Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1864-08-26


be known to the outside world what mum
Der of men engaged in the battle
1t as known that numbers of mer
and officers from the Rappahannoch
lying at Calais were once prevent
cd by the French police from boarding
ing the Alabama. 1t is also known thai
young Sinclair was engaged in the action
and that be joined the Alabama at Cher.
bourg. 1t was also reported in England
, before and after the fight that men from
the English Naval Reserve crossed the
channel to render service on this particu.
ar occasion. 1t was intended to estab.
ish the superiority Of English gunners
AMI to teach our Yankee tars that British
yalor, B.akely rifles and 60 Founders
were capable Of overwhelming yankee
tricks" yankee discipline" yankee
courage and "Y ankee invention" 1t
was Europe versus America. The result
shows Europe to be in Artillery as in
every thing else far back among the cen
turas past.
A prisoner named Williams declared
that during the night preceding the act
ion a number of men came on board the
Alabama and when her crew were muster
ed to quarters previous to the fight the
next morning, men were placed in charge
of the guns who were before unknown to
the crew. Another prisoner declared
that Sunday morning he saw on board of
her as many as twenty five or thirty
strange men.
Certainly the Deerhounl acted very
suspieiously for an unnterested party, and
how could the closest vigilance prevent
the boarding the Alabama durin. the FIVE
OF six nights the Kearsarge was waiting
outside i0r the enemy? The presence Of
Nr. Lancaalcr's wife, daughter and neicc
hardly shields him, but is, rather. a proof
Of his Intentional completely. Had Mr..
Lancaster been Spanish gentleman TAX
lng his family to Il grand bull fight it
might be considered natural occurrence,
but for christian;ztd Euglishman to take
bis wife, his daughter, his neice to a prize
fyht-to Il naval duel, on pleasant Sab
bath morning2 Surely there must be
something unexplained
The battle coItinuel one hour and two
minutes from the first to tho last shot
+ When the Alabama sank the keen scented
Deerhounl Immediately found the spot
where the water closed over her. Doubt
les. It's sight aided its scent, for the smoke
ol the battle was Immediately blown away
BY steady breeze and the bright sun ren-
dared every head Of the enemy visible on
the sparkling waves. Otcourse when the
Alabama sank the crew were compelled to
j9mp overheard to escape the danger OF
The closing waters. The sight at this mo-
meut was peculiar and grand, yet painful
ana exciting. Along the French coast
&ore thousands Of spellbouud spectators.
Gherbourg lay close to the water in the
distance Not since l74S, when the town
Was taken BY the English, had its citizens
heard the sound Of strife. Never before
Turing more than eight centuries. not nee
its foundation by the Romans, had its den
iz2ns witnessed an English defeat. The
outline of hill and plain was clearly defn-
el against the clear sky, and field and
aarI N, ana woods were in the full bloom
vi midsummer. Passing through the
chanucI were ships and steamers, moving
ike things Of life, but unaware ct the
deadly conflict just wagcl so near them.
Nearer shore the pleasure boats and pilots
were to be secn pointing towards the ac-
tors in the bloody drama. The yacht
Deerhounl, too, came conspicuousy in
yiew,as she steamed past our stern towards
+ the \ abamas grave. Our boats were
moving about with three from the Alaba-
ma, rcscuing the latter's crew, now iloat-
ing about amid sundry articles which were
j thrown overheard b. themselves, and those
Of the wounded who tloatcd from the deck
uncared for amid the excitement and con-
fusion which reigned on board the sinking
ship. Some OF the boats were on their
way to us with the wounded who escaped.
The ordinations and groans OF these, as
they were passed over the sides. and the
sight Of the poor creatures struggling and
drowning in the water was heart-sicken-
ing. \ view of the extemporlzei cock
pit where the Surgeon was amputatlns an
arm, standing in pool of blood, ami
around him other victims to the mcrcless
shot, completed the scene.
The only casualties which occurred on
beard the kearsarge. were three men
wounded Among them was Wm.Gowin,
who has since died, mourncd by his COM
raIes and his officers as one of the noblest
of the brave engaged in this memorable
battle. The kearsarge rescued and cap
turcd from boats 70 men and officers, ali
OF whom excepting four officers and one
man, were English, Welsh and lrish.-
Forty men and officers are reported as res
cued by the Deerbound, Semmes and thir-
teen Of his officers among the rest, and
nine are reported as rescued by French
pilots. 1t is certain that thirty-tour men
and officers of the Alabama were killed
and drowned, three OF thosa rescued by
the kcarsargc, having died on board that
vessel, and were afterwards buried at
Cherbourg. Some cstimnte the loss OF the
Alabama at forty-seven which, is proba-
/ bly, nearer the correct number if she had
her regular complement about l70 men.
Carpenter Robinson did not shoot himself
as reported. He was picked up by our
boats drowned, in a state Of nudity, with
cut wound upon his body. There were
large number wounded, ten of those
taken on board the Kearsarge, seriously,
and they were sent to the hospital at Cher
bourg for treatment.