On May 5th the _Albemarle_ had another fight with a squadron gathered to disable her. She was rammed by the _Sassacus_. The blow hurt the _Sassacus_ more than the ironclad, and a few shot from the _Albemarle’s_ guns sent the Union ship adrift and almost unmanageable. She would have been entirely so but for a heroic engineer who kept her engine going in spite of escaping steam in the engine-room. The _Whitehead_, the _Mattabesett_, and the _Wyalusing_ also took part, firing as rapidly as possible. The action is described in one history as a “desperate battle.” The casualties on the Union side in this desperate affair amounted to four killed, twelve wounded by projectiles, and fourteen scalded by steam from a cut pipe. The hero of the battle was Engineer J. M. Hobby, who stood at his post on the _Sassacus_ in spite of the scalding steam when every other man fled, and so saved the ship. [Illustration: William B. Cushing. _From a photograph._] Thereafter the _Albemarle_ was tied up at the Plymouth wharf to await the completion of another ship like her that was building on Tar River, and this needless delay was fatal, for Lieut. William B. Cushing asked for, and obtained, the task of destroying her, and he was of the kind that succeed. Cushing, after serving as a cadet nearly four years at the Naval Academy, resigned on March 21, 1861--just why has never been told. In May he entered the navy once more. He was made a master’s mate, and by July, 1862, had obtained a lieutenant’s commission through repeated “acts of successful daring.” He was with Rowan at Elizabeth City, and obtained command of the _Ellis_, captured there. His courage, combined with good judgment, continued to keep him in the eyes of his superior officers. He was constantly looking for something to do, and when he offered to destroy the _Albemarle_ he was allowed to try.