The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-03-11
PROGRESS Of THE WAR.

OfFASAAL RbFcHT TN LOSS CT TH8 HATTIE
kAs HER cohMAADERs ACCOUNT or THE AZ
FAIR
The mystery Of who sunk tbs Hattsrss' Il at
last decided The Yankee papers contain the fol-
lowing highly Interesting rer ort BY her commander
Of the capture Of his vesssl:
u. g Cor fsULATE, KisaSTOS JAxAIcAl
Janu1ry 81. ltG3
To Eon. 0tdson WslLs EtcrttMy Of the Nayy:
fiR: 1t In my painful duty to inform the Depart.
msns Of the OF the United States ets
hatseras. rAcsn'iy under my command, by the rebel
steamer Alabama on the nigh. Of the IL ,h iast If
tbs coast OF Texas The circumstances Of ,hs dis.
aa:er are ~ follows: =.
On the afternoon Of the h inst q. $50 o q ock
Vile at anchor In company with tie lsst, with
signal from the flag ship h ooklyn to chass saii
10 southwark Of eastward
got under way immediately, and ste amsd with
AL speed In the direction indicated. After some
ZINE atfAnge SAL could lie seen fro n tho Hatterss
and which was ascertained to be . steamer. which
set l communicated to ihs daR ship by sIgnal I
continued chase, and rapidly gained up the aut-
picious weasel When within about four miles Of
her observed that she had ceased to steam, and
was lying broadside awaiting US Is va. nearly
O'clock and quite dsrk; bl. notwihs,anding ths
cbacn'iy oftLs night tc.s assured from the gene.
raj character Of the vessel. and her maj 1vering
that would soon encounter the steamer Alabau q
Being able to work bat four gunG on the sides
Of ihs Hstteras-two short thiEtytwo pouoders.
enc thirty pounder rf,d gun, and vne twenty
FOUNDER I'll ID gun- L concluded to close with her,
that my guns light b. as { Fl ,ctive az pos.ibie
ci with easy sp ssk'ng range. and, upon ssklrg z,
Wnat steamer is that I" receives answer, Her
Bri.annic ksjestys ship Vxsn" replied would
send boat aboard. aad ir,ne lately gave the or.
der.
IN The ,an' i'm, both v:sssls were changing
their posittons, the stranger endeavoriag 20 gain
q desir alb e position f,- . reking fra.
A,moss simultaneously with piping away the
boat the stranger replied: We are sne Con.eds
rxte steamer Alabf ma" which wss accompanied
with brosdsids. ! At tie 81 IN, moment returned
the II 70 aud stee!ed directly toward tho Alabama
but sho was enabisd by hsr great speed and by the
fouInsas Of the bottom Of the Hatieess, and conss
q1eas'y her m nished speed. to thwkrt my at.
Asmpt when bad gainsd distance of but thirty
yards from her.
Il this range musketry and pistol shots were ex-
changed Firing contiDusd with great igor on
both Sides At length she'll sntAr ed sndshp |, tn
the hold, setting fire to it. AMI q. the same instant
a she'll pass .d through the sick bay exploding In
an adjoining ccInp partment, also producing fire.
Another entered the cjliCGee, filing the engine.
room snd deck with steam, and deprvipg me of
any pow or 20 nal the vessel or 20 work the
pumps, on which rec1c ion OF ths - dependsd
With the vessel on IRE In two places an0 beyond
human power. hopeless wreck, with her walking
beam shot away and Ter ems inc rendered useless /
still maintained an active ii with the double
hope OF disAbii ~ the alabama and attracting the
attention OF ,hs feet of Galveston which was only
% miles distant
Twas soon reportedtO to ms that shells had enter.
ed tbs Hsttera, at water li.s, tearing # entire
sheets OF iron .nd that water u hing in rspi6
ly utterly defying every s:tsnpt remedy the
ev sna that she was rapidly sinking. Lssrning
this melancholy tlub, ana observing that the
Alabama was on my pert bows entirely beyond
rangs Of my lns, doubtless preoariDg for rakins
FIRE Of the deck, felt had no right to esori.
fce uss,e'siy. and w.tbou. acy desirable rs.
suit the lives Of th0s- under ,ay command -
To pret g It the blowing up oi the Ia tsras tom
the i,s. which WAS making much progress or.
dered the magazine fl ,cded aud efteTward q
leo gaa 10 be Fl ed III. Alab.n,a then asked
Ii a1sistlncs was desired to which si,matv We an.
swer was given The Eatteras was now goiug
dCwn In der 10 the lives CT mY fiji ceis and
rusn caused the armament On the port-siGe to be
thrown overheard
Liter considerable delay csused by III, report
thai steamer was teen Gaming from dsivssDn
thu Aiab ma ssus US assistsnn-, and have the
plessure of informing the Oepsrt IN ,as that every
living being conveyed safely from the Ratsefa az
to tho Alabama. Ten mnu!ss a.tsr leaving th,
Hslteras she went down bow frat with her pensnt
1T her mast hssd, and with all her muskets and
stores OF every character. tbs enemy not being
abe, ewing 70 her rapid sinkiI g. to obtain q single
weapon The battery upon the Alabama brought
into action against the steamer HatterAs numbered
sssen suns
From tie character OF the contest. ard the
xmount Of darnsg. done to tie Alabama, bave no
reasoa tc believe that any I'll failed In bis dat p
TO the men of the Hstierss cannot givs tco much
praise. Their enthusiasm and bravery were of the
highest order. enclose tho report OF the assist.
ant Surgeon by which you will otserg 90 tha. five
Inen were wouudsd aud two killed.
I an, very respectfully,
z. @. CLARKE,