New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-02-17
Desperate Encounter at Close Quarters
GALLANT FIGHT WITH A SUPERIOR VESSEL
Only Two Men Killed and Five Wounded

ment of the destruction Of tho u. 3. steamer Hat
teras, recently unier my command, BY the Rebel
steamer Alabama, on the night Of the llth inst, of
the coast of Texas. The circumstances Of tue dsas
ter as follows:
Upon the afternoon Of the llth inst, at q clock,
whlls at anchor in company with the fleet UNDER
Commodore Bell, OF Galveston, Texas, i was or
dered, by signal from the u. :. flagship Brooklyn,
TO chase "A sail TO tho southwark aud eastward.
got under way Immediately. aud steamed with all
speed in the direction indicated.
After some time the strange sail could be seen
from tho Hattera,s aud was ascertalned 10 be
steamer, which fact was communicated TO the flagship
10y signal l continued the chase, aud RAPIDLY
gained upon the suspicious vessel kuoTin;, the
slow rate of speed Of the Harteras, / al once sus
pccted that deception was being praclicod, snd
hence ordered tao shp 10 Do cleared for action, with
everything in readiness for determined attack anI
vigorous defense. W5en within about fonr miles Of
the vessel observed that SIZE md ceased 10 steam,
and was living broatsde aud awaiting us.
II was nearly clock, but quite dark bu. not
vIihrtsndiug tue obscurty of the night, i felt
sured from the general character OF tee vessel ard
her manouyers, that | shOuld room encounter TIE
Rebel steamer Alsosma. Being ablo TO work but
four guns on tue sle OF the uSlteras two short 81
pounders one 3O-pound Acd Parrott gun and one
90 pound rtd gun, | concluded 10 close with bef,
that my guns MI, bit 10 effective II necessary.
came within easy speaking rangr-about sey-
ly-fvc yards-and upon asking e." What steamer
10 that 4 received tue answer, Her Brltanuic
I Maie.ty's ship Vixen" | replied ttat | would
send boat aboard, and Immediately gave the Or
DER In the time, both vessels were changing
their uositions-ths stranger endeayorlng 10 gaia
desirable position for n r-kipg ire.
Almost simultaneously Will the piping away Of
the boat tho strange craft again replied, "Wo are
the Confederate steamer AIauGmi, which WA ae-
companIed by broadsde. ! at the saino moment
returned the ire. Being well aware Of the many
vulnerable points of the Hatton.s hoped by cloeng
with the Alabama 10 be anle 10 board her, and thu.
nd TIE teas OF this r.ra,icai craft.
| / si.arled cfecIly Tor tue Alabama hat she VIII.
e,nbled by her great spec, and tho ioure-s II IN,
h,,on of the Hstteras, aud consequently he- cimn.
| ishsI speed 70 dwarf 10Y attempts, when had
gained distance of IN. 80 yards IRON her. A. tits
rspee musket aud pistol snOts were exchanged The
firing ccpiinued VITA great vigor on both ndss 81
incth ,heli entered ainidships Ia the bold .etins
fire TO it, anu al the slmo instant MS can tardy
divide the time shell pisscd through the sic bar
exploding 10 an adjoining compartment, also pro-
dldng ire.
Another entered the cylinder, filing the engine.
room and deck with sieaui, aud dcpiviug me of any
power 10 maneuyer the vessel or 10 work the Iumps
! upon which the reduction OF the fire depended
" i'm the vessel on Ire in two places, and beyond
human rover II hopeless wreck upon the water
with her walking-beam shot away and her engine
/ rendered useless, ] sill maintained au ac,iv. Ice,
with % dopol, nope Of destroying the hhbama aud
attracting the attention Of TIE feet OF Gals 5on,
\, hich was only 2S miles dis,iu,
IL was soon ri o I'd 10 me that the shells bad en-.
tered tic iutierf 80 the water ine tearing of en-
r.r. sleots ~ iron, and the water wa rushing H.
utterly dcfying every f'tcmpt 20 remedy the evil.
and that Ins WIS riiciy sinking. Learning this
melancholy Iruth, and observing mat the Aiulaina
w.s on n.y st toW cutl els beyond rar ~ 81 NY
gum, dou lee. preparing for r.king llse OF the
deck, ict md no Hgat - Acr.lce gsole'-iy aui
witAout any ucaiubie retnlt he lives OF all under
my command.
