The daily clarion. [volume] (Meridian, Miss.) 1863-1866, 1864-07-20

the kearsarge, reserving her fire. and
deathlike silence prevailing on board
permitted the Alabama to approach with
N distance of twelve hundred wards
The Kearsarge had i've guns with which
she fought tie battle, mounted on the
port side, her crew MT being sufficiently
large to wolA the whole seven guns upor
one side.
" hen the Alabama had arrived wi.Liu
the distance above mentioned, size open
cd the combat with broadside fire at the
hearsarge. The Alabama fought seven
oi her guns, two more than were used by
he Hearsarge, and also on her starboard
slde. None Of the shots struck The kear
sarge, one or two passing ovee and The
Il So. falling short. Cap. Winsl0w, how
ever, deemed 1t wise TO allow his antagon
lst, ey.dtnt!y uusbeo UIth thc--Iae,sa- a
a speedy and az early victory, to approach
still nearer.
The Alabama, still approaching slowly,
lecd a second and thld hroadside. none
of the shots, however, taking effect be
fore the Kearsarge Ieturned shot.
When the proper distance seemed to be
, obtained, Capt. Winsow opened his blt-
teries upon The rebel, and poured broad
SIDE alter broadside iu,o her rs rapidly
as the cuuners could load anI tire. After
the Kearslrge opcned her batteries upon
the Alabama, a ropid and continuous fire
uas kept up from both sides. Each YES
sel Of course kept her steam. up, aud each
was sailing IN circle in q direction op.
pls.te the other, keeping the s,arboard
/ battery bearing upon her antagonist
They continued iprroacAing each other
| uutli, towards the end OF the f1bt, dis
! tauca oi but about Eve hundred yards
| separated them.
The Alabama fred much more frequent
/ ly than the Kcarsarge, and wasted a
great deal more powder and ball. Gen
| orally her shots were evidently badly
Iaimcd-wild and high. Evidently her
| forte WAS TO attack and awe into surren-
der unarmcd merchant vessels: but from
Tie first the firing from her showed thai
she was not competent TO gGapple with
the trained and disciplined crew Of a
vessel OF war. Iany Of the shots, how
ever, s.ruck and cut the rigging of the
kemslrge, without iLiiictiDg, however,
any serious damage.
The fight commenced at twenty min
utes past ten clock, and lasted Just one
hCul and five minutes. During this time
ANlAi SINUS lOEAA III ALlN LA4l VI ALlt lAtLI-
sarge. Eight shots in all struck her hull.
One rifle shot passed entirely through
her smoke stack; another rife she'll
through the st4lboard side, below the
main rigging, near the shear plank.
bursting and wounding three men, caus-
ing the only casualties to the crew Of
the Kearsarge during the fight. Another
rifle shell struck under the stern and,
lodged in the rudder post without cx-
ploding; another carried away the star
board life ouoy; another scratched the
hammock nettings aft.
Three thirty two Founders passed The
~ s-C,7, oT pJsite the wardroom Dstcu.
Another carried away one of the cranes
over the wardroom hatch, and, taking a
slaunting direction upwards, passed
through the bottom C the cutter on the
port s'le. Another fle shot struck the
top OF the engine room skylight, cutting
clear across 1t ike q saw, and finally pas
sed through the skyliZht window. Sew
erJl struck the starboard light, but their
force were broken by chains hung on the
side to cover and protect the boilers
These therefore, caused no damage
The first shot noticed as producing any
effect upon the Alabama stuck her
amidshjps, in her upper works, making
perceptible gap, but doing little or no Sc
Ii0us damage. About hall way through
the f. .ht an eleven inch shell exploded
on the Alabanla'S deck, near one OF the
divisions, killing Is out Of the 10 men,
scattering bones and flesh in all direc
tons, and cutting one man entirely in
two. One of the Alabama's crew saws
the scuppers literally iran blood
Third Lieutenant Wilson, also taken
prisoner, says he was knocked down four
times, but escaped without a wound.
From the deck of the Kearsarge it |
could be plainly seen that her effec' ire |
aud destructive fire was seriously injuring
the Alabama, and as each shot struck her
side loud cheers went up from the crew
Of the Kearsarge. One hundred and |
fight from the kearsarge, and il Is com
puted that the Alabama fired at least
twice tLat number.
At a quarter past eleven it was observ-
cd that Capt. Sammes had altereo his
opinion in relation to the proves and
skill cf bis Yankee antagonist. He
veered round and commenced steanSng
IN the direction Of the French coast, eyI-
denly desirons Of placing himself as
speedily as possible within the limits OF
the marine league" which marks the
boundary between the French territory
and the common ocean.
The Hears rye Immediately followed
the Alabama continuing TO fire her stern
gan. Finding that the speed OF the
Kyarsalge, who rapidly gaining on her,
was superior to hers, the Alabaml sllcll-
eued speed and 1t was reported that She
had struck her fag, and seemed to be
setting: but her boats were not lowered,
b, use, as we afterwards learned, they
had been shattered by the shot from he
X sarsarge. No white flag icing seen
from The Kearsarge, she delivered anoth-
er fnsI broadside, which did more dam
age than al the previous ones. The
white flag was then run up from he Ala
bama, and boat from her approached
the Kearsarga. The firing then finaliy
ceased The boat was under the command
of an English officer, belonging 70 the
Alabama, who informed Captain Ninslow
that the latter was in a sinking condition,
and asked the boats TO rescue the men.