Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-02-27
Dessrnetsen Of the Eatseras-Esepeffs 81
Her OSmDsaudeFs
U. S. CONSULATE, KIEssT3S, JAAMcA,
january. 81. 1861


o. S. CONSULATE, KIsasv3S, yAsiucA'
January, 2l, ls0t
To Hon Gideon Wells Secretary Of Navy
SIN: It's my painful duty to inform tie de-
paTtm snt of the destruction Of the United states
steamer Hstteras. recently under my command,
By the rebel steamer Alabsma, on the night nt
the Ith inst, off tbs coast Of Texas The cir
cumstances of the disaster are IS l0llOws;
On the afternoon Of the llth inst, at 3:30
o'clock while at anchor iu company with the
feet, with commander Bill, Of Galveston, 1
wls ordered, BY signal from the flag ship Book
lyn to chase s sail to sou.hward Of eastward
] got under way Immediately and steamed
with all speed in thu direction indicated, Alter
some tines strange sail could Be sean from the
HatteEas, ard which was sseertained 20 oe
steamer, which fact l communicated to the htg-
ship BY signal. I Continued chase, and rapidly
gained upon the suspicious vessel When within
about f3Gr miles of her, observed that she had
ceased to steam, and was lying bycadside await
ing us. II was nearly seven o'clock, aad quite
dark; but notwithstanding the obseurity OF tbs
night I felt assured, from the general character
Of the vessel and her maneuveTing, .hat / would
soon encounter the steamer Alabama.
Being able TO work but four guns on the sides
Of the Hatteras-two short tniTty-two-po -pouudeTs,
one thirty poundeT rihed gun. and one twenty
poundeE rihsd gun-I concluded to close with
her, that my guns might be as effective as pos
sibls. / came within easy speaking range, and,
upon asking, What steamer is thatl7 ! re-
ctived apswsr, " Her Britannia Msjesty's ship
Vixen" ITeplied I would send boat aboard,
and Immediately gave the ordcr.
Ia the mean time both vessels were changing
their p0sitons, the stranger endesvorng to gain
desirable position for a raking fire
Almost simultaneously with piping array the
boat the stranger replied; Z" We are ths gonfel-
crate steamer Alabama, which was aecompa-
MED with broadside. / ct ths sems moment
returned ths fire, and steered directly toward the
Alabama, but she was enabled, by her great
speed and By the foUlness of the bottom of the
Hatiaras. and, consequently, her diminished
speed, to thwaTt my attempt, when bad gsinel
a distarcs Of but thirty yards from her.
At this range, musketry and pistol shots were
exchanged Firing continued with great vig0r
on both sides. At length q she'll entered amid
ships into ihs hold, setting fire to f. and at the
same instant she'll passed through the sick
bay, exploding in an adjoining compartment,
also producing FIRE. Another entered the cylin-
der, filling the engine room and deck with
steam, and deprivipg me of any power 70 ma
neuver the vessel OF 70 work the pumps, on
which a reduction Of the FIRE depended. With
the vessel on FIRE in two places, aad beyond
human power, . hopeless wreck, with her walk
ing beam shot away, and her engine rendered
useless, I still maintained en- active fire, with
the double hope OF disabling the Alabama and
attracting the attention of the feet off Calves
ton, which was only tweRty-eight miles distant.
Il was soon reported to me that shells had
entered the Hstterss st water line, tearg eff
entire sheets Of iron, and that water was rush
ing in rapidly, utterly defying every attempt to
remedy the evil and that she was rapidly sink
ing. hssrning this melancholy truth, and OBJ
serving that the Alabama was on my port bows,
entirely beyond range Of my guns, doubtless
preparing for a raking FIRE Of the deck, felt
had no right to sacrifice uselessiy. and without
any desirable result, the lives Of all under nay
command To prevent the blowing up Of the
Hstterss from the fire, which wss making much
progress, I ordered the magazine flooded. and,
afterward, lee gun to be fred The Aabsma
then asked if assistance was desired to which
an affirmative answer was given. TIE Hat
teras was no going down, and, in O'd5y to save
the lives of my officers and men, 1 caused the
armament on the Por;-side TO be thrown ovec-
board.
After considerable delay, caused by tho report
that stssmer was seen coming from Galveston,
the Alabama sent Us assistance, and hsve the
pleasure of informing the department that
every living being was conveyed safely from
the Hatteras to the Alabama. Ten minutes
after leaving the H4tteTas she went down. bsw
first, with her pennant at her masthead, and
with all her muskets and stores Of every char
acter The enemy not being able, owing 20
her rapid sinking, to obtain single wespon
The battery upon the Alabama, brought into
action agains! the steamer Hatteras, numbered
seven guns.
From the character of the contest, and the
amount of damage done to the Alabama, have
no reason to believe that any officer failed in bis
duty. To the men of the Haltsras [ canuos
give too much praise Their enthusiasm and
bravery wers Of the highest order. I inclose
the report of the assistant surgeon, BY which
you will ob7erve that I've msn were wounded
and two killed.
am, very respectfully.
R. c. BLAKE,