JUNE 26TH-27TH
Lt. Charles Read, the intrepid Confederate raider in his new ship, the CSS Archer (his third ship in just a few weeks time, made the Portland Light and tricked two fishermen who piloted them into Portland Harbor. He learned that the U.S. Revenue Cutter Caleb Cushing and passenger steamer Chesapeake were there as was the steamer Forest City. Two gunboats were also being built..
Read immediately made plans to eneter the harbor and seize the revenue cutter and steamer.
At sunset, he sailed in, past the forts, anchored and discussed the plan with his crew. His engineer said he doubted he could get the steamer's engines going without assistance from another engineer so decided to go after the Cushing.
At 1:30 AM, the morning of the 27th, Read's crew boarded and captured the Caleb Cushing "without noise or resistance." Luck and time was running out for Read, however. Incoming tide and light breeze left the Cushing still under the fort's guns at daybreak.
By midmorning, the Caleb Cushing had managed to get twenty miles off the harbor when Read saw "two steamers and three tugs...coming out of Portland." He cleared for action and opened fire on the lead steamer, the Forest City, with his pivot gun, but found after five shots that he was out of projectiles.
About to be caught in a crossfire and now defenseless, Read ordered the cutter destroyed and men to the lifeboats. "At 11:30 I surrendered myself and crew to the steamer forest City." At noon, the Caleb Cushing blew up.
Thus ended the gallant cruise by Charles Read and his crew. From his first capture to the destruction of the Caleb Cushing, they had captured 22 oprizes.
The Confederacy needed More Charles Reads. --Old B-Runner
No comments:
Post a Comment