_A Woman's Discoveries.--An Infernal Machine.--The Shipping in
Danger.--Discovery and Destruction of the Submarine Battery._
The destiny of nations, history tells us, sometimes turns upon the most
trivial things. Rome was once saved by the gabbling of a flock of geese,
whose cries awoke a sentinel sleeping at his post, just in time to give
the alarm and enable the Roman soldiers to successfully repel the attack
of an invading foe. A certain exiled and fugitive king took courage from
watching a spider build its web, recovered his kingdom, and a crown that
had been wrested from him by the misfortune of war. Darius, made King of
Persia by the neighing of a horse--and in our own day historians agree,
that had it not been for the opportune appearance of the "Monitor" when
the rebel iron-clad "Merrimac" steamed out of Hampton Roads in March,
1862, the destruction of the Union might have been an accomplished fact.
For had not that formidable battery met her match in the "Yankee
cheese-box," as the "Monitor" was derisively called, she might have
cleared the water of Union sloops of war, raised the blockade, opened
the way by river to Washington, shelled the national capital and turned
the fortunes of war decidedly in favor of the South.
This battle was an important epoch in the history of nations, and
demonstrated to the world the formidable character of iron-clad war
vessels, hitherto unknown; and placed the United States on record as
having produced the most invincible navy in the world.
In addition to the "Merrimac," the South, early in 1862, had devised a
great many ingenious machines in the shape of torpedoes and submarine
batteries, that were designed for the purpose of blowing up the Union
vessels that blockaded the Southern ports.
It was through the efforts of one of my operatives that the existence of
one of these submarine batteries was discovered, and that, too, just in
the nick of time to save the Federal blockading fleet at the mouth of
the James River from probable destruction. It was in the early part of
November, 1861, that I dispatched one of my lady operatives to Richmond
and the South, for the especial purpose of ascertaining as much
information as possible about these torpedoes and infernal machines,
which I had good reason to believe were constructed at the rebel
capital. The Tredegar Iron Works, the largest factory of the kind in the
South, were located at this place, and since the commencement of
hostilities had been manufacturing cannon and all kinds of shot and
shell for the Confederacy.
The lady whom I selected for this task was Mrs. E. H. Baker; she had
been in my employ for years, and at one time had resided in Richmond,
although, prior to the war, she had removed to the North, where she had
since dwelt.
This lady, fortunately enough, was well acquainted with a Captain
Atwater and his family, who resided in Richmond, and after undertaking
the mission, she wrote to them from Chicago, apparently, stating that
notwithstanding the conflict between the two sections of the country,
she designed to pay a visit to them and renew the acquaintance of years
ago.
She accordingly started, and after a circuitous journey, arrived in
Richmond on the 24th day of the month. The Captain and his family
received her most hospitably, and requested her to make her home with
them during her stay in that city.
Captain Atwater, although holding a commission in the rebel army, was at
heart a Union man, and secretly rejoiced at the news of a Federal
victory. He soon expressed his views to my operative so clearly and
forcibly, that she believed, if he could do so, without jeopardy, he
would join the Union troops, and fight for the cause that really had his
heartiest wishes for success.
While Mrs. Baker did not reveal to him her connection with the secret
service of the United States, she took no pains to conceal from him her
real sentiments, and in their confidential conversations, was quite
free in expressing her desire for a speedy Union triumph. The Captain
was firm in his belief that the South was wrong, and that the masses had
been led into the war by designing and ambitious politicians, and that
she must eventually fail. Moreover, he said, that, while born in a
slave-holding State, he believed the institution to be wicked and cruel,
and that the South should have given up her slaves rather than have gone
out of the Union.
Loyal as he was, the Captain understood the Southern people thoroughly,
and he felt sure that they would fight long and stubbornly, rather than
yield to the blacks the boon of freedom. Many days thus passed in quiet
enjoyment and in these stolen discussions upon the important topics of
the day. Mrs. Baker found herself very comfortably situated beneath the
Captain's hospitable roof, and nearly a week was passed in viewing
Richmond and the strange sights it then afforded.
On every hand she saw preparations for war, and at every street she
turned, she was confronted with armed soldiers, whose measured tread
kept time to the music of fife and drum. In company with the Captain,
she also visited the earthworks and fortifications around Richmond, and
gained many valuable points of information in regard to their number and
extent.
As yet, however, she had been unable to discover anything concerning the
special object of her mission, and feeling the necessity of
accomplishing something in that direction, she resolved to act. She had
now established herself so firmly in the estimation of those with whom
she associated, that she believed she could with safety turn her
inquiries in the direction that would lead to the knowledge she desired
to gain. Accordingly, one evening at the tea-table she remarked,
incidentally, that she desired very much to visit the Tredegar Iron
Works.
"Why, certainly," replied the Captain; "I will be most happy to go with
you to-morrow."
"That will be delightful," said Mrs. Baker, enthusiastically.
"But stay a moment," said the Captain, musingly, "I am afraid I will not
be able to go to-morrow, as I have to go down the river to witness a
test of a submarine battery."
"Why couldn't I go, too?" demurely asked my operative. "I am sure I
should enjoy it very much; that is, if there is no danger connected with
it."
"Oh, there is no danger, whatever, and there will, doubtless, be a
number of ladies present, and you can go if you wish to."
"I should most certainly wish to," laughingly answered Mrs. Baker.
