Among the many instances where the bravery of our officers and men have shown conspicuous, the one we copy from the Boston Gazette is almost unequalled
Captain Spencer, aid to General Wool received information from two ladies, who went from Norfolk to Fortress Monroe with a flag of truce, that near midnight a six-oared boat was to leave Norfolk for Richmond with money for the payment of the rebel soldiers. He requested permission of Major General Wool to attempt their capture, and was told not to place too much confidence in the information received. Nevertheless, permission was given, and selecting two oarsmen on whom he could rely, with their oars muffled, he started at dark and awaited the coming of the enemy’s boat he had preciously given directions to his men to pull directly for the boat, and on the moment of striking to “back water” instantly.
About midnight the boat was heard approaching, and taking his station in the bows, with a nine inch shell in his hands, be gave tho order to “give way.” The moment his bows struck the rebel boat, he threw the shell into the middle of it, and was himself drawn back luckily receiving no injury from the explosion. Not so the boat and occupants however, the former, of which was broken in two, and the latter were scattered in all directions in the water, not, however before discharging their pisiols at him, two balls going through his cap and three perforating his coat. The men were then told if they submitted quietly they would be saved, otherwise he would leave them to their fate. They preferred the former and arming himself with his pistol in one hand, dirk (taken by him at the battle of Bull Run from a “secesh”) in the other, he took them in his boat one by one, handcuffing them as they were pulled in. In addition to which from the stern of the enemy’s boat, which floated, he took $1,100 in gold and $5,000 in their worthless paper money. It was with some difficulty he reached the fort, the gunwale of the boat being almost level with the water with its increased weight.
The Jeffersonian, Stroudsburg, PA