William Barker Cushing
1842 - 1874

               OBITUARY.
       COMMANDER WILLIAM b. CUSHING.
 The death is announced at Washington, in
the thirty-second year of his age, of Commander Wil-
liam B. Cushing, so well known for his daring ex-
ploit which led to the destruction of the rebel iron-
clad steamer Albemarle, on the night of the 27th Oc-
tober, 1864, at Plymouth, N.C.  Commander Cushing
was born in Wisconsin, and was appointed to the
navy from New-York on the 25th September, 1857.
He resigned the following year, but re-entered the
service in 1861 as an acting officer. He received his
commission as Lieutenant on the 16th July, 1862,
and was attached to the North Atlantic Blockading
Squadron for four years up to 1865. His coolness,
courage, and conduct on board the steamer Ellis,
which he commanded in November, 1862, first
brought him into prominent notice. He had re-
ceived orders, on the 23d of that month, to
capture the town of Jacksonville, to
intercept the Wilmington mail, to take
possession of any vessels found in New
River Inlet, and to destroy any salt works found on
its banks. In compliance with these instructions
he at once entered New River Inlet, and, after
reaching Jacksonville, he captured twenty-five stand
of public arms, a large mail, and two schooners.
He then proceeded down the river, shelling a rebel
camp on his way, and came to anchor about five
miles from the outer bar, it being impossible to
take the steamer from the river that night. The
following morning the enemy opened on him with
two pieces of artillery from a bluff, but these were
soon silenced, Lieut. Cushing having brought the
Ellis within short range without receiving fire.
Soon afterward the Ellis unfortunately grounded,
and all efforts to get her off proved fruitless. This
rendered Lieut. Cushing's position perilous indeed,
but he proved equal to the occasion. He caused
everything to be removed from the steamer, with
the exception of the pivot gun and a few small
arms, and the crew, having been called to muster,
were told that they could go aboard the prize
schooner. The Lieutenant then called for six volun-
teers to remain with him on board the Ellis and
fight the remaining gun. The required number of
volunteers was at once obtained, and the prize
schooner was ordered to drop down the channel and
await the termination of the impending engagement.
On the morning of the 25th the enemy opened a
cross-fire on the Ellis from four points, with heavy
rifled guns, so disabling the Ellis that the only
alternative left was to surrender or a pull of one and
a-half miles in a small boat, under fire, to the
schooner. The latter alternative was chosen.
Lieut. Cushing fired the Ellis, reached the schooner,
and made sail for sea, and four hours afterward
arrived at Beaufort. In the official reports of Com-
mander H.K. Davenport and Acting Rear
Admiral S.P. Lee, the conduct of Lieut. Cushing
was specially commended. In about two years
afterward he again distinguished himself by the de-
struction of the rebel ram Albemarle, at Plymouth,
N.C. On the night of the 27th October, 1864, he
ascended the Roanoke River in a torpedo-boat, hav-
ing the second cutter of the steamer Shamrock in
tow. He passed the rebel steamer Southfield with-
out being noticed, and arrived within a short dis-
tance of the ram before he was discovered, when he
cut loose the cutter, ordering her to board the South-
field  and capture the picket stationed there, while
he attacked the ram with a torpedo. Although
the enemy kept up a severe fire of musketry and
with howitzers mounted on the wharf, he suc-
ceeded in exploding his torpedo under the Albe-
marle at the same instant that the gun
of that vessel was fired at the torpedo-
boat, which immediately filled , and Lieut. Cushing
having ordered his officers and men to save them-
selves, jumped overboard. Most of the officers and
men were capyured, a few were drowned, and only
two escaped. Lieut. Cushing fortunately reached
shore, and, after a long journey through the swamps,
came to a creek, and the following night he made
his way out to the steamer Valley City. For his
daring and successful act he received a vote of
thanks from Congress and a complimentary letter
from Hon. Gideon Welles, the then Secretary of the
Navy. The Secretary said that the details in connec-
tion with that perilous undertaking having been al-
together left to Lieut. Cushing, to him and his
brave comrades belonged the exclusive credit of
that daring achievement. The judgment and cour-
age displayed on that occasion by Lieut. Cushing
could scarcely have been expected from so young an
officer, his age at that time being only twenty-one.
 The Hartford Courant gives the following as the
correct version of the selection of Lieut. W.B.
Cushing to destroy the rebel ram Albemarle:
 "The department had, through spies and the ob-
servations of naval officers operating in Albemarle
Sound, obtained full information as to the size, ef-
fectiveness, and locality of the terrible ram which
was built for the express purpose of clearing our
forces out of the North Carolina waters and the
fortified places of Roanoke and Newbern. The de-
partment had charts and plans prepared, and then,
looking about for one of its officers of high rank,
selected Rowan for the enterprise. Accordingly,
he was sent for and offered an advance of a grade if
he would undertake the desperate service. But,
with the conviction begotten of of long experience, he
declined the offer. Cushing was then thought of as
a young man of desperate courage, and he was sent
for. After carefully studying the plans, he turned,
with beaming eye, to Assistant Secretary Fox, and
said: 'I'll try it, Sir; I'll do my best.'"
 Lieut. Cushing all through the war distinguished
himself by signal acts  of periolous adventure. He
combined coolness and sound judgment with a cour-
age unsurpassed, and on all occasions proved him-
self a valuable officer. He was commissioned as
Lieutenant Commander Oct. 22, 1864, and subse-
quently served on board  the steamer Lancaster,
flagship Pacific Squadron, 1866-7, and afterward com-
manded the steamer Maumee, of the Asiatic Squad-
ron, during the years 1868 and 1869.
 Just previous to being disabled for active duty, he
was in command of the third-rate screw steamer
Wyoming, of the North Atlantic Squadron, to
which he was ordered at the time of the threatened
difficulty with Spain over the Virginius affair.