Comrade J. H. Tomb, of St. Louis, who was a chief engineer in the Confederate Navy, writes as follows: "It will no doubt interest many of your old veteran readers,  who are now watching the active work of the Japs on the Russians with modern torpedo boats, to know that the first steam torpedo boat that ever made a successful attack upon a ship was commanded by a Confederate naval officer. On the night of October 5, 1863, " the harbor of Charleston, Lieut. W. T. Glassel, C. S. N., in command of the steam torpedo boat David, attacked the United States ship New Ironside. This was the first successful attack made by a steam torpedo boat, and while the Ironside was not sunk, she was so disabled that she did not fire another gun on Charleston. At that time we did not know the extent of the damage done, but afterwards learned from the official report of the chief carpenter to Rear Admiral Dahlgren that it was so extensive as to warrant him in advising that the ship be docked as soon as she could be spared from the harbor. In Justice to the memory of Lieut. W. T. Glassel, one of the bravest officers in the Confederate Navy, it should be known that to him belongs the honor of making the first successful attack with a steam torpedo boat known in history. The torpedo was charged with sixty five pounds of rifle "powder."