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THE "HARTFORD," ADMIRAL FARRAGUT'S FLAGSHIP,
ARRIVING AT NEW YORK AND RETURNING THE SALUTES OF FOREIGN FRIGATES.—[SEE
PAGE 546.]
A
TORPEDO IN THE JAMES
RIVER.
WE publish below an illustration
of the explosion of a torpedo under the gun-boat Commodore Barney, in the James
River, on 4th August.
General Foster was making a
reconnoissance up the river with the Commodore Barney, the Sangamon, and the
Cohasset. They had already been
fired upon by riflemen on the
river-bank. The Herald correspondent goes on to describe the event illustrated
in our picture:
No other incident of an exciting
nature transpired until the fleet had reached a point on the river within six
miles of Fort Darling. Here, as usual, the Barney bore the brunt of the
misfortune. A torpedo was exploded under her starboard bow. The effect of this
explosion was terrific in appearance, but, luckily, did not turn out so bad
after all. The vessel was lifted
by the shock upward of ten feet out of water, and an immense jet of water was
hurled from her bow fifty feet in the air at least, falling over and completely
deluging her, and washing overboard thirty men. Notwithstanding the desperate
condition of affairs boats were immediately manned, and the unfortunates were
rescued by their faithful brethren from a watery grave. Two of these men only,
named Martin Krout, seaman, and I. Gamble (colored) were drowned. The rest were
picked up. Two or three swam ashore.
It was now discovered that the
Barney was badly injured; as much so that it was found necessary to point her
head for the shore. The Cohasset, however, took her in tow shortly, it being
found that her engines were completely disabled. A further advance was now
considered useless, inasmuch as the men seen on shore were there, doubtless, for
the purpose of exploding the torpedoes beneath our vessels as they attempted to
pass. So the expedition returned to Dutch Gap, where anchors were dropped for
the night.
EXPLOSION OF A TORPEDO UNDER THE BOW OF THE UNITED
STATES GUN-BOAT "COMMODORE BARNEY," IN THE
JAMES RIVER.
[SKETCHED FROM THE "COHASSET."]
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