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THE DESTRUCTION OF THE “ALBEMARLE.”

having a little flat-bottomed, square-ended skiff: toggled to the root of acypress-tree that squirmed like a snake in the inky water. Watching themuntil they went back a few yards to eat, I crept into the stream and swamover, keeping the big tree between myself and them, and making for theskiff:. Gaining the bank, I quietly cast loose the boat and floated behind itsome thirty yards around the first bend, where I got in and paddled away asonly a man could whose liberty was at stake.

Hour after hour I paddled, never ceasing for a moment, first on one side,then on the other, while sunshine passed into twilight and that was swallowed

up in thick darkness only re-lieved by the few faint star raysthat penetrated the heavy swampcurtain on either side. At lastI reached the mouth of the Roan-oke , and found the open soundbefore me. My frail boat couldnot have lived in the ordinary seathere, but it chanced to be verycalm, leaving only a slight swell,which was, however, sufficientto influence my boat, so that Iwas forced to paddle all upon one side to keep her on the intended course.

After steering by a star for perhaps two hours for where I thought the fleetmight be, I at length discovered one of the vessels, and after a long time gotwithin hail. My “ Ship ahoy! ” was given with the last of my strength, andI fell powerless, with a splash, into the water in the bottom of my boat,and awaited results. I had paddled every minute for ten successive hours,and for four my body had been “ asleep,” with the exception of my armsand brain. The picket-vessel, Valley City , upon hearing the hail, at oncegot under way, at the same time lowering boats and taking precautionagainst torpedoes. It was some time before they would pick me up, beingconvinced that I was the rebel conductor of an infernal machine, and thatLieutenant Cushing had died the night before. At last I was on board, hadimbibed a little brandy and water, and was on my way to the flag-ship.

As soon as it became known that I had returned, rockets were thrown upand all hands were called to cheer ship; and when I announced success, allthe commanding officers were summoned on board to deliberate upon a planof attack. In the morning I was well again in every way, with the exceptionof hands and feet, and had the pleasure of exchanging shots with the bat-teries that I had inspected the day before. I was sent in the Valley City toreport to Admiral Porter at Hampton Roads, and soon after Plymouthand the whole district of the Albemarle, deprived of the iron-clad’s pro-tection, fell an easy prey to Commander Macomb and our fleet. ,1

} The list of officers and men on hoard Picket- attached, was as follows: Lieutenant William B.hoat No. 1, on the expedition of October 27th, Cushing, commanding, Honticello ; Acting Assist-1864, with the vessels to which they were officially ant Paymaster Francis H. Swan, Otsego; Acting

THE WRECK OP THE “ ALBEMARLE.” FROM A PHOTOGRAPH.