174 Southern Historical Society Papers.
With this data the explanation of her loss is easy. The Housatonic was a new vessel on the station, and anchored closer in than the Wabash and others. On this night the wind had lulled, with but little sea on, and although it was moonlight, Dixon, who had been waiting so long for a change of wind, took the risk of the moonlight and went out. The lookout on the ship saw him when he came to the surface for his final observation before striking her. He, of course, not knowing that the ship had slipped her chain and was backing down upon him, then sank the boat a few feet, steered for the stern of the ship and struck. The momentum of the two vessels brought them together unexpectedly. The stern of the ship was blown off entirely. The momentum carried the torpedo boat into the wreck. Dixon and his men, unable to extricate themselves, sinking with .it.
W. A. ALEXANDER.
Mobile, Ala. , June, 1902.
[From the Charlotte (N. C.) Observer, November, 1902.]
JOHNSTON'S LAST VOLLEY.
A Veteran Describes His Experiences in Durham at the Close of the War.
A Baltimore correspondent of the Charlotte (N. C.) Observer, writes as follows:
Mr. David M. Sadler, who lives at 907 Arlington avenue, in this city, claims that he was one of those who fired the last volley of Johnston's army, and he also tells of a daring project of General Joe Wheeler's at the close of the Civil war. Sadler is an Arkansas man, and was in the first battle at Wilson Creek, Mo., August 10, 1861. From that time he served continuously to the end of the struggle, having had but one twelve-hour leave, and never having missed a day from the service.
He was with Wheeler on his last raid in Tennessee, and followed
