We did not tell them, as we did not want Lieut. CusHING to be caught. We named the commander that was on board before we left. They supposed, however, it was CusuNa. It was lucky that he made his escape, for if they had caught him they would have shot him. When we heard the gunboats coming up we knew CUSHING was safe, and had sent them up the river.
" We marched that day until sundown, when we arrived at an old school-house, where we stopped for the night. Before start- ing from the jail, they gave us rations for three days, which was about a dozen hard tack, and truly it was hard enough. We had as much as we could do to eat them.
" We got up the next morning at four A. M., and felt stiff and sore. We had to eat our hard tack in a hurry, and we started again. We were about tired out, and our feet so sore that we could hardly walk. We arrived at a barn, where we put up for the night. We passed a great many troops on the road to Ply- month. They looked like a flock of sheep straggling along.
" The next morning we started again on the road. Before we got ten miles, some of the men got tired out. We met an old negro on the road, with a cart and mule, and the guard ordered him to stop and take some of us up, which he did. We arrived that night at a railroad station, and were put into a cattle car, with a guard of six men. There were about four inches of dirt in the bottom of the car, but we had to make the best of it. We rode for two days in the cattle car, and arriving at a station, we were transferred to a passenger car, in which we rode till we arrived at Salisbury prison.
"The prison is about a mile from the railroad. When we got there it was raining. They opened the gate of the pen, and told us to march in. The number of prisoners was between eight and nine thousand. Most of them were our soldiers, and some, Unionists of the south, who would not take arms against the United States. Some had small tents, and the rest dug holes in the ground, about five feet deep, four feet long and four feet wide. They were covered with sticks and brush for a roof, and plastered over with mud, with a hole in one end for a
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chimney to let the smoke out. Our rations were meat, two or three times a week, of two ounces, and eight ounces of corn bread. Part of the time we were put on half rations. There was no running stream on the place, and we got water out of wells, which were quite dirty. We had not been in prison over a week, when the prisoners talked about making a break out. The rebels heard of it, and they took our officers and sent them to another prison, so they gave up the break at that time. Some tried to escape by digging a tunnel under ground, but they were caught and brought back. There was a trench dug all around the fence which was about the prison, which they called the dead line, and any one who tried to get over the trench was shot down. Besides every one had to be in their tents or holes, as soon as it was dark. The rebels would call out, "Get to your holes or tents, you Yankees, or I will shoot you;" and if we were not quick enough, they would fire at us.
" We had another break, and we attacked the guard. We were armed with stones and clubs, and made for the gate, which was broken open. We were, however, driven back by the guards. By this time the guards on the fence were reinforced, and they opened a heavy fire on us. As soon as the break commenced, a train arrived at the depot, with a regiment on board. They came up, and opened fire on us with two six-pounders, which they used and loaded with box tin punchings, for grape. The boys saw they could not make it go, and so they gave it up. We lost about fifty, killed and wounded. Major GEE, who had command of the prisoners, said the next time the prisoners made a break, he would shoot every man on the place.
" In January, there were three United States officers came there with some clothing. But they did not bring enough to supply us. However, some got a shirt, and some a pair of pants, and some shoes, &c.
" On the 22d of February, we were sent away to be exchanged. Partly on foot and partly by railroad, we were conveyed to the Union lines. As we approached our lines, we put a flag of truce on the locomotive. There were about two thousand of us exchanged, and we were received by a battalion of our troops,
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with arms presented. When passing out of the rebel lines, we all gave a wild hurrah, and traveled on to Washington and to the navy yard, and were presented with medals of honor by Commodore MONTGOMERY. HENRY WILKES."
All honor to this noble patriot and brave soldier, who has survived the perils and hardships of war! May the remainder of his life be peaceful, prosperous and happy!
XCVII.
GEORGE B. WOLCOTT.
GEORGE B. WOLCOTT, private in the Forty-fourth Regiment, Company E., New York State Volunteers, was born at Penn Yan, Yates county, New York, August 31, 1848. He was the son of CHAUNCY and ANN WOLCOTT. In childhood and youth he was an obedient and dutiful son, and a kind and loving brother. From earliest youth, he was always of a religious turn of mind; loving his Sabbath school, and taking an active part in it, and shunning evils of every description.
