The national Republican., 1862-11-04
THE PIRATE ALABAMA.
Correspondence of the Boston Daily Journal.

Correspondence Of the Boston Daily Journal.
HoIArs' HOLE, Oct. 27, 1862.
AS there are many statements In circulation
In regard to the privateer Alabama, oil of
which, a. far % have seen, contain some mis-
statement Of fact, and many erroneous opin.
Ions 10 regard 70 her, avail myself Of this op-
portunity Of sending you true statement Of
facts as observed by one who was seventeen
days prisoner on board Of her. also send
ofacers and crew Of the Alabama, II you should
consider them worthy place In your columns.
10 the first place, there seems TO be marvels
ous and mistaken opinion In regard 10 her
speed, common report placing II at thirteen
knots under sail, and fifteen knots under steam.
This Is erroneous, especially in regard to steam.
do not believe there was man on the Ala
bama, at the time was there, that knew her
rate Of speed under steam. Her propeller was
not lowered while was on board Of her, and
all that convereed with agreed In saying that
she first sailed. Soon after the chase and cap
ture Of the Elisha Dunbar, Captain Semmes re-
marked to one Of bis officers, " We have good
vessel under our feet; good batteries, and
plenty Of room to fg.t them In. We know
she is fast under sail, and think she is fast un.
der stesm.'
have two reasons for thinking that her rate
OF speed under steam is not much more than
half what Is curr ntly reported. The first is,
her engine is only 400 nominal horse power, as
| ascertained from good authority. Now take
into consideration the size Of the vessel, Il 400
tons,) and the engine will be found too light TO
drive her through the water OF anything like
the rate ascribed to her. In the second place,
her propeller, which had good opportunity
to observe, has only too blades of about eight
feet stroke, not more; and am of tho opinion
that eight kuots will be the most that can be
got cut Ol her under ordinary circumstances,
with steam alone. Under sail, she Il certainly
fast, but not faster than very many Of our clip.
per ships. Twelve knots was the fastest she
went while We were on board; but think,
upon an emergency, two or three knots more
| might have been obtained. Now, to the best
OF my judgment, her rate Of speed should be
put, consd dering the most favorable circum-
stances, fifteen knots under sail, and eight or
| nine under steam. This smartness, II must be
borne in mind, will only apply to her going
| ahead, for in stays she Is very slow, barely
making out to tack In smooth water; and as
for wearing, sailing vessel like the Ports
mouth or Constellation would sail around her
nearly twice during the operation.
Again, she Is reported TO carry Q lOO.pound
rifle pivot gun forward the bridge and g.
FOUNDER aft This Is q mistake, as both pivot
Il
weight Of the rifle Ii 80 cwt; the after one, l
was told, was somewhat heavier. The number
Of her guns has been reported correctly, name.
/ ly, three 80 Founders on Q side and two pivots,
| all Of the Blakeley pattern. For the benefit Of
your classical readers, send you the inscrip.
ton on her Wheel engraved in large capitals:
"Adie toi ct Dieu s'adiera"'
Notwithstanding their piratical calling, the
majority of her officers and crew have great
respect for the Union, and lingering affection
for the old flag. Said the fourth lieutenant.
lwho first boarded us as prize mastery "The
United States, as II was, was the freest,
happest and greatest country on the face OF
the earth, and II is anything but pleasure to
me to come on board a ship and pull down that
| flag, but the Northerners are burning and des-
| troying our property, and driving our families
out OF house and home, and we must get what
satisfaction we can" Said be: al believe this
war to have been brought about by few Of
the extremes of the North and South, and now
Q majority of the journals Of the North, and l
will admit many In the South, tell nothing but
parcel Of lies 10 fan the flame, excite the peo-
Pile, and keep them to work cutting one anoth.
er's throats."
In converslng with the lieutenant of marines,
who was sad to be brother.in. law Of JEFF
Davis, he admitted that the Northern troops
conducted themselves with great bravery at the
battle oi Bull Run, (irst battle,) fighting, "a he
| termed 1t, like the devil;" "and," said he,
had our army been composed Of regular dis
| ciplined troops, We should have lost the day
there. The battle was as good as lost to US
| four different times, but our troops being raw,
they did not know when they we're whipped,
but kept fighting on until eventually victo-
rious." In conversation upon the great ques-
tions of the day, bis mind seemed to be thor.
oughly imbued with the aristocratical Iam-the.
salt-ofthe. earth opinions 90 common to South
erners. He thought the negro had soul, but
that was admitting great deal. A white man
who could not whip five hundred negroes In .
lar fight be would consider no man. To the
question Of peaceable separation, and where
they would commence to divide. he replied
that the Confederate Government wanted no
border slave State unless they were perfectly
willing to join them, and that they wished to
retain no State longer than they were satisfied
| 10 remain. He had no doubt OF the correctness
| of State rights; and as to the result of the war
there could be no doubt that the South would
become q separate Government. Yet to Eug.
land he did not look for an early recognition
TOR" said he, "Eogland is afraid Of the United
States" This opinion was entertained by q
number of the most intelligent Of the Alabams'i
officers.
Her crew are a fne,looking, able bodied sett
under false pretences as general thing. One
of the crew told me that himself and fifteen
others Joined her to run the blockade, suppo-
sing her to be steamer in the same employ as
the Nashville. Others were shipped In o state
of intoXication Others cared but little what
employ they we're in, go long as they got good
wages and their grog three times day. One
man, who admitted TO having been engaged 10
the slave trade, remarked that he was for the
man who paid him best. His patriotism, be
said, lay In his pocket. An intelllgent.looking
young man ,emarked that he had madea small
fortune with Garibaldi, and he would make an
other here. Upon inquiry as to how be ex.
pected to make a fortune in the Alabama, be
replied that they were 10 have half the value
Of all they destroyed searly distributed In prize
money. Whether they were to take their pay
in Confederate notes or "Jeffs " shinplastsrs
he did not enlighten us.
Yours, &c.,
9. B. HARDENBERGH,
The first officer Of bark Virginia, of New
Bedford, destroyed by privateer Alabama, Sep
tember II, 1862.
"Ad thyself and God will aid thee"
NIXoN's CREMoRNE CIRCUs.-.This popular