The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1864-01-22
The Story of the Alabama.

Of :he Alab.ma. from July. 1862 10 Srp-
tember. 1863 by an officer on board -
! The cruise is in the form of diary. COM
pIimentary, of course, to the ship the cap
! tain. the crew. and the writer. but on the
! whole evidently authentic The Alabama.
originally called he M 800" was hnii:
bv Me,srs Laird, a, Birkenhead. She Is 4
bark. rugged wooden propeller OF l,o4p
tons register. Length keel. 30 feet
length over ALL go feet: beam. 81; depth,
II fee, Her engines are horizontal ones
each of 800 horse power. On the 29th OF
July, 1868 she weighed anchor, and pros
! ceeded slowly down the Merseg. anchor
inc IL MnpIfra bay having on board the
relatives and friends (hoth ladies' and gen
rlemen) of The builders. "Our ostensbie
object says the officer, 'n sailing was
10 90 on trial trip and the presence OF
the ladies and gentlemen gave certsln
color to the report. In the evening we
transferred our visitors to a steam ting. -
The Tuscarora was speedily in chase, but
the 900" arrived safe on the oath OF
| August, at the Is'ahd Of TerceFa Cap
tain Semmes then wen: on board, read his
commission. ana formally took command
of the Confederate States steamer Alab-
anna, eight guns. hois,ed the confederate
ensign. He made a speech on the occa>
sion, and said " his principal object was
to cripple he commerce of the enemy :;
that he WAS not going to fight fify-gnn
shin. but a. soon as thew had become pro
ficient in the use IF their weapons. he
would give them an opportunity to show
the world what they were made OF -
Three rousing cheers were given on It's
| conclusion.
! The business Of destruction CONNER
ced Immediately after this Several Amer1-
can vessels laden with grain and Am"rl-
can whalera laden with oil were ca"tured
and burned. In pursuit of the Yankee
vessels several neutral vessels were hailed
and brought 10 hv discharge OF blank
cartridges Only in one Instance did the
captain of an interrupted vessel remon-
stra'e. and that captain was a Frenchman
English captains II seems, never did -
The Brilliant and Wave Crest were burnt
the former n the 8 and the latter on
the 7rh of October: and on the OH OF the
same month court-rnar'ial was held on
mntlneer. On the 10Th the qualities of
! the Alabama were tried in storm, anf
found to be of very superior character
| Almost every day vessel was chased and
brought to, and, if belonging to the Nan
KEGS. was burnt. In November. S6I the
Alabama had a very narrow chance OF he
inc captured herself. We find the follow
ing in the diary under the 18th Of that
month:
go Came to an anchor in Port Roy
al harbor, Martinique. After the health
off ers had visited Us, arrangements were
made to law in stock Of provisions, IL"
A most enthusiastic reception was given
by the inhabitants, both civil and militia
~ Invitations were given to the officers
al H6itum the clubs being placed At our
di,pos.'. Our storeship Agripina, ws>
! living laden with coal for onr u.s. Lee.
ters were received 10y many on board. =
Landed all prisoners
10Th. 6 80 A. MA steamer WAS de-
cried standing toward the harbor. On
her coming nearer We made her out 10 be
large bark rugged vessel. At I ID all
doubt. as to her nationality We -
rest. The stars and stripes being hois'e
a. her peak, and apparently heavily
! armed vessel ia rur c,nH'inrA l"g
! with the shore j. was ',7r1 hit ''~ We
| sci (which wa. now with a mile If u~)
| was the nltes! States ~taauipr ~a;l tr'n-
10 fourteen guns. viz Twelve sixts ,eigh
FOUNDERS and two ll-inch shell guns -
! The governor issued notices ABOUT the town
| forbiiAing any communication with her
and prohibiting any supplies being sent 10
| Them He also sent a c"'nmnnira ion t"
her commander to The flee, that " eli hp'
| he must come to AT anchor and If 80 re-
main twenty four hours after our depart
| IRE, or else 90 ont - sea aud re'na'n ont
| side Of three miles" He adopted he la
ter course. The governor stated thai II
we wanted a coal shin il would be best
| Cor IA 20 run down 10 s. Pierre anI an
rhor under the forts But il was deemed
! advisable 70 send the bark away to another
! rendpzvou.. she giving out that she was
going to and clearing for Trinidad. The
French gnn-hoat Fata got up steam and
anchored near us 20 proven, any demon
stration being made by the enemy while
we were at anchor. her commander afford
inc us every assistance bv showing rs the
best plan Of escape the harhor afforded -
| At first it had been orr captain intention
10 90 ont and give the enemv battle hut
after daibpration he determined to wait
until darkness set in. At one m the
English mail boat passed the harbor Be
fore shutdown every preparation had been
made for battle, the enemy apparently
pretty active in making preparations. also
the hroadsiie guns being loaded with shot,
and the pivot guns with shell rs
"All hands mp anchor" which was soon
accomplished All lights were then ex>
,ingushad, end we steamed cautiously
across the harnor along the shore. Sp
NJ. Dismissed the pilot and called all
hands to quarters. and ran out the gun.
all expectino to hear a hang from ne en-
,emv. Signal Iighrs were observed from a
Yankee vessel in hsrhor. The night was
very favornble 10 IA. the enamv's vessel
not having haen sean since the last parti~
Gle Of davligh. allowed rs 10 seq ANYTHING.
she then being about the center Of the har-
Dor on The even alert
After the pilot had left ia. the enqin4s