At the age of twelve, his mother died, and her last words to GEORGE were: "Be a good boy and meet me in heaven." GEORGE loved his mother with an untiring love, and these words had a lasting effect upon him. From that time he sought the Lord, and, through Jesus Christ, obtained pardon. He advanced rapidly in the divine life, and in love to his God and Saviour. At the age of fifteen, he united with the Wesleyan Methodist Church of Penn Yan, and maintained a Christian character with- out spot or blemish. He always took an active part in the duties of the church.
He had attended the Normal School one year, when he enlisted at Albany, August 20, 1862. He was a sincere and enthusiastic patriot, and discharged his duties, both in camp and field, with marked efficiency and fidelity. At the battle of Gettysburg, while aiding in repelling an attack upon the extreme left of our line, and while in the act of dropping a bullet into his musket,
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a ball from the enemy pierced his hand, entered his forehead and killed him instantly. He was buried beside his comrades who fell at the same time and place, a short distance from where he was killed.
We regret that we have not more full information of this noble youth, but an account of the company with which he was con- nected cannot fail to interest our reader.
When, in July, 1862, the Union forces were defeated in the " seven day's battle" before Richmond, and there came up from the Capital of the nation a new call for men-soldiers to drive back the rebellious invaders-the young men of the State Normal School felt that it was time for them to shoulder their muskets, and do what they could to save the land they loved, and pre- serve the institutions for which their fathers fought. Professors KIMBALL and HUSTED, of the faculty, volunteered to go with, and lead them. With the students and graduates of the school as a nucleus, they commenced recruiting, and, on the 25th of September, found themselves one hundred true, brave, ear- nest men, " mustered into the service of the United States for three years or the war." Desirous of, at once, making them- selves useful in the field, they were soon attached to the Forty- fourth New York Volunteers, then one year in the service, and were afterwards known as Company E of that regiment, joining it October 23d, at Antietam Ford, Maryland.
The company, as an organization, participated in all the battles of the Army of the Potomac, during the two years from Octo- ber, 1862, till October, 1864, including the terrible struggles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilder- ness, Spottsylvania, and the siege of Petersburg.
The regiment's term of service having expired, and but ten of the company being " present for duty," this remnant was con- solidated with the One Hundred and Fortieth New York Volun- teers, and fought with it in the closing campaign, and were mus- tered out in June, 1865. Of the original officers, Captain R. G. KIMBALL resigned, on Surgeon's certificate of disability, April 16, 1866. Lieutenant A. N. HUSTED served with the company during its connection with the Forty-fourth, was promoted to
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Captain, and was honorably discharged when his men were trans- ferred to the One Hundred and Fortieth, in October, 1864. Lieutenant WM. KIDD resigned January 29, 1863, to accept a commission in a cavalry regiment.
Of the one hundred men, sixteen died of wounds received in battle; eight died of disease; twenty received wounds which did not prove fatal; seven were commissioned in the United States colored troops, five of them as Captains; seven received com- missions in New York Volunteer Regiments; twelve were dis- charged because of physical disability; nine were transferred to the Invalid Corps, and three to the Signal Corps. Two of the members, ROBERT B. DARLING and GEORGE B. WOLCOTT, were killed, by being shot through the head, the latter at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, July 2, 1863, and the former at Petersburg, Vir- ginia, Jume 18, 1864.
After GEORGE'S death, his Captain wrote to a friend that GEORGE was not only a good soldier for his country, but, also, a good soldier of the Cross. On the morning of the fatal day that he fell, he found him engaged in earnest prayer to God. In an hour from that time, he was lying dead upon the field.
XCVIII. JUSTIN R. HUNTLEY.
JUSTIN R. HUNTLEY was born December 10, 1846, in Ham- burg, Erie county, New York. At seven years of age he com- menced attending school, which he continued to do without material interruption until about sixteen, when he graduated from the Experimental Department of the State Normal School at Albany. Possessing a strong physical constitution and a ready and active mind, he mastered the course of study with comparative case, placing himself in rank among the best of his class. In his school life there were many little incidents which were, for the time, considered somewhat remarkable by his
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particular friends and admirers, but are not of sufficient impor- tance to claim notice here.
