The Story of American History Part 32

Thus ended the battle of Mobile Bay,--one of the most brilliant naval contests of modern times,--Farragut's crowning victory. Three hours elapsed from the time the first gun was fired until the great ram hauled down the Confederate flag.

The port of Mobile was thenceforward closed against blockade runners, and the last channel of communication between the Confederacy and the outside world was cut off.

=342. Farragut in the Rigging during the Battle.=--During the battle Farragut stood in the main rigging; but as the smoke increased he gradually climbed higher, until he was close by the maintop. The shots were flying thick and fast. There was great danger that he would lose his footing, and so the captain sent aloft one of the men with a rope who lashed him to the rigging so that he might not fall if wounded.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FARRAGUT LASHED TO THE RIGGING.]

When Farragut saw the danger from the approaching Tennessee, as he stood tied to the rigging, he said to his signal officer, who was lashed to the other mast:--

"Can you signal, 'For Heaven's sake'?"

"I can signal anything," replied Kinney.

"Well, signal to all the fleet, 'For Heaven's sake, go for the ram!'"

The fact that the admiral was fastened to the main rigging during the greatest sea fight perhaps in our history gave him a unique reputation throughout the country. Farragut was amused and amazed at the notoriety of the incident.

When a picture of the scene in one of the ill.u.s.trated papers came to hand a few days after the battle, the admiral said to one of his captains in conversation, "How curiously some trifling incident catches the popular fancy! My being in the main rigging was a mere incident, owing to the fact that I was driven aloft by the smoke. The las.h.i.+ng was the result of your own fears for my safety."

=343. Cus.h.i.+ng plans to destroy the Ironclad Albemarle.=--One of the large sounds, or inland gulfs, on the coast of North Carolina was the scene of a great deal of blockade running during the war. The place needed constant watching by our s.h.i.+ps.

But the chief cause of anxiety was a monster ironclad, the Albemarle, that the Confederates had built up the Roanoke River. She had sunk or disabled several Union gunboats. She had gone up the river to refit. The entrance to the sound was so shallow that none of our large wars.h.i.+ps could pa.s.s in.

Could anything be done to check the Albemarle? Lieutenant Cus.h.i.+ng, only twenty-one, but a most daring naval officer, said, "Yes, there could!"

His plan was to steal carefully up by night, seize the huge ironclad and bring it away, if possible, or else blow it up. The river was guarded on both banks, and the ram itself was watched by special sentries. No matter for that; he would go. He obtained a noiseless steam launch, and rigged a torpedo on the end of a long spar, turning on a hinge at its side. The crew of the launch consisted of fifteen men, with Cus.h.i.+ng in command.

=344. Cus.h.i.+ng's Plan Successful; Destruction of the Albemarle.=--One dark rainy night Cus.h.i.+ng steamed in his little torpedo boat up the river.

They pa.s.sed all the river guards undiscovered. A camp-fire on the bank near the ironclad showed to him, as he stood in the bow of his boat, the dark outlines of the monster. He steamed on softly. Just then a dog barked! Then guards sprang up and fired. The big bell on the ram clanged its alarm, lights flashed on the water and shots hissed all around the launch.

The brave young officer saw that the ram was surrounded by a large raft of huge logs. Instantly his resolution was formed. He steamed off some distance to get a long run, then turned and rushed for the Albemarle.

Shot whistled around him. On came his little craft, b.u.mped upon the logs, crashed over them, and pushed up under the huge ram. Cus.h.i.+ng now lowered his torpedo spar, calmly guided it into its place, pulled the fatal cord--cras.h.!.+ a roar of thunder!--and all was over. The great ironclad was a terror no longer.

[Ill.u.s.tration: CUs.h.i.+NG'S BRILLIANT EXPLOIT.]

=345. Cus.h.i.+ng reaches the Fleet in Safety.=--Each man had to save himself as best he might. Cus.h.i.+ng leaped into the water. After about an hour's swimming he reached the sh.o.r.e and fell exhausted upon the bank. He crept into a swamp for some distance, tearing his feet and hands with briers and oyster sh.e.l.ls.

Next day he met an old negro whom he thought he could trust. The negro was frightened at Cus.h.i.+ng's wild appearance and tremblingly asked who he was.

"I am a Yankee," replied Cus.h.i.+ng, "and I am one of the men who blew up the Albemarle."

"My golly, ma.s.sa!" said the negro; "dey kill you if dey catch you; you dead gone, sure!"

Cus.h.i.+ng gave the negro all the money he had to go into the town and learn the news.

After a time the negro came back, and, to Cus.h.i.+ng's joy, reported the Albemarle sunk. At last the intrepid officer found a boat and paddled for eight hours until he reached the Union squadron. After hailing one of the vessels, he fell into the bottom of the boat, utterly exhausted by hunger, cold, fatigue, and excitement.

Lieutenant Cus.h.i.+ng, to whose intrepidity and skill the country was indebted for this and many other bold exploits, was engaged in thirty-five naval combats during the war. What a record for a young man of twenty-three! He died at thirty-two, the youngest officer of his rank in the United States Navy. One of our finest torpedo boats, which did good service during the Spanish-American war, is well named "The Cus.h.i.+ng."

