The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1864-07-12
DESTRUCTION q the ALABAMA
srArxaIKxT OF Al KseLfsu sEAaAx OF
poAEB rHK ALABAMA

I
tain Semmes handed the clerk writ
ten paper witch wss rad ss. The
substance Of Il was that we were 90
LOG into atiion that w we're TO hghl
IN ,he Engtsa Channel, sbe seal d -
many imporiarl naval engagements,
aud recalled tie acts We bad already I
performed said the eycs q all Ea-
rope werr upon as, aud lAai be e.
pscted every man 10 % his duty
The men wcrc enthusiastic assd cheer.
ed considerably. The hen bad no
idea bot that they could gain the VIC
tory. and an easy one. ihe crew full
i, expected from the beginning that
they would be led by Captain Sem
mes close alongside the hearsarge, 50
as TO comm,nce the action al close
quarters and finish By boarding her.
Il was expected that Semmes would
lead the boaders in person, for though
We had as fine Il crew as any ship
atioai. yet we had not single eompe-
Ten. gunner on board, excepting the
captain Of the forward pivot, a hand.
red pound rifle gans i3e was an old
/ English man cf-war. trained in the
/ Brush navy. The captains Of the
other guns were not competent gun
ners, though brave men. We came
in sight OF the kearsarge and she
steamed towards Us. We closed rs
rapidly as possible. The men were
all tying down at their guns, smoking
and resting, the order having seen
passed TO make ourselves as colqfor.a-
hle as possible and reserve our strength
till the commencement Of the action.
When the kearsarge was within
about one thousand five hundred ards
OF Us we opened fire, each gun firing
as soon as il was pointed and properly
elevated. We ired three broadsides
before the Kearsarge returned ashot
The first shell she sent came through
neal the forward rifle port.
The firing thea became continual
on both sides, VIC firing at least two
, shots 10 their one--we fired shells al
most altogether. But few solid
shot were fred. AT The after piyo
! gun. shortly after, two or three mel
: were cut right into. besides others be
: inc wounded. Then the crew Of ouI
t after guns were ordered by Semme'
Z 10 Gil up the vacancy nj the pivot
gan, which was the second gun iron
: the stern; we were consequently the'
: ON fighting six guns. For som
= time after there was very little dam
! age done by the kearsarges guns
their elevation being rather high, ih'
shot passing over, aud though not in
luring our hull, greatly damaging "a
spar. About twenty ainutes aiie
the commencement OF the action III
spanker gaif, gu which our colors wa
, SCI, was shot away and the color
Z thus brought down nearly 10 the deck
: the spar hanging and the colors hang
= ing about twenty feet from the decl
the coloFs sill remaining in sight.
About the same time our torNar
pivot gun sent two weA ,irected shell
ID one OF Which struck the chains whic
at protected tie Kearsarge's boiler
e Penetrating he chain, but doing n
such damage as WAS expected. "
CT Supposed then that her engines wei
n Knocked to pieces, and that the kei
o. sarge would soon 60 down. We gay
- three cheers. This shell vas fir
from our hundred pound forward riff
pivot, and would certainly have per
:. u trate the Chains and ent.rel, disa'i'
,'0 the Kearsarge had our powder be,
- good, as this gun would have carrie
the she'll aud taken effect AT five mil!
in with dry powder. Oar powder h
been a long time on board, and "
2o- dampened,
Tie next shell we sent struck Il
Is sternpost Of the Kearsarge without {
ew plodiug. Had this exgloeed I
K earsarge would have been blo'
to pieces. At this time we had !
~ ceiyed no serious damage. This W
'u' about half an hour after the fight coI
=" menced. After that the shooting
nv ouu part became worse, and that OF I
'"u KeaI sarge better. Our guns SO
too much elevated, and shot over {
en-, kearsarge. The men all fought we
is but Tie gunners did not know how
.ew point and elevate tie guns Ga
Senmes, during all this tisne, "
Of standing just forward Of the forwa
on, rigging, with an olera glass in
o,r hand, and leaning over the rail. i
, ), punners were lett - themselves
- fight the guns, and no particular
ders were given 10 the gunners d
ing the fight. Capt. Semmes direcl
the maneuyring OF the ship. ABB
Abe same time more shell came il
bite our coal bunkers and penetrated
boilers, putting out the Tires and bu
on ing several OF the fremen under
nan coal. Some were killed, and 9th
,eks dug out alive. The vessel was FL
rare with smoke aud steam. All our ps
ONE er OF movement then was over.
kel, Tie Kealsarge then gradually
The gan to edge round on our port gu
;oy. ter. When she reached this post
tie order was g;ysn'to lie down,
sr., we expected 20 be'raked fore and
-. A few minutes afterwards the
1s irimmers were called away to 10
tbe fare trysail and head sails so |