The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1864-07-26
The Great Naval Duel Between the
Alabama and the Kearsage.

Inc last uiail iLom europe prlngS full
accounts of the great naval duel between
the Confederate steamer Alabama and the
Federal steamer kearsage. The action
took place off the coast of France, within
nine or ten miles of the port Of !Cherburg,
on Sunday, the 10Th Of June. The battle
was cool, steady, stand up fight. and was
aotiy contested by both ships-the engage.
ment lasting and hour and five minutes
AT this stage of the fight the Alabama-she
being n wooden vessel--was unfortunately
struck by shell just above the water line,
knocking her bunkers to pieces, the water
almost immediately putting out her fires
and causing her to sink. Her officers and
crew took to the water, but we're timely
rescued by the English yacht Deerhound
which was within easy distance during the
engagement. We give below full reports
OF the affair, with many exciting incidents
of the contest:
sEMMEs' SPEECH ON GOING OUT TO FIGHT.
a French account says that before leav
ing Cherburg Captain Semmes called his
men, and addressir 6 them, exc laimed, awe
must conquer or die !" To which the crew
replied Il give the words in French D.
"Hurrah pour 10 Sud I! Yive Lee Vive
son arrnee! Vive 10 France la nation gen
. ereuse qui seule pralique dune maniere
imPaitiable la Deutralite."
sEMMEs PREPARING FOR ACTIoN-HIs RELI
GIoUs PROFESSION.
The preceding day, Capt. Semmes, whom
several persons lad earnestly ad, ,iscd not
to enegags the Kearsage, had shown him
self infexible on that head. reply ing that
he would prove to The most incredulous
that his ship was privateer, intended for
the attack solely Of merchant vessels that
he was in a warlike port, and that he had
consulted different French officers, who all
declared that in bis situation they would
fight. Who could blame himf regarding
militery honor in higher point of view
than any political feeling? A.
Al 10 o'clock on Saturday evening (June
ls) Capt. Semmes told n. Boatils, the agent
of the Confederate Government, that he
wasa Roman Catholic, and as he could not
assist at divine service the following day,
he asked N BoafIs to promise him TO at
tend mass, and to have it offered up :or him
Thus request was religiousIy executed.
CAPT. sEmMEs' REPORT OF THE FIGHT.
Mr.. Mason, the Com mmissoner Of tho Con
federate Government, has sent copy Of
this report to the London Times:
Capt. Semmes says that in an hour and
ten minutes the Alabama was found to be
IN a sinking state, the enemy's sheIts having
exploded on her sides and between decks.
For few minutes he had hopes OF reach
ing the French coast but the ship filled
rapidly and The furnace fires were extin.
guished.
Capt Semmes says: now hauled down
colore to prevent the further destruction of
life, and dispatched boat TO inform the
enemy Of our condition. Although we
were now but four hundred yards from. each
other, the enemy fired at me five times sf
ter colors had been struck. 1t is charitable
10 suppose that ship OF war ola Christian
nation could not have done this Intentional
Iy Some twenty minutes after my furnace
fires had been entnguished, and The ship
being on the point Of sinking, each man, 10
obedience TO n previous order which had
been given 10 the crew, jumped overboard
and endeavored 10 save himself There
was no appearance of any boats coming
from the enemy AZ the ship went down.
was fortunate myself 10 escaping to the
shelter OF the neutral flag on board Mr..
tancastsTs yacht Deerhqund, together with
fprty others.