The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-07-22
TIE ALABAMA.
Letter from an Officer Of the
Kearsarge.
Why Commander WinSlOw did not
Pursue the DeerhOund.
The Boston Traveller publishes the following
letter from an officer of the Kearsarge:

The Boston Traveller publishes the following
letter from an officer of the Kearsarge:
U. s. STEAMER KEARsARGE
CHERBouRG. France June "a, 1864.
Believing that you wish as soon as possible
to receive from participant description of
our combat with the Alabama. send it to you
as witnessed from our own decks.
Our ship, the Kearsarge was lying at Flush
ing, Holland. when we received a telegram
from Minister Dayton (Paris) stating that the
Alabama had arrived at Cherbourg. We i'm
mediately put to sea with all haste and came
down here, taking the Alanama quite by sur
prise by the suddenness of our appearance
upon her track. We remained outside this
port, but communicated with the consular
agent hsre. and through him we received a
sort of challenge from Semmes. who stated
that if we remained off the port he would
come out and fight us. Also, that. he would
not detain us long. ....
We cruised off the port five days, until the
18th of June, when our perseverance in guard
ing the port was rewarded, and we saw the
much-vaunted starry ensign floating on the
breeze Us the Alabama came boldly out dnder
the escort of the French irOn-clad LaCouronne.
The latter retired into port alter seeing the
cOmbatants outside of French waters. >,
The Alabama came down upon US at luii
speed. until within distance OF threequarters
of mile, When she opened her guns upon US.
We did not reply for several mlnutes' OUT
ranged up nearer and then opened our star
board battery fighting six guns and leaving
only one 50 FOUNDER idle. The Alabama
fought seven guns, working them with the
greatest rapidly, sending shot and shell in
Constant stream over our heads. Both vessels
used their starboard batteries the ships being
na19uvred 10 a circle about each other at
distance of from five hundred to one thousand
hat xUap 10
seven complete circles during tn action, which
lis Ell little over one hour.
Our shot, particularly the 11-inch shells,
made fearful havoc among the enemy. The
first one killed three men and wounded nearly
the whole guns crew where it exploded. FL
nally we placed shot in the rudder part of the
Alabama, disabling to some extent her steering
apparatus Almost at the same time another
OF our shots entered her coal bunker, abreast
of her engine forcing the bunker inbOald, and
ehowering the machinery with coal, which
prevented her from making progress for a
short time. when she set all her sails to the
breeze and tried to run in toward the French
shore.
We were ON the watch, and by rapid move
ment headed her off, and got into fighting po-
sitiOn on her port or weak side. a very success
full and decisive maneuvre. On that side she
had but one gun, and we gave our broadsde
into her with the greatest precision. doing
flag but in few minutes it was run up again
at her miZzen truck. A short time longer we
kept up our cannOnade. when she hauled down
her flag and we ceased firing.
In q few minutes she gave us, very unex-
pectedy, a couple of shots more, and again
we opened our batteries upon her. This, how
ever continued but q very short time, for she
soon showed a white flag in token of surren-
der, and sent boat on board of us to ask as
sistance in saving the wounded, as she was in
sinking condition. We Immediately launched
two boats, the other two having been riddltd
by shot, and sent for the wounded. but before
the boats got alongside the once formidable
far out of water and then disappeared beneath
the waves, carrying down no one will ever
know how many Of the poor victims.
Previously to this, after the firing had ceased,
and it was evident that the Alabama was sink
ing. an English steam yacht, which had been
observing the fight at a distance came up
alongside of u.s. and asked permission to assist
In picking up the wounded. Of course it was
granted, as an act of humanity, but by so doing
we were robbed of half the fruits of our hard
earned contest; for the yacht moved up ahead
of Us. lowered her boat, picked up Semmes
and several of bis officers and crew, and then
stood away wi h all haste for the English coast,
Then we saw through the ruse that Semmes
had no doubt planned beforehand for his es-
cape In case OF his defeat, but we could not
follow and leave the poor unfortunate still in
the water, SO we remained by them until all
wsre picked up. Thereafter we steamed into
this port and came to an anchor
We had picked up in our boats sixty five OF
her crew and fremeD, and five officers living
and one dead. Of the men fifteen were Sc
yerely wounded. AS soon as we came into
CherbOurg the wounded mel were all sent TO
the hospital, as our accommodations on board
were not so convenient for their proper treat
ment. We parOled all the other prison ers ex-
cept the officers, for we were unable to keep
so many on board, or send them to the States.
According to the account OF the master of the
British steam yacht DeerhOund, she landed
forty at Southampton. Probably this is eX-
agerated. But taking it as true, and adding
those we picked up, and nine which the French
pilot boat rescued, there are about one hum
dred and twenty accounted for, leaving over
thirty VINO inevitably went down with her
when she sunk. The officers of the Alabama
say they numbered ON board about one hun
dred and fifty all told, but they give no account
of those who joined her after she arrived here
at CherbOurg. The number of those will nev-
er be known, but several of the most experien-
ced gunners OF the English naval reserve went
on board the night before the action on pur
pose to point tie guns. They were old, prac-
. ticed seamen, who had seen service in the En-
glish navy. and were supposed to be able to
sink the Kearsige or disable her guns in
half an hour SemmeS promised them that be-
fore noon they should he on bOlrd Us.
During the action we fired 173 shots The
Alalama certainly fired many more. At the
first uart of the action she fired two shots to
our one But such rapidity of firing wa> only
accomplished at the expense OF accuracy. Our
shots were fired with astonishing precision,
and wrough. most fearful havoc on the ene-
nv. We were struck fourteen times on our
hull and an equal number of times in our rig
ging. o,,.o,s. -,
our boiler, but did not enter the ship. An
other 100 pound rfed shell struck under the
stern. and CHANGING down lodged in our rudder
post. where it still remains too firmly imbed.
ded to be removed. Fortunately the shell did
| not explode. Had it done SO it would have
carried away our rudder and rendered our ship
nearly unmanageable. Although it was at the
latter part OF the action we received that shell
still, had it been exploded, the fate of the kear
sarge might have been similar to that OF the
| Alabama. sf.tr5e ap = go
Another shell struck our smoke pipe about
eleven feet above the deck and exploded
tearing a hole about three feet in diameter,
and covering me and my mtn with shower o.
fragments Ut iron, but none of US were much
injured.
The Kearsarge was not in the least degree
endangered ny the missiles she received. We