APRIL 9TH, 1864.
The Confederate torpedo boat Squib, under Lt. Hunter Davidson, successfully exploded a spar torpedo against the steam frigate USS Minnesota off Newport News, Virginia.
Second in command of the Squib Acting Master John A. Curtis, described it as wooden, "about thirty-five feet long, , five feet wide, drew three feet of water, two feet freeboard, designed by Hunter Davidson....
The boiler and engine were encasedd with iron, forward of the boiler was the cockpit, where the crew stood and from where we steered her."
A Northern officer observed the attack as "a deed as daring as it was vicious", took place about 2 AM. The officer of the deck saw a small boat 150-200 yards off, just forward of the port beam.
--Old B-Runner
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