Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-07-15
The Capture of the Alabama.

of the N. Y. Times, gives an account of
the destruction of the Alabama, which
differs in some important particulars
from the accounts in French and En-
glish newspapers. The Alabama did not
seek the fight in fit Of bravery, as was
stated, but owing to the representations
of the American minister, Semmes was
obliged to leave the port, and finding he
had no alternative, determined to put the
best face on the matter, and to make as
much capital for himself as possible
He therefore wrote letter to the mari
time prefect, requesting him to inform
Capt. WinsIow thai be considered the
latter's conduct in pretending to lie off
and blockade him in neutral port as
an insult { y and that he intended 10
come out and drive him off. Winslow
replied, "Let him come out and try ii"
Both parties made their preparations ac-
cordingly. Semmes, whose business it
was to run and not TO fight, was so bad
gered and worried by the taunts of our
side, by the pats on bis b ack of bis
friends and sympatbizers, and by the re-
strictous of the French authorities, that
less brave man than be would have
been driven by desperation to fight; and
Capt. Winslow, who properly estimated
all these circumstances, felt perfectly
sure that Semmes was going to fight
Semmes left all his valuables in the
hands of the Brazilian consular agent on
shore, and after inviting his friends to
come out and see the fight, went to sea.
Mr. Wm. Dayton, Jr., was aboard the
Kearsarge just before and after the fight,
and according to his account the action
lasted an hour and half. The Kear-
sarge, although bit in several places, re-
ceived no vital shot. She had but three
men touched, and these not mortally. 1t
is not true that in any part Of the fight
the Alabama had the advantage; the ma
nuuvring and fighting of the Kearsarge
were both superior to those of the Ala
bama. There is no evidence that Capt.
Semmes tried to board the Kearsarge,
as the secession papers say.
Towards the end of the fight Captain
Winslow succeeded in planting shot in
the machinery of the Alabama, which
disabled her. He then had things all
his own way, and running close to her
he poured into her a destructive con
verging broadside, which tore through a
whole section of the Alabama's side at
the water-lne, and let the water through
in cascades. Both ships then stopped
firing, and the Alabama, without striking
her flag, started towards Cherbourg, but
Winslow, hosting his flag of victory,
started to head her of. He saw, how
ever, that the Alabama was filling, and
at once lowered two boats to 60 to her
aid, and, in effect, the vessel sank before
she had proceeded dozen lengths to-
ward the harbor. The Kearsarges boats
picked up So persons, of whom IA were
wounded, and of whom died. The 9TH
ers were picked up by the English yacht,
Capt. Lancaster, and landed at South
ampton.
The Kearsarge steamed at once into
the port Of Cberbourg with her prison.
ers. These prisoners, many of whom
are Frenchmen, demanded to be paroled,
and Winslow, who was crowded for
room, also desired to know of the Amer
ican minister if he could not parole them.
Mr.. Dayton telegraphed to bis son and
to Winslow that the prisoners could not
be paroled, and that they must be held
till the st. Louis arrived, and then con- !
veyed to the United States.
In regard to Capt. Semmes and the
other prisoners carried into Southampton,
Capt. Winslow claims them as prisoners,
and Mr.. Dayton has advised Mr.. Adams
to demand their rendition. Winslow bad
ample time and means to pick up all the
officers and men of the Alabama, but
but the boats of the English yacht ran in
aud actually stole them away, as if act
ing upon a pre-arranged plan, thus con-
stituting it a clear case of intervention.
Capt. Semmes and party did not there |
fore escape. They were stolen away by |
a party who was indirectly interfering
in the fight. There was no wish on the
part Of Capt. Winslow to see Captain |
Semmes drowned. On the contrary he
would have soon taken up Semmes' boat
load himself.
The destruction of the Alabama by
the Kearsarge is a striking vindication
of the superiority of the heavier arma-
ment of our gunboats as compared With
IL IT,. - Il tba Enolsh r,nndatr