The daily Chattanooga rebel. [volume] (Griffin, Ga.) 1864-1865, 1864-07-21
CaptaA Semmes's Official Report to Mr..
Mason.

SoErHAAProS, june 81 1864.
Sir: bare the honor to inform you that in
corlance with my intention, previously
nounccd to you, l steamed out of the harhor of
Chcrbourg between nine and ten o'clock on the
morning of the 10Th Of June for the purpose of
gaging the cnemy3 steamer Kearsage, which had
been lying oil and the port for several days pre-
yiOusiy. Alter clearing the hnrbor deserted the
enemy, with his head off shore, at n distance Cf
about miles. We were thrce-quartcrs of an
hour in coming up with him. l had previously
pivoted my gums to starboard, and made all my
preparations for engaging the enemy on that side.
When within about mile and quarter OF the
enemy lie suddenly wheeled, and bringing his head
in shore, presented his starboard battery to BY
this time distant about one mile from each
other. when ] opened on him with solid shot, TO
which he replied in few minutes, and the engage
ment became active on both sides.
The enemy pressed his ship under full head
of steam, and TO prevent passing each other too
speedily, and to keep our respective broadsdes
bcaring, it became necessary to fight in circle,
the two ships stcaming around common centre
and preserving distance from each other of from
n quarter to half mile. When got within good
shell raoge opened upon him with she'll
ten or fifteen minutes after'thc commencement of
/ the action spankcr gaf was shot away, and
ensign down by the run. This irnInc-
diatcy replaced by another .t the inEzenmast head
TIE firing now became very hot, and the encmy's
shot and she'll soon began to tell upon our hull.
knocking down, killing, and disabling number of
mon in different parts sf the ship.
! Perceiving TINT she'll, though apparently cx-
ploding against the encnlys sides, doing him
but little damage returned to solid shot firing.
and from this onward altcrnatcd with shot and
| shell.
| After the lapse of about one hour and ten min
utcs ship asccrtnined to be in n sinking
! condition, the encmy's shell having exploded in
sides and between the decks, opening largc
| apcrturcs, through which the water rushed with
great rapidity.
For some few minutes I had hopes of being able
to reach the French c"asl, for which purpose gave
the ship MI steam, and set such of The fore and aft
! sails available The ship filed so rapidly
however that before had rnadc much progress
tho fires were cxtinguishcd in tho furnaces, and We
evidently the point of sinking | nov
hauled down nv coOrs, to prevent the further dc
struction Of life, and dispatched boat to inform
the enemy of our condition.
Although were now but four hundred yard:
from each other the enemy fired upon me five
times after my rolors had been struck. II is char
table to suppose that ship of war of Christian
nation could not have done this Intentionally.
We now turned all our excrtions towards
ing the wounded and rich Of the boys of the shiI
who unable to swim. These were dispatchc'
in my quarter boats, the only boats remaining e
mc-thc waist boats having been torn to pieces
Some twenty minutes after my furnace fires hat
been extnguished, and the snip being on Shc pc III
of settling, every man, in obedience to u nreviou
order which hal been given the cresz, jumped over
board and endcavored TO save himself.
There was no appearance of any boat coming 1
mc from the enemy after my ship went down. For
tunntcly however, the steam yacht Decrhound
owned by gentleman of Lancashire, England, Nj
john Lancaster, who was himself on board steam
cd up in the uaidst of my drowning men and re.
; scued number of both officers and men from th
watcr. was Fortunate enough myself thus to cs
cape to the shelter of the neutral flag, together wit
about forty Others all told.