perilous adventure. This time she got away successfully, but that is the last that we hear of her save the official report from the enemy, that about 9 o'clock an object like a plank was seen approaching, which in a moment more struck the ship with a great explosion, blowing up the after part of the ship, causing her to sink immediately to the bottom, drowning five men and injuring many more.
The "Hundley" was never heard of again till several years after the war, divers sent down to the wreck of the "Housatonic," found her little antagonist lying on the bottom near by.
Admiral Dahlgren reported to the Secretary of the U. S. Navy, as follows:
Sir, I much regret to inform the Department that the U. S. S. "Housatonic," on the blockade off Charleston, S. C, was torpedoed by a rebel "David" and sunk on the night of February 17th, about 9 o'clock.
From the time the "David" was seen until the vessel was on the bottom, a very brief period must have elapsed, as far as the executive officer can judge, it did not exceed five or seven minutes.
The officer of the deck perceived a moving object on the water quite near and ordered the chain to be slipped: the captain and the executive office went on deck, saw the object, and each fired at it with a small arm. In an instant the ship was struck on the starboard side between the main and mizzen masts. Those on deck near were stunned, the vessel began to sink, and went down almost immediately.
The Department will readily perceive the consequences likely to result from this likely to result from this event: the whole line of blockade will be infested with these cheap, convenient and formidable defenses, and we must guard every
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