The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-02-19
The Loss of the Hatteras.
Official Report of Her Commander.
UNITED bTAIk5 C~OAsULAIEi {
KINGSTON JaRaica, Jan. q, 1868.

hAaNoAON a ~" S"At 49, 1--WE -
SIR 1t is my painful duty to inform your
of he destruction of the United
States steamer Hatteras, recently under my
command, by the rebel steamer Alabama, on the
night of the 18th inst off the coast of Texas.
The circumstances of this disaster were as fol-
lows
On the llth fnst., at $3.50 o'clock, while at
anchor, III company with the fleet with Cons
mander Bell, IF Galveston, l was ordered, by
a signal from the flagship Brooklyn, to chase
a sail TO the southwark and eastward. L got
under way Immediately, and steamed, with all
speed, in the direction indicated. After some
time, a strange sail could be seen from the Hat
teras, and was asceI tanned to be a steamer,
which fact | communicated to the flag ship by
signal. | continued the chsse rapidly, and gain
ed upon the suspicious vessel. When within
about five miles of the vessel | observed that
she had ceased to steam, and that she was ly-
ing broadsi6e and awaiting VI. 1t was nearly z
o'clock, and quite dark but Notwithstanding
the obscurity of the night. / felt assured, from
the general character of the vessel snd her ma
neuvers, that | should soon encounter the rebel
steamer Alabama. Being able 10 work but four
guns on each side Of the Hatleras,tw0 short 81
Founders, one 30-pounder ri1ed gun, aud one
20 FOUNDER rihed gun, l concluded to close with
her, that my guns might be as effective as nec>
ESSdt . i aihN Avn SaTJ oP~unAhS ANHSSf
and upon asking What steamer is that? p l re-
ceived as an answer, Her Britannia Majesty's
ship Vixen" | replied that l would send a
boat aboard, ana Immediately gave orders.
In the meantime both vessels were changing
their positions, the stranger endeavOring to gain
a desirable position for a raking fire, Almost
simultaneously with piping away the boat the
steamer again replied I'VE are the Confederate
steamer Alabama which was accompanied
with q broadside. l at the same moment re-
turned the fire, | steered directly towards the
Alabama, but she was enabled by her great
speed, and the foulness of the bottom OF the
Hatteras and consequently her diminished
speed, to thwart my attempt. When / had
gained a distance of but thirty yards from her,
at this range musketry and pistol shots were
exchanged. Firing continued with great vigor
Oh botii sides. AT length a shell entered amid
ships in the hole, setting fire to it. At the same
instant a shell passed through the sick room,
exploding in an adjoining compartment, also
producing fire Another entered our cylinder,
filling the engine room and deck with steam and
depriving me of any power to maneuvre the
vessel or to work the pumps upon which the
reduction OF the fire depended. .
With my vessel on fire in two places, and be,
yond human power d hopeless wreck, with her
walking beam shot away, and her engine rem
dered useless, | still maintained an active fire
with a double hope of disabling the Alabama,
and attracting the attention of the fleet oil Gal
weston, which was only twenty-eight miles dis
tant. 1t was soon reported to me that shells
had entered the Hatteras at the water line, tear
ing off the entire sheets of her cover, and that
the water was rushing i'll, utterly destroying
every attempt to remedy the evil, and that she
was rapidly sinking H. . sv
Learning this melancholy truth, and observs
ITn fhof Tho A 10 bo Foo MN On 49,, .a,t hon IN
tirely beyond the range of my guns, doubtless
repairing for a raking fire of the deck, | felt l
had no right to sacrifice uselessly and without
any desirable result the lives under my COM
mand. To prevent the blowing up of the Hat
teras from the fire which was making much
progress, l ordered the magazine to be flooded
and afterwards a lee gun fred. The Alabama
then asked if assistance was desired, to which
an affirmative answer was given. The Hstter>
as was now going down, and in order TO save
the lives of my officers and men, / caused her
armament on the port side to be thrown overs
board. After considerable delay, caused by the
report that a steamer was coming from Calves
ton. Alabama sent US assistance, and | have
the pleasure to inform your Department that
every living being was conveyed safely from
the Hatteras to the Alabama. Ten minutes af-
ter leaving the Hatteras, she went down, bow
first, with her muskets and stores of every kind,
the enemy not beng able, owing to her rapid
sinking, to obtain a single weapon. The bat
terry upon the Alabama, brought into action
against the Hstteras, numbered seven guns
From the character of the contest and the
amount Of damage done to the Alabama, 1 have
personally no reason to believe that any officer
failed to do his duty. To the men of the Hat
teras, l cannot give too much praise. Their
enthusiasm and bravery were of the highest Or
der. -
~inclose the report of the assistant surgeon
by which you will observe hat FIVE men were
wounded, and two killed. am, very respects
fully, your obedient servant.
r. G. BLAKE, Lient. Comdg.
To Hon. Gideon Wells, Sec'y, &c.