Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-07-09
Official Report of Capt. semmes' OF
the Pirate Alabama.

the Pirate Alabama.
NV YoRK, July Is-Semmes, in his
Official report of his engagement with the
Kearsage. says;
When about "A mile distant he opened
with solid shot. The Kearssge replied IN
a few minutes and the enga cement became
active The two ships steamed aroGud /.
common Genre, preserving distance from
each othe- OF a quarter to half mile
When within good range be opened with
shell. In 10 or Is minutes the Alabama's
spanker gan was sbos aERF, and her en-
sign came d. n. This vas Immediately
replaced by Iother at the miEzen mast
head.
The firing nov became very hot and the
enemy's shot aud she'll soon began to tell
upon our hull, aud knocking down and
disabling a number Of men in different
parts Of the ship.
Perceiving that our shell, IL Ugh hit
ting did but little damage. resort was had
TO solid shot alternated with she'll. After
the lapse of about an hour aud ten min
utes the ship was ascertaiued to be in a
sinking condition, the enemys shell hAv-
ing exploded in our sides aud between
deck, opening large apertures, through
which the water rushed with great raPidIty
for some minutes.
French coast for which purpose / gave the
ship all the steam and set such Of the fore
and att sails, as were available. The ship
dlled so rapidly, however, that before We
had made much progress the fires v re
extiuguished 10 the furnaces aud We were
evidently on the point OF sinking. l y
hauled down my colors 10 prevent tart =r
destruction OF life and despatched a boat
to inform the enemy Of our oOaditiOu- lie
says that the KeaTsage tired upon him 4 -
times after his cOlors were struck. The
remainder of the report Is devoted TO a
statement of how he was picked up and
made his escape under a neutral flag, also
that his officers when they went TO the
Kearsage found that she lad been furnish
ed with q chain armOr concealed With
planking-thst the plsnking was torn of
by his shells thus exposing 10 view the
armor.
He also says the enemy was heavier thsn
myself both 10 ship, battery and crew, bat
did not know until the action was over
that she was iron clad The armor con
sisted it proves OF double row OF chsius
strung along the side Of the Kesrsage,
temporary and not very formidable pro
lection TO her machinery, aud from all ac-
counts the Kearsage could have withstood
the wild firing Of the Alabama a whole d4y.
Whereas the String Of the KeaIsage accord
ing TO Semmes was so hot and accurate in
10 or 10 minutes after the commencement
of the action, that his flag was shot away,
his hull torn and his men knocked down,
killed and disabled in ali directions.
Paris correspondent OF the Commercial
says:
Capt. Winslow still claims Semmes as
his prisoner and will write to him 20 deliv-
er himself up, making il personal ques-
ton between officer aud cffisvr, Wiuslow
will send the other officers home. The
men are released on parole 10 never Eight
against the Uuited States.
Semmes was ordered out by the French
authorities by noon. On consultation with
Commodore Barron, his superior, whether
TO 90 out and escape by night or meet the
Kearsage in daylight and fght, that officer
told him to go and fight II be thought be
was sure of winning. He was sure aud
went out 70 fight. Capt WiusloW did
FIRE after the white nag was hoisted, but il
was owing to his not seeing 1t.
The greater steaming powers of the
Kearsage and superior artillery enabled her
to do With her adversary as che pleased
Semmes was astonished 20 fad his ship
used mp so soon and cursed not little at
the worthlessness Of English guns and
aad English ships.
EN Stc5 -i Master of the Kearsage
mak-s 4 stat. neut, ia which he says that
when he s7S the Dserhound making on
with part OF TIE AiaJAma'5 crew, he re-
ported the fact Capt WinslOw. The an
swer he received was, sit was Impossible.
The Yacht was simply coming round No
Commander ID be guilty OF such das-
tardIy conduct when he had been request
ed and permit;,-7 iE the cause OF humanity
to save the liy Of prisoners, TO run OF
with them"