Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1864-07-20

the Captain of the Deerhound-
J Captain WinsloW had received from
, Mr.. Dayton explicit directions as regard
what the French might consider the in
ternational coast line, and was cautioned
to keep wei ont of it. So the Captain
while in waiting for Semmes, lay within
! five miles of the port; but as soon as ht
, saw Semmes coming out, he starteI
straight out to sea, and ran out four miles
as if running away from him His OBJ
jeet in doing this was TO get Semmes fal
enough out, so that when he disabled
him, he would not have time to get back
TO French waters before he could sink hin
/ The Kearsarge is-of the size of l.O3l
tons: the Alabama 1000 tons; difference
in favor Of the Alabama of 80 tons The
/ Kearsarge- carried seven guns; the Ala
! bama eight The number of men on the
| Kearsarge was Hos; on the Alabams, l41;
difference in favor of the Kearsarge, Is.
The Kearsarge had her engine guarded
over a space of eighteen feet by chains
| thrown over the sides, and held in place
by thin planks nailed over them. This is
very simple and usual arrangement,
and if Semmes did not do the same, ii
only shows that Winslow was the better
sailor of the two. The fact that Captain
Winslow had adopted this plan as an aid
in protecting the vital part of his boat
was well known 10 the seamen in the
port of Cherbourg, and it seems difficult
to believe that the crew of the Alabama
did not know the fact. The Kearsarge is
thoroughly known TO all seamen up and
down the French coast
The Alabama fred rapidly and wildly,
the Kearsage slowly. carefully, and with
deadly effect. The one seemed to be try
ing to scare. the other TO kill. The one
suggested the incoherency of the first
Bull Run fight; the other the regular
movements of Grants march on Rich
mend. The Kearsarge only fired l70
times; the Alabama much oftener. The
effect on each vessel was still more mark
ed On the Alabama there was a regular
butchery. and the ship was knocked to
pieces; on the Kearsarge there were but
three men baely hurt. and the ship is
not seriously damaged. There never was
sea fight where the chances were so
evenly matched in which the disparity in
the effects were so great. One eleven
inch shell from the Kearsarge killed and
disabled fifteen out of nineteen men who
were working one of the big guns Of the
Alabama
When the Alabama was disabled, and
started to retreat into French waters, the
Kearsarge ran, inside of her, and parallel
with her fora long distance in diagonal
direction to the line the Alabama was seek
ing to gain, and both vessels continued
their FIRE. Thus what Capt. Winslow had
feared took place. But the Alabama did
not quite gain the line before she sunk.
Ten minutes before the alabama sunk
she pulled down her battle-hag, which
was white, with union.iack and blue
stars in the upper corner, and tearing the
colors out, ran it up again as white flag,
in token of surrender. At the same time
Capt. Semmes sent an officer and two men
to Capt Winslow to surrender the ship.
Winslow hailed the officer thus: DO you
surrender your ship, Sr?" 1--WE do" was
the reply; safour ship is sinking, and we
want TO know if You won't send your
boats to help save the men." Certainly,
Sir" replied Capt Winslow. At the
same time Winslow hailed the English
boat, and asked them twice if they would
not also send their boats, and help to take
off the crew of the Alabama The officer
who had come TO surrender the Alabama
was also authorized by Capt. WInslow to
aid in picking up the men. .
Capt. Winslow, in view of the fact that
the boat had surrendered, never doubted
for moment but that everybody en-
gagged in picking up men would deliver
them to him as his prisoners. He never
thought of anybody attempting to run
away under such circumstances, and sup
posed the English boat, like himself, was
going back to Cherbourg. He was told, |
moreover. in order to deceive him, that
Capt. Semmes was drowned As the
DserAsuRd gradually moved away, it was
supposed she was still engaged in look
ing for men in the water. and when it
was discovered that she was steaming
straight off toward England, it was TOO
late to catch her. Being an honest sailor
himself, Capt. Winslow had difficulty in
believing another sailor would play him
such trick asthat. If he had had time,
he would have taken Capt. Semmes from
the Deerkound, amicably or by force. As
it is, Capt. WinsloM claims Semnes as
his prisoner, placing the claim on ques-
ton of honor as between officer and of
6cer. AS rule officers don't surrender
in order to escape. ---a ,.....I --a.
The question then in regard TO the pris-
oners is quite different from what it
would be if they had not surrendered.-l
There will be no contestation on the sub
ject between the Governments. 1t is all
reduced to a personal question of mill
tary honor between Capt. Winslow and
his prisoners. Not being able to find
room for all his prisoners, Capt Winslow
parolied them and put them on shore
The few officers he has, however, he
holds. allowing them to 60 on shore on
their personal parole 10 him to return
Capt. Winslow, who has high notion of
the manliness of Semmes, expects the !
latter to come and deliver himself up; he |
was surprised that Semmes did not re-
quest the Captain of the DeerhOuad to re-
turn and place him on board the Redr-
sage. Semmes would certainly have gained |
in the estimation of the naval world by
such an act
Capt Winslow admits and regrets that
a shot or two was fred after the Alabama
had surrendered This mistake was made |
through the fact that the flag looked |
about as white before the colors in the |
corners were torn out, as before But as
soon as he saw the boat put out to come
toward him, he ecomprehended and ceased |
firing. 49, -
There is great rush TO see the Rear-
sage. N. Gudin, the famous marine paint
er, has gone TO take designs for picture
of the combat Officers are taking drafts
of the big Columbiad gun car
riage, for you know that the French have
always contended that guns firing over
hundred pounds of metal were impossi-
BILE, because they would kick the other
side of the ship out, or at least kick too