November 19, 1864
---George
Templeton Strong of New York City describes with evident good humor in his
journal a meeting of the Union League Club, where they feted the new young hero
of the day, Lieut. William B. Cushing of the U.S. Navy, who, after weeks of
frustration, devised a method of sinking the new Rebel ironclad CSS Albemarle, a ship powerful enough to
break the Union blockade:
A hundred or more of its members came together to
meet Lt. Cushing, who finished the rebel ram Albemarle with a torpedo boat in
the waters of North Carolina, thereby not only doing the country most
substantial service, but shewing the most distinguished personal gallantry and
daring. He blew up his own boat with the
iron-clad, and saved himself by swimming.
According to our abominable national usage, somebody had to make a “few
remarks” on the occasion; and John Jay was happy to make them and belabored his
modest, boyish-looking young hero with ten minutes of eulogy. He blushed and looked uncomfortable, but made
his inevitable reply, simply and briefly, and passed this ordeal as creditably
as the other, which I dare say he found hardly more trying. He seems a most charming young fellow;
handsome, intelligent, and dignified in his bearing, thought very young
(twenty-two) and looking much younger.
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| George Templeton Strong |
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| Lieutenant William B. Cushing, USN |
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