Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-01-30
THE OAaEER + FIEH ALABAMA

Intelligent o4situeney.
THE OAsEER OF gIEE ALABAMA.
d Remarkable Statement from har Boatsrair-
+ - The Romance Of tie War-Some Facts Con-
esrRtag the Ship Hot Hitherto Knoi5n- Thyse
Hctsh Hessets Engaged 70 Supply her 15ith
C0aA-Ho11 ScHmes Thres5 Dssf IN The Eyes
Of tle Portuguese Tie Crc1c Getting Rick-
Ea-h Of them Worth Se1eral Huadrsd Pounds
Their Wages Pad Ia Gold
The london papers al publish the foIo7ving state
neut frora the lats Boatwan ofths rebel steamer Ala.
baIna, che Hf,isi sssa4zar thistle.
On leaving England, the 2sO had crew
Of 90 men, for the most part belonging to the Eng sh
Nsva reserve en- oelng rained gunners, and the ms
ioTy old meu-owars Inea, She was temporariiv COM
manded BY Captsin Bullock. VINO had under him the
proper eomrenent Of comm stoned and petty officers
Captain Bullock having learned thzt Federal man Of
war Che fuscarora) lay IA wait for him in St Georges
Channel took biz departure by what & fuoVrn "a fla
North Channel thus euding the Feersl eusmy; thoagh
had he been intercepted the lyortherusr wen a
have found himself 10 dilemma, the go had set Of
tray, in the face Of which It might have been difficult
for hex capt0r 10 have acted Tee go at thu time car
RED 10 guns or other Tvrise stores bet consisted merely
o. l1e nus spas and engines excepting Of course, coal
and other requisites TO enable her reach her destina
ton, which Tarissa, Of the Azores or Western
Islands belonging to rtugal This destination the 29l
duty reached, after hna Of eilt days and came
70 anchor Tarissa Roads nothing OF lny moment
having occurred to break the usual monotony Of
/ voyage.
Sometime before the departure Of the 300 from the
Me-sey, large bark left the Thames (cIssred for Dem
Wes indie) fo meet the 80 Tari-sa and there
transfer TO The laeT vessel the guns and stores destined
for her aud which formed the cargo of the bark Some
quirpd TO be assigned to the Portuguese author
tiles Tor the 20 having been anchored in the bay aH
accordingly the furnished to them was that her
engines had broken aoeTu This plea was accepted
valid one AM during the week that iutrvened between
the sv al at Tarssa of the go and the bark the
the former vessel engaged ostensbly repair
ing her engsnes but really in preparing her receive
of
inhabitants Of TaFssa mada daily visits the 290 their
curiosity evidently excited by the gsrke esrsnee Of
what laid claim 10 be English merchant vessel Many
pertinent questions were asked BY the Portuguese and
inFeuiousy evsdsd met BY the officers Of the
go. Among ether things She Portuguese wanted to
know why the vessel nad so many ports and were told
that as she was bound TO q warm climate, they ws-e
necessary for ventlailoni and when they asked why
there was such numerous crew, the reply was THAT as
she going surveying expedition she required to
be well manned Many similar questions were pat and
in Ike manner ensvvered but IL was al in vain to
attempt to undecefve the Portuguese and thev would
pc in calling her frigats Ing.csi-'
About the lapse Of week from the arrival Of the 290
the bark aoove mentioned sailed ia and anchored her
captain alleging reason 10 the Portuguese officials
that biz vessel had sprung saz, which would require
this understanding tn portuguese a. once placed her in
quarantne (Which in the Azores last three days) On
the day after the uarks arTiya, Capt Bullock, of tbs
$50 being an ions % set nls slna on board hauled
side Of the BARK, and erected pair Of shears
effect the aEer Of Pc cgo from the banks hold to the
290sdsCk This brought off the Portuguese in fury,
that their rules should been broken by the 300
having dared 90 c5mmuuicst7 with q vessel that had
sl TWO DAYS quarantine 20 run and they angriiy de-
manded to snow the why their regulations had
been iniri1Esd They were told that the bark was
sinking condition and ths erection Of the shares was
counted for by urging the necessity Of an immediate
Temporary transfer QI ner cargo that ne eak might oe
reached and stopped, and Capt B1lock finally sue
ceeded in bearing dowa 90 opposition by fsi ming to get
in passion saying ne was 90 n no mere 1or the bark
thsa any Eng shman would do for e0untrymen in dis
tress. The Portuguese LETT the vesael and the
shipment proceeded without further hindranee from
those shore
About The afternoon Of the second day and when the
transfer nearly complete the British steamer
Bahama came TO- having on board Cap ain Semmes and
the other late p5csrs Of the sumter tesiifs the
msinder Of The 20 arnamant and an addition Of wen
ty odd men 20 her crew. On he Bahamas arrival and
snehorag- somewhat similar pTetex 20 those given
her predecessors, the Portuguese fairly Lost al pa
ture of al three vessels The behsma at once coInu-
peated with the 290 and wing handed over to the lat
ter vessel thing destined 70 her, got up steam and
left followed By tns 2s0 towing the now empty bark.
