The Most Daring Mission of the Civil War (2005)

While Sherman, Grant and Lee are well-known, comparatively few have heard of Lieutenant William B. Cushing, arguably the greatest naval hero of the Civil War. From Naval Academy wash-out to flamboyant warrior, this special brings his remarkable tale to life. The show's focus is the dramatic attack on the ironclad CSS Albemarle, which had kept Union ships from advancing into Eastern North Carolina. On a cold, rainy night in late October, 1864, Cushing and a group of volunteers used a tiny steam launch and spar torpedo in a surprise attack. While the virtual suicide mission succeeded and the warship was destroyed, Cushing was the only one to successfully escape from the rebel-held river.