blackness of a cloudy night, ascended the river to the town,
and landed directly in front of the hotel. A high bank concealed the
party from view, and lying in ambush here they managed to capture some
negroes, from whom the desired information was obtained. Then with two
officers and a seaman, Cushing walked from the deck to Gen. Herbert's
headquarters in so open a manner as to disarm suspicion. Entering the
house they met an engineer officer, who tried to raise an alarm, but
was quickly captured and gagged. The adjutant-general, never dreaming
that any enemy could be so near him, supposed it was a mutiny, and
fled hastily, half dressed, to the woods, not even calling out the
garrison. Cushing then with his speechless prisoner walked calmly back
before the long barracks that sheltered a thousand hostile soldiers,
and within a few yards of the sentry on the wharf. Only when the
affrighted adjutant-general returned from his hasty trip to the woods
did the Confederates know that an enemy had been in their midst. Then
there was great excitement, arresting of sentries, calling out of
guards, and signalling to the fort that hostile boats were in the
harbor. But all too late. Cushing's coolness, courage, dash, and
invincible luck had carried him scot-free through another dare-devil
adventure.

From the "Monticello" Cushing made yet another dangerous excursion
into the enemy's country. On this occasion he had a more adequate
purpose for his perilous errand. It was believed that the Confederate
ram "Raleigh" was in the Cape Fear River above the town of Smithville,
the scene of the last adventure. Cushing obtained permission from his
superior officer to ascend the river, and try to blow up the ram with
a torpedo. On the night of the 23d of June he started, taking with him
Jones and Howarth, the officers who had been with him in the previous
trip, and fifteen men. The night was pitchy dark, and all went well as
they passed the fort and the little town of Smithville. Fifteen miles
from the river's mouth, they saw the moon suddenly break through the
clouds; and the surface of the river suddenly became bright, revealing
to the sentries on shore the Yankee boat fifteen miles within
Confederate territory. Quickly the boats turned about, and headed down
the river; but this was a mere feint, as Cushing doubled as soon as he
reached the shadow of the opposite bank, and continued his course into
the hostile territory. Toward morning, when