been subjected to the severest exposure for over a week, without shelter, had lost all his clothes except what little he had on, and his attenuated face and sunken eyes bore witness to the privations he had suffered. Officers and crew had subsisted on spoiled ship's biscuit and water and an occasional potato roasted before the boiler fire.

on his way rejoicing, passed through the canal, and on Oct. 27 reported to Commander Macomb.

Cushing was near coming to grief on his first setting-out. Like all "free-lances,” he liked a frolic, and could not resist champagne and terrapin; so on the evening of his arrival at Norfolk he gave a supper to his numerous friends, "and I at once ordered Cushing and his men then-the deluge!" I heard of the supper, to stow themselves away for rest, and di- of course-it was my business to hear of rected them not to appear till sent for. such things—and I despatched FleetIn the mean time the launch, which had Captain Breese in a swift steam-launch to been very much disarranged and shat- arrest the delinquent and have him tried tered, was being put in complete order. for intruding on the entente cordiale beAfter the officers and crew had obtained tween the United States and Great Britforty-eight hours' rest, I sent for Cush- ain; but Captain Breese returned with ing and gave him his instructions, which the report that Cushing was on his way, were to proceed through the Dismal and that "it was all right." "No," I Swamp Canal and the sounds of North said, “it is not 'all right'; and if the Carolina, and blow up the Albemarle, expedition fails, you-" But never mind then lying at Plymouth preparing for what I said. another raid on the Union fleet. Commander W. H. Macomb, commanding in the sound, was ordered to give Cushing all the assistance in his power with men and boats.

When rested and dressed, Cushing was a different-looking man from the pitiable object who had presented himself to me two days before. Scanning him closely, I asked him many questions, all of which were answered satisfactorily, and, after looking steadily into his cold gray eye and finding that he did not wink an eyelid, I said: "You will do. I am satisfied that you will perform this job. If you do, you will be made a lieutenantcommander."

On the very morning appointed for Cushing to sail on his perilous expedition an order came from the Navy Department to try him by court-martial for some infraction of international law towards an English vessel, which, according to Mr. Seward, had endangered the entente cordiale between England and the United States. I showed Cushing the order, but he was not disconcerted. Admiral," he said, "let me go and blow up the Albemarle, and try me afterwards."

66

"Well done for you," I said; "I will do it. Now get off at once, and do not fail, or you will rue it."

So Cushing, who dreaded a courtmartial more than he did the ram, went

By eight o'clock on Oct. 27 Cushing had picked out his volunteers from Macomb's flotilla. They consisted of thirteen officers and men, one of whom was the faithful William L. Howarth, who had accompanied him in most of his daring adventures, and these two together felt that they were a match for any iron-clad in the Confederacy. That night Cushing started off on the expedition, towing the Otsego's cutter with an armed crew, who were to be employed in seizing the Confederate lookouts on board of the late United States steamer Southfield, which lay below Plymouth with her decks just above water.

The ram lay about 8 miles from the mouth of the river, which was 200 or 300 yards in width and supposed to be lined with Confederate pickets. The wreck of the Southfield was surrounded by schooners, and it was understood that a gun had been mounted here to command the bend of the river. When the steamlaunch and her tow reached the Southfield, the hearts of the adventurers began to beat with anxiety. Every moment they expected a load of grape and canister, which would have been the signal for qui vive all along the river-bank.

The expedition was looked upon as a kind of forlorn hope by all who saw it start, and Cushing himself was not certain of success until after he passed the Southfield and the schooners. His keen

Federal flotilla would not be long in ap- ardly torpedo-boat, we licked your whole pearing to claim the prize.

The Albemarle had been fully prepared for this attack, and had her crew at their posts; which makes the successful raid the more to be appreciated. A good watch was kept on board the ram, as was shown by the alertness with which the crew got to quarters and fired their guns; but they escaped to the shore with equal alertness, for the Albemarle sank with great rapidity. It was fortunate for Cushing that he succeeded in passing the pickets along the river undisturbed, for otherwise he would have had a warm reception all along the line; but he seemed to be the child of fortune, and his good luck followed him to the close of the war.

When the fire was opened on the torpedo-boat, Assistant-Paymaster Frank H. Swan was wounded at Cushing's side. How many others had been injured was not known. It seemed as if a shower of grapeshot had hit the boat, and that a rifle shell had passed through her fore and aft; but this was not so. The boat had sunk from the rush of water caused by the torpedo; and when Cushing saw that she would probably fall into the hands of the enemy he jumped overboard with some of the crew and swam down the river under a heavy fire of musketry, which, however, did no harm.

squadron last week, and we will make you fellows smell thunder with a ball and chain to your leg."