All three not to sea- as they had been ordered to
do but TO AnGra bay, q bay ia the island, and
only few LEAGUES dfslat from Tari sa roads) Here
they remained unmulet-d until noon the following day,
"a Sundep) when ar tbs second time, al three vessels
were ordered ont Of the Portuguese waters. All the
290s guns being mounted and the vessel OtherFsee
iy for cruise, tbe order was obsyed, and al took
their departure the bank as before, iu tow Of the 2o,
which having conveyed her wel on TO east her Oft
and with svorins breeze she ssefed for Cardiff to
bring out further supply Of coal for the zoos future
The 200 and the Bahama now steamed round the
island AMI Capt Seu1mss, coming out Of dis cabin,
dered the lst Lisatenant TO muster the It. This
having been done, and all ths OH ssebled this
poop in their fu uniforms. Confederate grey froc
coat and tT0u er, Capt Ssamss enieuai silence, and
esd his commission as post capt in iu the Confederate
u7vy. Il was document duly atiastei at Richmond
end bore the signature og jefferson Davis President
Confederate State Of Amarca IL then opened and
read his ssled orders from tae Prssl nf directing him
to assume command Of the Con eierets sloop-of-war
Alabama hitherto known the 1sQ IN which, having
been duly commissioned he he Sd the Confade
ensign and pendent and sink Dlrn and destroy every
thing which few fhs ensign Of the called United
States OF AmeTiea" capt ssmmes thsn ordered the
lst Lieutenant to re san gnd run mp the Confederate
flag and pendant.
Tho gun was fired by the second lieutenant fArm-
strsng rolatou Of the famous inventory and its
smoke had eeared sway the stars aud bars Of bs youug
Ccnlsasacy were hoafing she breeze and the
mony az compiete-Caot. Ssmmes declaring the yes
SCI henceiorih % Be known ss tha Alabama 90 have
been duly commissioned. fho next step was formally
to engage the rev 10 rye and ght under tue C0nfed-
crate Tag which having tesn done, she men were adj
dressed bY ther captain Ia an el2qeent and stirring
speeeh ia the course cf which he sad there only
four vessels in the Ulf-d States navy that mora
than nstch for the Aab nna but he said that IN
Eaclish built hesrt Of oak She was end surrounded
as he then saw hmseit, by British hearts Of oak he
wouldn't STRIKE his aevy hois,ed ag for any one Of the
four.
OF eourse tas elected hearty burst Of cheering for
President State ard Captain, and when &c had sub
side Il Captain s. ss the Bahama the point Of
leaving for England and Unlimited that if any Of nis
crew rerented oil the step they hsd taSsni they
free return in her This ats natiye none would
eept All Captain Buloes I'd Jew Of the other ohesrs
who hal taken The 290 from England to the Azores,
fudng her occupation gone throuEhtha arrigaof those
who had held sna- ap in the Sumter having
q,ne oi hosrI The Bahsma that vessss aId the Ala
bama amid hearty cheefipg from the crews Of both
arfed COMPANY the forasr pursuing hsrcoure hack TO
Eng and the late rim chase Ylnkss IVhssr which
he captured and burne7 This was her rsi Prize and
her snbse uent career IS now so famous to render
The Alabaraa's crew receive from the Confederate
government llf the value cf every Federal ship and
cargo they destroy and each Of her crew is now worth
seTesai hundred pounds oohgations have hitherto
beea faith tily discharged ia gold The Alsbams IS