Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-07-11
ESTABLISHED, 1881

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of but about 6Es hundred yards seper
ated them.
The Alabama fred much more fre-
quently than the Kearsarge, aad wasted
great deal more powder and ball
Generally, her shots were badly aimed,
wild and high. Evidently her fsrte was
to attack and awe into surrender unarm-
ed merchant vessels but from the frst
her. firing showed that she was not coE-
petent to grapple with the trained and
disciplined crew of q vessel Of war.
Many Of the shots, however, struck
and cut the rigging OF the Ksarsarre.
without inficting, kowsver, any serious
dsmage-the shrill whistle Of syery one
as it few over their heads excited the
crew of the Kearsarge, and rendered
them more than ever determined TO con
quer.
The fght commenced at twenty min
utes past ten o'clock, and lasted Just enc
hour and FIVE minutes.
During this time four shots lodged in
tbs bull of the Kearsarge.
Eight shots in al struck her hull. One
rife shot passed entirely through her
smoke-stack; another rife shell through
the staIboard side below the main rig
ging, near the shear plank, bursting and
wounding three men, causing the only
casualties to the crew Of the Kearsargs
during the 6ght.
One of these, man named Demsey,
had his arm taken of, and the others re
ceived fractures of the leg. Another
rifle she'll struck under the stern and
lodged in the rudder post without Ell
ploding another carried away the star
board life buoy; another scratched the
hammock netting aft.
Three 32-pounders passed the port
side, opposite the wardroom hatch. An
other carried away one Of the cranes
over the wardroem hatch, and taking a
slantiag direction upward, passed up
through the cutter on the port side An
other rifle shot struck the top of the en-
gine room skylight, eating clear across
it like . saw and finally passed through
the skylight window. Several struck the
starhoard light but their force was bro
ken by chains hung ON the side to cover
and protect the hoilera These, there.
fore, caused no damage. Shots we're
continually whizzing through the rigging
like hailstones, and it seems almost q
miracle that more casualties did not oe-
cur.
The 6rst shot noticed as producing
any effect upon the Alabama struck her
amidships, in her upper works,
making preceptible gap, but doing lit
tie or no damage. Aaont half way
through the fight a llinch she'll exploded
on the Alabama's deck, near one Of the
divisions, killing fifteen out Of nineteen
men, aud scattering bones and flesh in
all directions, and cutting one man en-
tirely in two.
One Of the Alabamas crew says the
scuppsrs literally "ran blood. Third
Lieutsnant Wilson, also taken prisoner,
says be was knocked down four times
but escaped without wound.
From the deck of the Kearsarge it
could be plainly seen that her effective
and destructive Ere wss seriously iniu-
ring the Alabama, and as each shot
struck her aide loud cheers went up from
the crew OF the Kearsarge, more than
ever enthusiastic BY speedy prospect Of
success. During the entire fight the
men whose first baptism by FIRE this was
acted with the greatest eoolnsss and de-
termined courage, not single one OF
them showing the white feather"
One hundred and seventy four rounds
were fired during the fght from the
Kearsarge, and it is computed that the
Alabama fred ct least twice that nun
Der.
At quarter past eleven it was dis
covered that Captain Semmes had alter
ed bis opinion in relation TO the proves
and skill Of his Yankee antagonist, aud
arrived At the conclusion that discretion
was the better part Of valor," he vesred
round and com nienced steaming in the
direction Of the French coast, evidently
desirous Of placing himself within the
limits of the marine league" which
marks the boundary between the French
territory and the common ocean.
This Kearsarge Immediately followed,
the Alabama continuing to Ere her stern
gun. Finding that the speed of the
| Kearsarge, which was rapidly gaining on
her, was superior 10 hers, the Alabama
siackened speed, and it was reported
that she had struck her flag and seemed
to be settling; but her boats were Hot
/ lowered, because, as WAS afterward learn
ed, they had been shattered By the shot
from The Kearsarge No white flag be.
/ ing seen from the Kearsarge, she deliv.
cred another final broadside, which did
more damage than sll the previ6ns ones
The white flag was then run up from
the Alsbama, and q boat from her ap
I preached the kearsargs.
The firing then finally ceased. The
boat vas nnder the command Of an Eng.
lish officer, belonging to the Alabaaai
who Informed Capt Winslow that the
latter was in sinking condition, and
asked for boats to rescns the men.
All the available beats Of ths ksar
sarge were now lowered snd manned
bnt before single one could reach hel
the Alabama went down-down oleal
and straight to the bottom Of the ocean
She was at this time about six miles out
side the port. and about five hundre,
Yards distant from the Kearsarge.
The men, as she was sinking, jumpe'
overheard Many we're doubtless drown
ed-how many is not jet known
She had about the same sized crew a
the Kearsarge, and seventy wers sll tha
we're saved by the available boats of fh
Aiabama and taken from the water b
those Of the Kearsarge Fifteen {
those saved were wounded. Two {
these died after being rescued, and th
carpenter OF the Alabama, one Robin
son, was picked up dead and psrfectl
naked
A new character now appeared upo
! the scene. An English yacht steame
belonging to the Royal Yacht Squadror
: named the Deerhonnd, and owned by
! gentleman in Liverpool, cGme in sigE
Of the Kearsarge Immediately upon tb
!, disappearaneso Of the Alabsma. 1tseem
I she had been at anchor during the earl
!. part Of the action, but toward its CLOS
weighed anchor and steamed away on