The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1864-07-15
The Sinking Of the Alabama.
FULL ACCOUNT OF THE ACTION.
Comments of the British Press.

=
The correspondent of the London Times
at Southampton furnishes the following in.
teresting particulars of the action between
the kearsarge and the Alabama off Cher.
bourg:
The Alabama left Cherbourg harbor
about ten o'clock on Sunday morning, and
the kearsarge was then several miles out to
seaward, with her steam up ready for action.
The French plated ship of war Couronne fol.
lowed the Alabama out of harbor and STOP
ped when the vessels were league off the
coast, her object being to see that there was
no violation to the law of nations by any
fight taking place within the legal distance
from land. The combat took place about
nine miles from Cherbourg, and commenced
at lilo. From the time observed on board
the Deerhound it closed at 1910, so the ac-
tion was thus limited to an hour. The AL
ALBANIA commenced the firing, and as it is
known that her guns were pointed for range
of 1000 yards, and that the second shot she
fired, in about half minnie after the first,
went right into the Kearsarge, that may be
taken as the real distance between the two
ships. The firing became general from both
vessels at the distance of little under mile
and was well sustained on both sides, Mr..
Lancaster's impression being that at no time
during the action they were less than quar-
ter of mile from each other. Seven COM
plete circles were made in the period over
which the fight lasted. 1t was estimated on
bard the Deerhound that the Alabama fir d
in all about $50 rounds, some single guns
and some in broadsdes of three or four,
and the kearsarge about 100, the ma 10 V
of which were ll-inch shells The Alaoa-
mas were principally Biakeley's pivot guns
In the ear " pant of the action TIE relative
firing was about three from the Alabama TO
one from the kearsarge, but as it progress
ed the latter gained the advantage, having
apparently much greater power of Steam.
She appeared to have an advantage o. about
three knots an hour. and steam was seen
rushing through her blow-pipe all through
tie action, while the Alabama seemed TO
have very little steam Or.
! A, length the Alabama's rudder was dis
abled by one of her opponents heavy shells.
and they hoisted sails; but it was soon re-
ported to Capt. Semmes by one of his officers
that the ship was sinking. With great bra
very the guns were kept ported till the muz
Eles were actually under water, and the last
shot from the doomed ship was fired as she
was settling down. When her stern was
completely under water, Captain Semmes
as best they could, and every one Jumped in
! to the sea and swan to the boats which had
put of to their rescue. Those Of them who
were wounded were ordered by Capt. Semmes
to be placed in the Alabama's boats and ia
ken on board the Kearsarge, which was as
far as possible obeyed. Capt. Semmes and
those above mentioned were saved in the
Deerhounds boats, and when it was escer-
tanned that the water was clear of every one
that had life left, and that noimore he Up could
be rendered, the yacht steamed away for
Cows, thence TO this port.
The kearsarge, it is known, has for some
time time past been in hot pursuit OF the Al
ALBANIA. which vessel Capt. Winslow was de-
termined to follow everywhere till he over
took his enemy. Very recently she chased
ant came up with one of the vessels Of the
Chinese expeditionary force returning to Eng
land, and ran alongside with her guns point
ed and crew at quarters before she could be
convinced Of her mistake, for the expedition
ary vessel was very like the celebrated con-
federate cruiser. The Kearsarge was then
described as likely to prove formidable
overmatch for the Alabama, having higher
steam power and rate of speed, crew near
| ly double that under Captain Semmes, and,
unlike her sister ship, the Tuscarora, carry
ing ten, instead of eight, very heavy 1I-inch
shell guns-the so-called eolumbiads of the
American navy. The Alabama, on the con-
trary, is stated to have had only two heavy
rided guns and six broadside 32-pounders.-
The confederate, too, after her long cruise.
was sorely in need of refit. Part of her
copper, it is said, was of, and her bottom was
covered with long weeds.
! The crew of the Alabama comprised in all
about one hundred and fifty when she left
Cherbourg. Of these ten or twelve were
killed during the action, and a number were
known to be drowned, the difference between
these and the number brought home by the
Deerhound being, it is hoped, sav ed by the
boats of the kearsarge, or some French
pilot boats which were in the vicinity. The
French war vessel Couronne did not come
out beyond three miles. The surgeon of the
Alabama was an Englishman, and as nothing
has been heard of hun since he went below
to dress the wounds of some of the sufferers,
it is feared that he went down with the ship.
! When the men came on board the Deer
hound they had nothing on but their draw
ers and shirts, having been stripped to fight
and one of the men, with a sailors devoted
ness insisted on seeing his captain, who was
then lying in Mr.. Lancaster's cabin in very
exhausted state, as he had been entrusted by