"Very well," said the Captain; "if you and Mrs. Atwater will be ready by
nine o'clock, we will have ample time to reach the place, which is some
few miles below the city."
The ladies were both much pleased with this arrangement, and expressed
themselves in extravagant terms of thankfulness for a trip which, no
doubt, would be exceedingly pleasant. The Captain then proceeded to
explain to them the nature of the battery which was to be experimented
with on the morrow. He explained the object to be obtained by this
battery, which was to break up the blockading fleet at the mouth of the
James River, and thus give the South an outlet to the sea.
The next day they started in a carriage for the scene of the exhibition,
which was located about ten miles below the city. Arriving at the
appointed spot, they found quite a large number of military men, many of
them accompanied by ladies, assembled to witness the testing of the
machine, from which so much was expected.
A large scow had been towed into the middle of the river, and the
submarine vessel was to approach it and attach a magazine, containing
nearly half a bushel of powder, to which was attached several deadly
projectiles, and this was to be fired by a peculiarly constructed fuse,
connected by a long wire coiled on board the submarine vessel.
At a given signal the boat was sunk into the river, about half a mile
below the scow, and shortly afterwards it began to make its way under
the water towards it. The only visible sign of its existence was a large
float that rested on the surface of the water, and which was connected
with the vessel below, designed to supply the men that operated it with
air. This float was painted a dark green, to imitate the color of the
water, and could only be noticed by the most careful observer. As my
operative listened to a full explanation of the machine and its
workings, she could scarcely control her emotions of fear for the safety
of the Federal boats, in the event of its successful operation, and
provided the government was not speedily warned of its existence.
It was learned that this vessel was but a small working model of a much
larger one, that was now nearly completed, and would be finished in
about two weeks, and would then be taken to the mouth of the James
River, to operate on the war vessels guarding that port.
They had obtained an excellent position, where they had a full view of
the river, and with the aid of a strong field-glass they could
distinctly watch the large "float," which indicated the approach of the
vessel.
"How do the men who operate the machine manage to attach the magazine to
the vessel they design to destroy?" asked Mrs. Baker.
"Two or three men, who operate the boat," replied the Captain, "are
provided with submarine diving armor, which enables them to work under
the water and attach the magazine to the ship intended to be blown up.
They then have only to quickly move away to a safe distance, fire their
fuse, and the work is done."
The Captain also informed her, that the object was to break the blockade
and allow the steamers "Patrick Henry" and "Thomas Jefferson" out to
sea, these vessels being loaded with cotton and bound for England.
While they were talking, my operative was closely watching, by the aid
of her glass, the movements of the boat, and she now noticed that having
approached to within a few rods of the scow, it stopped, and the water
"float" which indicated its position remained motionless. After
remaining in this position for a few minutes, it slowly began to recede
from the scow, in the direction from whence it came.
It moved steadily away some hundreds of yards, and Mrs. Baker was
wondering at the seemingly long delay, when suddenly, and without any
previous warning whatever, there was a terrific explosion, and the scow
seemed lifted bodily out of the water and thrown high into the air. Her
destruction was complete, and there was no longer any doubt that the
submarine battery could be used with deadly and telling effect on the
ships constituting the Federal blockading squadron.
Those who witnessed the experiment were, of course, much elated over the
efficient work of destruction which had been accomplished, and even
Captain Atwater, in his enthusiasm as a soldier, forgot temporarily his
real feelings, in his undisguised admiration of the ingenuity of the
invention and the effectiveness of its operation.
Mrs. Baker, however, looked on with a heavy heart as she reflected upon
the terrible consequences of the workings of this machine, and at once
felt the urgent necessity of taking steps to inform me what she had
witnessed. Unless something was done in this direction, she felt
confident that the Federal ships would be destroyed, the blockade
forever ended, and untold disaster would attend the Union cause.
After their return home that evening, she made copious notes of what she
had learned and witnessed, which she safely secreted about her person.
The next day, in company with the Captain, she visited the Tredegar Iron
Works, and inspected the boat that was being built. It was truly a
formidable-looking engine of destruction.
The next day, being Sunday, she remained at the residence of the
Captain, and on Monday morning, having procured a pass, she bade
farewell to her host and his amiable spouse, and left Richmond for
Fredericksburg. From thence she made her way to Washington by the way of
Leonardstown, and lost no time in reporting to me the success of her
trip. She had made a hasty, though quite comprehensive, sketch of the
vessel, which sketch is still in my possession, and which showed the
position under the surface of the water, and explained its workings.
I immediately laid my information before General McClellan and the
Secretary of the Navy, who at once transmitted the intelligence to the
commanders of the squadron, instructing them to keep a sharp lookout for
the "water-colored surface float," and to drag the water for the purpose
of securing possession of the air tubes connecting the float with the
vessel below.
Nothing was heard from this for about three weeks, but about that time I
was informed that one of the vessels of the blockading fleet off the
mouth of the James River had discovered the float, and putting out her
drag-rope, had caught the air-tubes and thus effectually disabled the
vessel from doing any harm, and no doubt drowning all who were on board
of her.
This incident, and the peculiarity of the machine, was duly discussed in
the newspapers at that time, who stated that "by a mere accident the
Federal fleet off James River had been saved from destruction"--but I
knew much better, and that the real credit of the discovery was due to a
lady of my own force. The efficient manner in which this work was
performed was of great service to the nation, and sustained the
reputation of the Secret Service Department, as being an important
adjunct in aiding the government in its efforts to suppress the
rebellion.