Santa Fe gazette. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1859-1864, 1863-06-27

Incidents Of the Fight Between the Alabama
and the Hatterns-The Hatterns Expected
to Have Surrendered Without Firing a
Shot,
Captain Semmes supposed that the Hatteras
would surrender without fighting when her pro.
visions, ammunition and guns, all Of which the
Alabama at that time wanted badly, would fall
into his hands without difficulty. When how.
ever, he saw how bravely she fought, Captain
Semmes asked bis first officer after the latter sur
rendered, "Who commanded that ship" "Cap
tain Blake, SIR was the answer "Humpb,"
grunted Semmes, d think that he had great deal
Of assurance to fight me with such vessel"
ALABAMA SHORT OF PROVISIONS.
When the fight took place the Alabama was
very short Of provisions, pork, beans, and "hard
tack" being about all that was furnished to the
officers and men; yet Captain Blake states that,
though Captain Semmes was rabid secessionist
and apparently rough man, he was treated by
bin with the greatest consideration, more, in fact,
as alnend than rs prisoner Captain Semmes
gave up bis state room TO Captain Blake ond
when they arrived at a neutral port, he invited
him to visit him as friend, and not as q foe.
THE ALABAMA NARROWLY EscAFFD SINKING.
In one Of his conversations about the fight,
Captain Semmes admitted that the firing from the
Hatteras nearly sunk him, and that he must Ger.
tainly have gone down il the two shots, which
struck under her counter at the water line, had
been larger, or even ir they had burst, they being
only twenty and thirty pound Shots and "Ever
aS tls,' said he, "Iwsh that | had let you alone
or lhave captured nothing but few prisoners, anC
ny vessel must be some time before she will be a
a good as she was before the action" In anothe
conversation, Captain Semmes said that anon
I'll the prizes he had captured the Ariel was tn
only one that he found it necessary 10 use Stear
T. " overtake
I The first shot fred ut the Hatteras from tn
a Alabama, was from "a FOUNDER which had bee
a taken from the Ariel.
TIE HATrERAs ON FIRE.
When the fire broke out On the decks Of tn
Hatteas, and the men left their guns to extingv
o hit Captain Blake cried, "Go back TO your gun
boys it will take fifteen or twenty minutes bClor
a the fire can reach the magazine, ut had only
n burn through plank two and half inches thiC
ll to reach it), and before that time we shall boal
" her," The order was obeyed with alaCrity
BRAVE ACT or OUR rARs.
A, a little later, and the fire had become 80 h
C. that it was dangerous to bring up the cartridg
as from below; but they came, nevertheless for 0
q. gallant tars carried them inside the breasts Of th
o. jackets, and produced them when required.
=. H. "wHY, sHEs GONE, SIR, AND THE FLAG WITH uEF
i'm When the Hatterus was sinking, Captain So
10 mes shouted TO one of his officers, $50 and tt
To- that flag down" The officer stepped into the bt
of TO obey the order, when, on looking toward wht
1s the Hatteras was and seeing that she had dsf
r. peared, he turned with puzzled look to his
N. pcrlor. VINO stood leaning over the buiwarks q
nd said, "Why, she's gone, sir, and the flag with be
Captain Blake had with him q very handso
m gold mounted cane presented to him by F.
ry, McGrath Esq, prominent merchant Of Phi
We delphia The inscription upon it was as follows
pie Lieutenant Commander H. @. Blake, Unit
Try States steamer Hatteras, llth January, ls
ew from r. G. NEG"