This was the first the torpedo-boat's crew had heard of the sinking of the Albemarle. In fact, they were under the impression that the attack was a failure, and that the boat had been filled by a rifle shell striking her, and not by the water thrown up by the explosion. They all gave three cheers, though they knew that the Confederates were exasperated and their carbines were pointed at the captives' heads.

In the mean time Cushing was quietly swimming down the river, keeping in the middle of the stream, when, hearing a noise near him, he looked around and found that two other persons were in company with him. One of them whispered: "I am getting exhausted; for God's sake help me to the shore."

"Who are you?" said Cushing.

"I am Woodman. I can go no farther; save me if you can."

At the same moment a gurgling sound was heard a little to the rear, and the third man sank to rise no more.

Cushing himself was much exhausted. He had managed to rid himself of his heaviest clothing and his boots, and was just letting himself drift with the current, but he could not resist this appeal from Woodman, who had risked his life to assist him in his perilous undertaking. He put an arm around him and tried to reach the bank, only sixty yards away, but all his efforts were futile. Woodman was too much exhausted. He could not help himself, and, cramps coming on, he was drawn all up, got away from Cushing, and sank.

When some of the crew of the torpedoboat who had jumped overboard saw that she had only filled with water and did not sink, they swam back to her and climbed on board, hoping that the boat would float away with the current from the scene of danger; but in this they were mistaken; for as soon as the Confederates recovered from their panic and saw the torpedo-boat drifting away, they manned the boats of the Albemarle which were Thus the only two survivors known to still intact and followed the author of Cushing from the steam-launch had sunk the mischief. Surrounding the steam- before his eyes, and he did not know how launch, with oaths and imprecations they soon his own time would come, for he demanded the surrender of the Union was now so much exhausted that he could party. Nothing else was left for the lat- scarcely use his arms for swimming. At ter to do. Their arms were all wet in the same time he heard the shouts of the bottom of the boat and the enemy the Confederates as they captured the was lining the banks with sharp-shooters, launch, and, supposing that the enemy so that discretion was the better part of valor." "Blast you," said one of the Confederates, "if you sunk us with your cow

would send their boats down the river in search of fugitives, he determined to swim to the shore. He could barely crawl out of the water when he reached

the bank at a point about a mile below horns," voilà tout. No doubt he would Plymouth.

Cushing dragged himself into an adjacent swamp, and, while lying concealed a few feet from a path along the river, heard two of the Albemarle's officers and a picket-guard pass by, and learned from their conversation that the iron-clad was at the bottom of the river. He did not care now what became of him; that was glory enough for one day, and he would take no heed for the morrow.

have made the attempt if he had been obliged to run the gantlet of all the pickets from the mouth of the river to Plymouth.

This gallant affair led to the recapture of Plymouth from the Confederates, for Commander Macomb had been ordered by me to attack the town (in case the Albemarle was destroyed) with the Federal gunboats, which he did most successfully, and Plymouth remained in possession of the Federal forces to the end of the war. Cushing was promoted

$70,000 in prize-money; and suffice it to say that I never tried Cushing by courtmartial on Secretary Seward's charges of endangering the entente cordiale between England and the United States.

As soon as his strength would allow, Cushing plunged into the dense swamp, where he was not likely to be followed, a little later, and received some $60,000 or and, after incredible difficulties in forcing his way through the mud, slime, and brambles, reached a point well below the town, where he felt safe. Here he fell in with a negro who, for a consideration (being a Union man), volunteered to go to Plymouth to find out exactly how matters stood. The negro soon returned with the cheering news that the Albemarle was actually sunk, and that the Confederates were in great consternation. Thus cheered, Cushing pursued his tedious journey through the swamps till, coming suddenly to a creek, he found one of the enemy's picket-boats, of which he took possession. He pulled away with all his remaining strength, not knowing at what moment he might get a bullet through his head from the guard to whom the boat belonged, who was, no doubt, not far off in some shanty playing cards with a fellow-picket.

By eleven o'clock the following night Cushing reached the gunboat Valley City, out in the sound, and was taken on board more dead than alive, after one of the most remarkable and perilous adventures on record. Certain it was that Cushing had made himself famous by performing an achievement the dangers of which were almost insurmountable, for the enemy had taken every precaution against just such an attempt as had been made.