In the spring of 1858, during a season of religious interest in the Pearl street Baptist church at Albany, he was hopefully con- verted, and united with that church by baptism, under the ministry of Rev. Dr. HAGUE, which connection was maintained until his death. As evidence of the fidelity and firmness with which he held fast his religious convictions, it may be stated that during the continuance of the " boys' prayer meeting," for two years, he was never absent except when away from the city.
The spring of 1861 brought the fall of Fort Sumter and the spontaneous uprising of the North. While the Government was marshaling its hosts preparatory to putting down the rebellion, the boys caught the military spirit and organized themselves into companies and regiments, for drill in the tactics of war. Eight or ten companies of " Boys' Zouaves" were organized, uniformed and equipped in Albany, one of which was drilled and commanded by JUSTIN. Subsequently, desiring to be organi- zed as a regiment for parade on various occasions, the officers met to elect their field officers, when JUSTIN was unanimously chosen Colonel. The fourth of July was the occasion of their first appearance, when, numbering about five hundred, they presented such soldierly appearance, and evidence of such excel- lent discipline, as made them one of the most interesting features of the procession and celebration.
Here, then, was first developed that military ardor and self- sacrificing patriotism which seemed at times to fill his mind, to the exclusion of every other consideration. During the first three years of the war he was almost unremitting in endeavors to obtain his parents' consent that he might go. He was sure he could be useful in many capacities-a " drummer boy," a clerk in some department, or even an officer's servant. His requests being refused again and again, at each successive call of the Government for men, they became more importunate. Though persistently refused and discouraged, and warned that actual war and the battling of armies was no holiday parade, though the scarred and maimed veterans returning from the
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camp and hospital and bloody field, told their thrilling stories of privation, suffering and death-yet did he not forbear his entreaties to be allowed to go.
The call for volunteers in the winter of '64 seemed, in all human probability, to be the last. JUSTIN felt that then was pre- sented the only opportunity for him to serve his country. His anxiety became more intense, his arguments and entreaties more vehement.
Hle urged that he was above the necessary standard in stature and strength, and consequently able to endure the fatigues and duties of the camp and field; that, as his country needed more men, in this her final struggle to subdue the rebellion, and as his religious principles were now so firmly fixed as to enable him, by Divine assistance, to withstand the temptations of a military life, he was bound by every consideration of patriotism and Christian fidelity, to give his services to this noble cause-the more especially as he could set a proper religious example in the midst of vice and temptation, inviting those, who through weak- ness had fallen, to a higher life, by kindly words and Christian deeds. He had made it the subject of prayer for weeks and months. Many sleepless nights were occasioned by anxiety to know his duty, and he felt confident that God would protect him from all harm. If he could not go at this call, no further oppor- tunity would be offered to make his record among the defenders of the government and the old flag; that he had taken no part in this gigantic contest for the existence of the government, would be a life-long stigma upon his name. With these and similar arguments his suit was pressed, day after day and week after week, until a reluctant consent was finally wrung from his parents. With marked expressions of gratitude, he testified his joy for the permission to enroll himself as a soldier of the Union. He repeatedly said: " You shall never have cause to regret my going to the war. I feel that God will give me strength to resist the temptations of the camp. Ma. you shall be proud of your son."
He enlisted in the Forty-fourth Regiment New York Volun- teers, Company E, commanded by Capt. HUSTED, April 1, 1864. Major ALLEN, commanding the recruiting detachment of the
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Forty-fourth in Albany, finding his services necessary in the office, retained him in it, till those upon this service were ordered to report to their regiment. On May 12 he left the city, in com- pany with the detachment. Though sad at parting with parents and friends, a consciousness that he had voluntarily assumed the manly and patriotic position to fight for his country and the loved ones at home, animated his countenance with an expression of hope and joy. Not elated with the novelty of his new posi- tion, or the spirit of adventure, there was a serious thoughtful- ness pervading his mind. Within the hour previous to his departure, he read aloud the fifth chapter of Romans. Then at his request all joined in singing " Home, sweet home," and his beautiful voice, always sweet, seemed unusually thrilling and sympathetic; after which he buckled on his haversack, and bade the family adieu. Tears were in a measure stifled by that strong hope and confidence he realized so fully. Though he was going where danger was, yet duty appeared to be there also. None could feel that this was his last home interview; that the voice so touching in its melody would so soon be hushed; that the spirit so joyous with hope and trust, would so soon wing its way to the heaven of the blessed.
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