CHAPTER XXVI.

THE WAR WITH SPAIN IN 1898.

=346. The Downfall of Spain on this Continent.=--For half a century or more after the time of Columbus, Spain was the greatest military and political power in the world. Her s.h.i.+ps and her sailors carried the proud banner of Castile to every sh.o.r.e and clime then known.

The vast domain claimed by Spain on this continent by right of discovery and exploration comprised the fertile islands of the West Indies, the greater portion of Central and South America, and all that part of our own country west of the Mississippi. In territory, in wealth, in power, the sovereignty of Spain became the mightiest in the world.

How are the mighty fallen! The once powerful empire has crumbled into dust. The year 1898 saw its overthrow on this side of the Atlantic and in the Philippines.

=347. Spain's Cruel Policy towards her Colonies.=--For the most part Spain ruled her colonies with shocking oppression. Her policy was to extort all possible gain from them to her own selfish profit. She retained to the last the barbarous methods of less civilized centuries. Finally, after long years of oppression, the South American colonies began to cut loose from her tyrannical sway.

In a few years Spain was stripped of all her possessions in America, excepting only her islands in the West Indies.

=348. Cuba rebels against Spanish Oppression.=--One would naturally suppose that these disastrous losses would have taught Spain to govern her only remaining American colonies, Cuba and Porto Rico, with more wisdom. But not so; she kept right on as before, growing worse, if possible, still clinging to the old policy of cruel oppression and merciless extortion.

Some thirty years ago a rebellion began in Cuba which lasted ten years.

In vain Spain spent millions of money and sent thousands of soldiers to subdue it. Hundreds of Cubans were cast into prison to die of fever and starvation, and their property was confiscated.

=349. Cuba again rebels against Spain in 1895.=--In 1895 the long-suffering Cubans rose in rebellion again. Their army was larger, better furnished, and they gained possession of a much more extensive portion of the island.

Now Spain became really alarmed. She sent to Cuba a hundred and twenty thousand soldiers. They melted away, mostly from sickness and mismanagement, like frost in the morning sun. It was all in vain; for it was now plain that Spain could never conquer the Cubans, and just as evident that the Cubans unaided could never win their independence.

The war had already been barbarous enough, when the Spanish General Weyler set in operation his inhuman concentration plan. This meant the gathering up in the country districts of thousands of helpless old men, women, and children, and driving them to the towns and forts, where they were shut up like cattle in large enclosures, surrounded by a deep ditch and a barbed wire fence.

Along the line of the fence were frequent guardhouses, where soldiers with loaded guns prevented escape. The poor outcasts were crowded into wretched palm-leaf huts, with foul water and scanty food. It is said that in the island about four hundred thousand helpless people were herded in this way. They died by thousands.

=350. The Barbarities in Cuba excite Great Indignation in this Country.=--Now, all these horrors in Cuba aroused a great deal of indignation in this country and excited profound sympathy for the sufferers. s.h.i.+ploads of provisions were sent by the Red Cross and other societies to relieve the starving thousands.

The feeling throughout this country at last came to be intense. For years and years past our people had watched the long struggle with the keenest interest. For years our presidents had protested to Spain against the useless warfare.

Now, when the real state of affairs in Cuba in 1897 became known, our government sent word to Spain that this slow starvation of helpless men, women, and children was not war, but savage barbarity, and must be stopped. In reply, Spain asked for some delay and promised milder measures.

=351. The Battles.h.i.+p Maine blown up in Havana Harbor.=--In order to protect American interests in Cuba, the battles.h.i.+p Maine was sent to Havana in January, 1898.

A calamity now occurred that shocked the world. On the evening of February 15 this magnificent s.h.i.+p, while at anchor in the harbor of Havana, was destroyed by an explosion. Two officers and two hundred and sixty-four American sailors were hurled to instant death!

The awful disaster sent a thrill of horror and indignation through our country. A court of inquiry was instantly appointed by President McKinley to investigate the matter and ascertain the cause. Meanwhile the country waited for forty days, with surprising patience, for the report, which came during the last of March, stating that the Maine had been blown up from the outside by the explosion of a submarine mine.

Subsequent evidence before the Senate committee showed that the mine had been exploded by men who wore the uniform of Spain.

=352. War declared against Spain.=--Public feeling in our country grew more intense every hour. The President continued to do his utmost to avert war by peaceful and diplomatic methods. Thinking people knew well enough that such efforts would be in vain. It was evident that Spain would never grant independence to Cuba. It was also evident that the American people (from the moment they heard of the blowing up of the Maine) had made up their minds that the only real solution of the problem was to put an end forever to Spanish rule on this side of the Atlantic. This of course meant war.

Congress took the responsibility and declared war against Spain on April 21, 1898.

=353. Dewey acts promptly and sails for Manila from Hong Kong.=--The first step of our war with Spain was to send Commodore Sampson with a fleet to blockade the large seaports of Cuba. All eyes were turned to this island; for every one expected the war to begin there; but instantly the scene of action was s.h.i.+fted to the other side of the globe.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ADMIRAL DEWEY.]