Daily national Republican., 1863-02-16
LIST Of KILLED AMP WOUNDED.
IoFFIcIAL REPoRT.l
y. 8. cossvllrr. Kirostos. Jlrl1cl,

partment OF the destruction OF the u. 3.
steamer " Hatteras, y recently under my COM
mand, by the Confederate steamer, Alabama,
on the night OF the nth instant, of the coast
Of Texas. The circumstances Of the sad dis
aster are as follows; H. e.
Upon the afternoon Of the IL III Inst, at 81
O'Clock, while at anchor, in company with the
neet under Commodore Bell, off Galveston,
Texas, L was ordered, by q signal from the o.
s. flag ahip Brooklyn TO chase a aaIl the south
ward and eastward. Igot under way Immodl.
ately, and steamed with all speed In the dIrec-
tlon indicated. .s|
Aftsr some time, the strange sail could he
seen from the Hatteras, and wss RscertaIned to
6e steamer, which fact ] communicated TO the
hag ship by signal. continued the chase, and
rapidly gained upon the suspicious vessel.
Knowing the slow rate of speed OF the Hatteras,
Atonce suspected that deception was being
Practlced, and hence ordered the ship TO be
cleared for action, with everything In readiness
for a determined attack and a vigorous de-
fence. .. aa#. .......,4E ....rF'ra.'
When within about four miles Of the vessel =,
observed that she had ceased TO steam and
was lying "bFoadslde on,n awaiting us. It
was nearly O'Clock and quite dark, but not
wlthstandlng the obscurlty Of the night, felt
assured, from the general character OF the yes-
sci and her manRuyering, that should soon
encounter the rebel steamer Alabama.
Being able TO work hut four guns upon one
side OF the Hatteras-two short 32-ponnders
one S0-pounder riaed Parrot gun, and one 90
FOUNDER rlfed gun, l concluded 10 close with
her, In order that my guns might be cGentive,
If necessary. ] came within easy spea king
range "a about 20 yards and upon asking
What steamer is that % received the answer
" Her Brittanlc Majesty's ship Vixen" / re-
piled that would send boat aboard, and i'm
medlntely gave the order. In the meanti me,
both vessels were changing their positions, the
stranger endeavoring to gain desirable posi-
tion for raklng FIRE. Almost simultaneously
with the piping away OF tho boat, the strange
erait again replied, eve are the Confederate
steamer AlabamA," which was accompanied
with a brOadsde. at the same moment re-
turned the fire, being well aware Of the many
vulnerable points of the Hatteras. hoped by
closing with the Alabama To be able TO board
her, aud thus rid the seas of this pTatfcal craf(
| steamed directly for the Alabama, but she
was enabled by her great speed, and the foul
ness Of the bottom Of the Hatteras, and con-
sequently her diminished speed, 10 thwart my
attempt, when had gained a distance OF but
80 yards from her. At this range musket and
pistol shots were exchanged; the firing contin-
ued with great vigor on both sides. At length
shell entered amldshlps in the hold, setting
llre to II, and at the same instant as can hard
ly divide the time, a shell passed through the
"siek bay" exploding in an adjoining COM
patment, also producing fro; another entered
the cylinder, filling the engine room and deck
with steam, and deprving me OF all power to
manouver the vessel or to work the pumps.
upon which the reduction Of the fire depended.
With the vessel on fire In two places, and be
yond human power, hopeless wreck upon the
water, with her walking beam shot away and
her engine rendered useless, still maintained
an active fire with a double hope OF disabling
the Alabama and attracting the attention OF
the fleet off Galveston, which was only twenty
eight miles distant.
1t was soon reported to the me that shells
had entered the Hatteras at the water.lIne,
tearing off entire sheets of iron, and that the
water was rushing In, utterly defying every at
tempt to remedy the evil and that she was
rapidly sinking. Learning this melancholy
truth, and observing that the Alabama was on
my port bow entirely beyond range Of my guns,
doubtlessly preparing for a raklng fire Of the
deck, felt that had no right to sacrifice, use
lessly and without any desirable result the
lives of all under my command.
To prevent the blowing up of tho Hatteras
nom the fire which was making much progress,
ordered the magazine to be flooded and after-
ward a lee gun TO be fired. The Alabama then
asked if assistance was desired, to which an
affirmative answer was given.
The Hatteras was now going down, and
In order to save the lives of my officers and men
| caused the armament on the port eide TO be
thrown overheard. Had / not done so am con-
fdent that the vesssl would have gone down
with many brave hearts and valuable lives.
Amer considerable delay, caused by q report
that steamer was seen coming from Calves
| ton, the Alabama sent us assistance, and have
the pleasure TO inform the Department that every
living being was conveyed safely from the Hat
teras TO the Alabama.
Ten minutes after leaving the Hatteras she
went down, bow first, with her pennant at her
| maathRad with all her m ata atn ne
every characterj the enemy not being able
owing 10 her rapid sinking, TO obtain single
weapon. The battery npon the Alabama,
brought into action against the Hatteras, num-
bered seven guns, consisting of four long az
pounders, one l00-pounder, one 68-pounder and
one 24-pounder rded gun.
The great superiority Of the Alabama, with
her powerful battery, and her machinery, &C.,
under the water line, must be at once recog-
nized by the Department. who are familiar with
the construction Of the HatterAs, and her total
unttness for a contest with a regularly built
yessel of war. The distance between the Hat
| teras and the Alabama during the action varied
| from twenty-five to one hundred yards; nearly
| fifty shots were fired from the Hatteras, and
| presume greater number from the Alabama
| / desire to refer 10 the efficient and active
manner in which Acting Master Henry Porter,
executive officer, performed his duty. The
conduct Of Assistant Surgeon Edward s. Mat
Iolh tUb hctlOu anu afterwards,
In attention to the wounded, demands my uu-
qualified commendatiOn. / would also bring
70 the favorable notice of the Department Act
ing Masters Mate T. J. McGrath, temporarily
performing duty as gunner. Owing to tho
darkness Of the night, and the peculiar con-
stFuctlon Of the Hatteras, / am able only to
refer to the conduct Of those officers who came
under my especial attention, hut from the
! character of the contest and the amount OF
lRmage done 10 the Alabama, / have personally
no reason to believe that any officer failed In
his duty.
To tie men of the Hatteras | cannot give
too much praise; their enthusiasm and bravery
was of the highest order.
! enclose the report Of Assistant Surgeon
Edward 8. Matthews, by which you will OBJ
serve that five men were wounded and two
killed; the missing, 1t Is hoped, have reached
the fleet at Galveston. shall communicate TO
the Department In a separate report the move
ments Of myself and command from the time
Of our transfer TO the Alabama until the depar.
ture of the earliest mail from this place 10 the
United States.
am very respectfully,
Your Obsdient servant,
II. c. BLAZE,
Lieut.. Commander U. s. A.
Hon. GIDEON WELLEs, Secretary of the Navy,
Washington, u. G.