Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-07-11

/
rived here last aight and landed Capt
Semmes Commander of the late Con-
federste Steamer Alabama, thirteen Of
Hcsrs and twenty-six men, whom she res
cusd from drowning after the action Of
.Cherbourg yesterday, which resulted in
the destruction of tbs world-renowned
| Alabama From Interviews held this
morning with Mr.. Lancaster, with Cap
tain Jones (master of the Deerhonnd,)
and with some of the Alabama's officers,
and from information Cleaned from 9TH
er quarters, am enabled to furnish you
with some interesting particulars con-
neeted with the Alabama and the Kear-
sarge.
On arriving at Cherhourg at 10 o'clock
on Saturday night, by railway from caen,
Mr. Lancaster was informed by the cap
tain Of his yacht, which was lying in
harbor awaiting bis arrival, that it was
reported that the Alabama and the Ksar-
sarge were going out to fight each other
in the noraing. Mr.. Lancaster, whose
wife, niece and family we're also on
board his yacht, at snes determined to
60 out in the morning and see the COM
The Alabama left Chsrboarg harbor
about 10 O'Clock on Sunday morning,
and the Ksarsarge was then several
miles out to seaward, with her steam up
ready for action. The Freuch plated
ship of war Couroune followed the Ala
bsma out of harbor, and stopped when
the vessels we're league off the coast,
her object being 10 see that there was no
violation of the Law of nations by any
light taking place within the legal dis
tanee from land M
One Of the officers of the Alabama
names the hour ll:lO as the commence
ment of the action, aud l2:40 as the pc
Rod of its cessation, making its duration
an hour and half; while the tims OBJ
served on board the Desrhound, which il
most likely to be accurate, that vessel
being free from the excitement and con
fusion necessarily existing on board the
Alabama, limited the action to an hour,
the lost shot being fred at 1910 The
distance between the two eontsnding yes
sells when the Alabama opened IRE, was
estimated on board the Deerhound at
about mile, while the Alabana's oii-
GERS tell me that she was 9 mile and
half away from the Kearsarge when she
fred the FIRST shot
Re this "a it may, /. is certain that the
Alabama eommsnced the firing, and as
il is known that her guns were pointed
for range Of two thousand yards, aHd
that the second shot she fired, in about
half minute of the frat went right in
to the hearsargs, that may be taken as
the real distance between the two ships.
The firing became general frem both
vessels at . distance OF little under q
nile, and as well sustained on both sides,
Mr.. Lancasters impression being that at
no time during the action were they lesa
than quarter of . mile fron, each 9TH
err Seven complete circles were made
in the period ever which the fight lasted.
II was estimated on board the Deer
hound that the Alabama fired in all
about one hundred and 6fty rounds, some
single guns, and some in hroadsides Of
three or four, and the Kearsarge about
oae hundred, the majority Of which we're
1l-ineh shells. The AlabAmas we're
principally Blakelys pivot guns. Ia the
early part of the action the relative
hriHg wss about three from the Alabama
to one from the Kearsargc, but as il pro-
gressed the latter gained the advantage,
having apparently much greater power
Of steam. She appeared to have an sd-
vantage over the Alabama Of about three
knots an hour, and steam was seen rush
ing out Of her blow pipe sll through the
action, while the Alabama seemed 70,
have very little steam on.
At length the Alabama's rudder was
disabled by one Of her opponents heavy
shells, and they hoisted sails but it was
soon reported to Capt Semmes By one
Of his officers that his ship was sinking
With great bravery the gnns were ket Q
ported until the muzzles were actually
under water, aud the last shot from the
doomed ship was fred as she was set
Ting down. When her stern was com
pletely under water, Capt Semmes gave
orders for the men to save themseves es
best they could, and every one jumped
iato the sea and swan TO the boats which
had put of TO their rescae. Those of
them who were wounded were ordered
BY Capt. Ssmmesto be placed in the Ala
bamAs boats and taken on board the
Kesrsarge, which was as far as possible
o5eyed.
:" Capt Semmes and those above men
toned were saved in the Deerhound's
boats; and when il was ascertained that
4 the water was clear Of every one that
had life left, aud that no more help could
be rendered, the yacht steamed away for
Cowes. and thence to this port
ESCAPE OF sKDfEs.
The Daily Neaos Southanp pton cores
pondent says
Captain semmss is al Ketway's Hotel
in Southampton, and the other officers
and men are about the town getting
necessaries they are taken charge Of
at the Sailors Home here. go =
He says that be was completely de-
csived as 70 the strength and armament
of the Federal ship. What he rscoIIect-
ed Of the Kesrssrge was, that she was
an ordinary sloop Of war. If be had
known that she was an ircn-clsd, and
much more heavily armed than tbs Ala
bama, he would not have fought, as il
was madness to do so He says that the
6ght between the Alabama and Ksgr-
sarge has taught another lesson in naval
, warfare-that Of the useiessness Of or
dinary ships Of war, like the Alabama,
enconntering an iron-clsd and heavily
armed ship ike the Ksarsarge. He does
|, not kHow the extent Of damage that be
did to the enemy's ship; AL he knovs 10
! that he lost his own. y re.ea.s f.ss
1t appears that Ssmmss and nam.
Der Of bis officers and crew escaped
from the Alabama just as abe was going
. down, and that Mr.. Lancaster, theowner
: Of the sseam yacht Deerhound, was de-
: sired By the commander Of the kearsaFgs
J to save as many Of the officers and crew
y Of the Confederate vessel ~ possible.
u Captain semmss was 10 the water half
g hour and was nearly exhausted when
+ picked up. 1t appears he begged Kr.