! 70 preyeDt the blowing up OF the Hntters,, from
] A. IA A
tie maga1 ne - be Hooded, aud alt-rwhd Lee qua
10 be fired. The Alabama turn Askcd N asri.trnce
was desircd, to which affirmative Gnewer was
! given.
Jne iIWteras was now going down, aud in order
g. sHvo he ives Of my OIL ers aud meu c;.u-el
the uTnsrieut the port ride TO BE- tbrOwn over.
board. Had not done 81, aui confident the
~ would have gono dVwh win ridny brave Aearls
auC valuable lives.
After vulnerable delay, caul.d by tie report
thu, a r'samsr Was seen coming from Galveston, the
4 ALBANIA rent assistance, and have tue pleasure
of informing the Dcpir that every living te-
iug was conveyed saiey from Tie liaticras 10 the
Alabama.
Ten minute after leaYing The Ilatteras she went
down, bow ifAt, with Der remnant at her mas'-hed,
with all her murkot- and rt0gce o. every chardcef--
the enemy not btins asle, OWING 10 ner rnpid tiuk
ing 10 OBJ ain single weapon. The battery up1n
the Albama bro Ight Ito action against the II tie
ran, mounted seven gus, consisting OF iour lOag
one ~ FOUNDER riiloi gun.
The great superiority Of the Alabama, with her
powerful battery, and her machinery nader The
water ue must Oo at once recoE uLcd by the De- MT
meut, who isniIar wlth ths obstruction oi tine
iis'teras and LeI tOLd mi nosa for contest with
u regularly -buiJ vessel f-Var.
Ine distance between The latterng aud the Ala
blma during he action. NarI-d from - 10 100
yards. Nsaiiy - shots were Tired fTom thc ila,to-
~, aud pre- ume Il greater number from Tho Ala
.lee "a In ell md . a.
inauner ia which Acting master Henry Porter Tx
ecuuyo tiheer, PERFORM ris duty.
Tho conduct of Assistant Surgeon Edward Mat
news, DO during the actOn aui sitsi ward, ia at
tending the wounaed, demands my unqualified com
me LGutiUn. 1 Nould also DflnR u ia, favor Die
notice of tho OcpTtmeut, Acting Mater Mats T.
D. MCGmth, temporarily performing duty ~ punncr.
Owing 10 the darkness ot the night and pecniu.r
Construction Of the atef0e, am ab.e onl - yeior
10 the conduct Of those officers Who cane under my
especial attenuon but IRON The char icter OF tuo
cuntes / ana the amount Of damage done Ala
bau.s, | have personally no reason 10 believe that
any officer failed IN his dGty. To the m-n of the
Uatterit caunot give TOO much praise. Their en-
thusasn and bravery were of the Lig1est orier.
inciOso the report Of AssistinL SiIgeon Edward
g. Matthews, by "hich yol will observe that i've
men were wounded aud Two killed The missing,
it II hopcd nave reached the feet ut Galveston.
shall communicate to tue Depa Luient, in separate
report tho movements OF my sell aud comm Ind IRON
the Time IL our transfer 10 the Alabama until lbe
departure of the earliest mail from this place to
tie United States.
am, very respectfully, your obedent servant
r. q bLAhE Lieut.. Commanding.
Hoa GIDEON WHILE SocieOTy Of tho navy, washington
-. G.. - ...
u. b. CONSULATE, Kingston. ia, Jan. 81 1881
SIas i have 10 report 20 you the annexed
LIST Of Casualties, as resulting from our recenl
brilliant, bat disastrouss, engagement with ta'
lieLel steamer Alabama;