, 1864-11-18
hCEI9M .REEWE1SN THE KEAFx.
SARGE AND ALABAMA.

] CT human history?
!. ACTION :BEEWE1sN THE KEan,
. SARGE AND ALABAMA.
Captain Wfnsloxy's Official Report.
.. 8. STEAMER KEArsAnoE.
<ESo11su CHANNEL, July 30, 1861. +
s1R;-m obedience to Instructions Of the
department, hare the honor to make the
following supplementary report Of the action
between the kearsarge and Alabama On the
morning Of the 18th nit, the day b2ing fine
with hazy atmosphere, wind moderate from
nc westward, with little sea, the position of
the kearsargc at 10 o'clock was near the buoy
which makes the line of shonls to the east
ward Of Cherbourg and distant about three
: miles from the eastern entrance, which bore
to the southwark and westward. At twenty
minutes atter ten O'Clock the Alabama was
discovered coming out Of the western entrance
accompanied by the Couronnc Gron-c1ad} I
had, IN an Interview With the Admiral, ossnr-
co him, in the event of IN action occurring
With tile Alabama, that the positions of the
chips should be SO fur Oft shore that no ques-
tlons could be advanced about tho line Of
jurisdiction.
Accordingly, to perfect this object, and with
the double purpose Of drawing the Alabama
so far OF shore that, ifdisnbled, she could not
return, directed the ships head scawayd and
CLEARED for action, with the battery piroted
| to starboard.
Having attained q point about seven miles
from the shore, the head Of the Kearsargc was
| turned short round md the ship steercd di-.
rcctiy lot the Alabama, my purpose being to
! run her down, or If circunstanccs did not
warrant 1t, to close in with her. Hardly had
the Kcarsarge come round before the Alabama
| slecrcd, presented her stnrboartl battery aud
slowed her engines On approaching her at
long 1ange Of about mile, he opened her full
brcadstde, the shot cutting some of our rig.
ging and going over and along side of us.
Immediately I ordered more speed, but in
| tWo minutes tho Alabama had loaded and
asain and fired another broadsidc, and follow
,ng i with third, without damaging Us ex-
| within about nine hundred yards Of her, and
l was apPrehensiye that another bEoadside,
nearly rsking ns 1t was, would prove disos.
trous. According I ordered the Kcarsarge
sheercd and opened on the Alabama
ihe positions OF the vessels Was now broad-
that Capt. Semmes did not seek close acton.
became then fearful lest, after some light
Ing, that he Eonld again make for the shore.
10 defeat this determined to keep full speed
on, and with port helm to run unaer the
stern Of the Alabama and rake, If be did not
prevent it by sheering and keeping his broad. |
side to us. he adopted this mode as a pre-
ventiVe, and, 2s consequence, the Alabama |
was forced, with q full head of steam. iata |
circular track during the engagement.
ne enect ot this tnaneuVer was such that,
Mt the last Of the action, when the Alnbarna
would hare made of, she was near tlye miles |
from the shore; and had the action continued |
irom the first in parallel lines, with her head
IN shore, the line Of jurisdiction wonld, no
doubt, hayo been reached.
The firing Of the Alabama from the first
was rapid and wild; toward the close Of thc
action her firing bccame better. Our men,
who had been cautioned against rapid fring
"1thout direct aim, were much more delibe.
fate; and the instructions given to point the
heavy guns below rather than above the water
line, md clear the deck with the lighter ones.
was fully observed. I had endeavored with
port helm TO close In With the A1aba m. but
II was not until just before th3 close Of the
action that Tc we're in position to use grape:
IN lnis Was avoided, however, by her surrender.
