ABSTRACT
The confederate ironclad ship had successfully rammed and sunk the USS Southfield. It had severely damaged the USS Miami and was responsible for 2,800 union soldiers surrendering to the confederates. Navy commanders formulated a plan, and then called on Lieutenant William Cushing. The young lieutenant had earned a reputation for leading daring raids on the Confederates, but now he was to be given his toughest assignment yet. Cushing started the mission with two steam launches, but as they were traveling through the Chesapeake Bay, one of the launches was captured by Confederates. Newspaper boys had free access to both camps and were often asked for information about what they saw and heard in the opposing camps. These 9- and 10-year-old boys were some of the youngest spies in the civil war. that men fell into the water. Cushing yelled to his crewmates to save themselves, and he dove into the water.