The success of Cushing shows that a man who makes up his mind to a certain thing and goes direct to the point, undeterred by obstacles, is almost sure to win, not only in blowing up ships, but in every-day affairs of life where great stakes are at risk. Here was a chance, and Cushing "seized the bull by the

Cushman, ROBERT, a founder of the Plymouth colony; born in Kent, England, about 1580; joined the Society of the "Pilgrims" in Holland, and became very active. He and John Carver were appointed agents to make arrangements for the emigration of the church to America, and he was one of the number who sailed in the Speedwell, and were compelled to return on account of her unseaworthiness. Mr. Cushman remained with those who did not go in the Mayflower. He went to New Plymouth in the autumn of 1621, taking with him thirty-five other persons, and there delivered the charter to the colonists. He preached the first sermon by an ordained minister in New England on Dec. 12. On the following day he sailed for England. The vessel and cargo were captured by the French, and plundered of everything, and Cushman was detained two weeks on the French coast. On his return to London he published his sermon in New England On the Sin and Danger of Self-love, and also an eloquent vindication of the colonial enterprise. He made a strong appeal for missions to be sent to the American Indians. He continued the agent of the Plymouth colony in London until his death, in 1625.

Custer, ELIZABETH BACON, author; born in Michigan, about 1844; married to General Custer in 1864; and shared army life with him till his death. She has published Boots and Saddles; Tenting on the Plains; Following the Guidon, etc.

Custer, GEORGE ARMSTRONG, military render) could reach his bedside. Washofficer; born in New Rumley, O., Dec. 5, ington afterwards adopted his two chil1839; graduated at West Point in 1861, dren-Eleanor Parke and George Washand was an active and daring cavalry ington Parke Custis-as his own. Their officer during the Civil War, distinguish- early home was at Mount Vernon. George ing himself on many occasions. He never was educated partly at Princeton, and was lost a gun nor a color. In June, 1863, he eighteen years of age at the time of Washwas made brigadier-general of volunteers, ington's death, who made him an execand was brevetted major-general in 1864. utor of his will and left him a handsome He was particularly distinguished in the estate, on which he lived, until his death, battles immediately preceding the surren- Oct. 10, 1857, in literary, artistic, and der of Lee at Appomattox Court-house. agricultural pursuits. In his early days He was exceptionally fortunate in his Mr. Custis was an eloquent speaker; and military career during the Civil War, and in his later years he produced a series of was made lieutenant-colonel of the 7th historical pictures, valuable, not as works Cavalry in 1866, receiving the brevet of of art, but for the truthfulness of the cosmajor-general, U. S. A, for services end- tume and equipment of the soldiers deing in Lee's surrender. He afterwards lineated in them. His Personal Recolleccommanded expeditions against the Ind- tions of Washington were arranged and ians in the West, and on June 25, 1876, fully annotated by Benson J. Lossing, and published in 1859, with a memoir by his daughter, Mrs. Robert E. Lee.

GEORGE ARMSTRONG CUSTER.

he and his entire command were killed by hostile Sioux Indians on the Little Big Horn River, Montana. In 1879 a statue of General Custer was erected at West Point.

Iowa-Burlington, Dubuque.

Kentucky-Louisville, Paducah.

Louisiana-Brashear, New Orleans.
Maine-Bangor, Bath, Belfast, Castine, East-
port, Ellsworth, Houlton, Kennebunk,
Machias, Portland, Saco, Waldoborough,
Wiscasset, York.
Massachusetts-Barnstable, Boston, Edgar-
Maryland-Annapolis, Baltimore, Crisfield.
ton, Fall River, Gloucester, Marblehead,
Nantucket, New Bedford, Newburyport,
Plymouth, Salem.

Custis, GEORGE WASHINGTON PARKE, adopted son of George Washington; born in Mount Airy, Md., April 30, 1781; was a grandson of Mrs. Washington. His father was John Parke Custis, and his mother was Eleanor Calvert, of Maryland. At the siege of Yorktown his father was aide-de-camp to Washington; was seized with camp-fever; retired to Eltham, and Michigan Detroit, Grand Haven, Grand there died before Washington (who hastRapids, Marquette, Port Huron. ened thither immediately after the sur- Minnesota-Duluth, St. Paul.