The effect Of the training Of our men was evj.
dent !; nearly every shot from our arms was
telling feartully on the Alabama, and on the
seventh rotation on the circu Or track she
VIM %nded setting fore trysail und two jibs, with
Hsr speed rss nov retarded, aud by wind
ing her port bfoadsdde WAS presented to IA
with only two guns bearing, rot having been
able, as learned afterwards, to shin over but
one. | saw now that she wns ut our mercy.
md Re" more guns, well directed, brought
1oWn her tag, was unable to ascertain
way, but q white flag having been displayed
'ver the stern, followed by Two guns fired to
eeward, our fire WIS reserved. Two minutes 4
md not more than elapsed before abe aenin
,pened e L. on Us with the two guns on the port
loe. ihis drew our fire again. and the Kear- s
arge was Immediately steamed ahead and Laid
cross her bows for raking.
The white ting was still flying, and our fire
1as assan reserved. Shortly after this her
'oats were seen to be lowering, and an ofncer &
Z one OF them came alongside and told US
bat the ship had surrendered and was fast
mixing. In twenty minutes from this time -
be Alabama went down, her mainmast, which y
I'D received shot, breaking. near the head,
she sunk, and her bow rising high out Of
re Of the Alabama, although it Is stated SIZE a,
'scharged SO or more shell aud shot, was Al
OF Of serious damage to the Kca1sarec Some y
hrteen or fourteen Of these had taken effect a,
/ and about the hull, md sixteen or seven "
I'm about the waste and rigging, n
The casualties were small, only three pcr-
,ns having been wounded yet it Is a matter
surprise that so few were injured, consider T
e the number of proIectiles that came D
eoafa: Two shots came through the ports
stationed around them, one taking effec -.
the hammock netting, und the other going N
trough the port on the opposite side, yet no eli
lc vas hit, the captain Of one Of the guns
,ipgg only knocked down by the wind Of the L
earsargee, although only 173 projectiles had =
'en discharged, according to the prisoners
count, was terrific. One shot alone had
lied and wounded eighteen men, and dis -
lied the gtn another had entered the coal 7
mixers, + exploding and completely blocked /
atcs, shot and shell had taken effect In the
De OF hts vessel, tearing large holes by ex-
osion, and Lis men were yerywherc knock II.
down. VI
Of the casualties on the Alabama no corrcct
count can be given. LIS persons reached a
shore, either In England or France, after
c action. 1t Is known that tie Alabama 1s!
rried crew, officers and men, Of about $50 a
10 CherbourE, and that while in the South r
ocean, her complement WIS about ITO, +
t desertions had reduced this complement =
he prisoners state that number of men ca
me on board at Cherbourg, and the night
lore the action boats were going to and fro. =
IN the morning. strange men were seen -
10 were stationed as captains Of the guns.
GGn gho 5neSe 1hsTs Was 9ns sn
| he Alabama had been five days In preparn- -
4. She had taken in $50 tons Of coal, which. E
ought her down in the water. The Kear-
&c had only 120 tons in, but as IN Offset to
ppcd up and down, as an additional preyen-
c anu protection to her more empty bun
rs. I he number Of the crew of the kear.
ge, including officers and sick men, was
, and her battery numbered seven guns; n
@ e. ma,.nch, u, one soIpolnder rifle, and four H.
INC battery Of the Alabama numbered
ht guns; One heavy 6s Of 600 1bs, one 10
mder rifle, and Elk heaycy 33-pounder
n the engagement the Alabama fought III.
en- guns and the kearsarge five, both e. Ill
isng the starbeard battery until the Ala
na winded, using her port battery, with
gun and another shifted over.
he collateral events connected with this Cur
ion have already been laid before the De- r,
tment. ,,9a31
Inclose diagram showing the track which scr
described during the enlargement By the e9,oeRt 9ot
ary coarse Of the Vessels. ssro nass
I have the honor to be M II
Very respectfully, @ e1:5s
Your OBJ sery't, If
tsign1eD, JSo: W1xs1ow, Captain and
4. Gideon Wc1les, Secretary Of the Navy, ,ta1E II
oaAA1AS%ou3 IL y" TAKl
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