Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-07-12

1 toned. 1t caused many splinters, and
struck a man at our gun. He leaped away
with his leg smashed, and another man at
the next gun fell dead. The shell caught
our slide rack, and 1 think the man was
killed by one of our own shot, which was
thrown against him by the shell Of the
Kearsarge.
The firing here became continual on both
sides, we firing at least two shots to their
one-we fired shells almost altogether. But
few solid shot were fired. AT the after,
pivot gun, shortly after, two or three men
were cut right in two, besides others being
wounded. Then the crew Of our after guns
were ordered by Semmes to fill up the va;
cancy at the pivot gun, which was the sec
ond gun from the stern; We were conse-
quently then only fighting six guns. For
| some time after there was very little dam
age done by the Kearsarge's guns, their ell
ovation being rather high, the shot passing
over, and though not injuring our hull,
greatly damaging our spars. About TWEEN
| ty minutes after the commencement OF the
action the spanker gaff, on which our coli
ors was set, was shot away, and the colors
thus brought down nearly to the deck, the
spar hanging and the colors hanging about
twenty feet from the deck, the colors still
remaining in sight. At.'
| About the same time our forward pivot
! gun sent two well directed shells, one Of
| which struck the chains which protected
| the Kearsarge's boilers, penetrating the
chain, but doing no such damage as was
expected. We supposed then that her en-
gines had been all knocked to pieces, and
that the Kearsarge would soon go down.-t
| We gave three cheers. This shell was Tired
| from our hundred-pound forward rifle piv-
OF, and would certainly have penetrated
/ nl,asr tiralxy X
] sarge had our powder been good, as TINS
gun would have carried the shell and taken
effect at five miles with dry powder, Our
powder had been long time on board, and
was dampened. The night before the ac-
| tion we threw seven barrels of damaged
powder overheard, and had frequently
thrown powder over. la 4'- ls p5 .
| Thenext shell we sent struck the sternpost
of the Kearsarge without exploding: Had
this exploded the Kearsarge would have
been blown to pieces. At this time we had
received no serious damage. This was about
half an hour ,after the fight commenced.
After that the shooting on our part became
worse, and that of the Kearsarge bctteE
Our guns were too much elevated, and shot
over the Kearsarge. The men all fought
well; but the gunners did not know how to
point and elevate the guns. Capt. Semmes
during all this time, was standing just for
ward of the forward rigging, with an opera
glass in his hand, and leaning over the rail.
The gunners were left to themselves to fight
the guns, and no particular orders were
given to the gunners during the fight. Capt.
Semmes directed the maneuvring OF the
ship. al..i sft t' ..i rrr
The shellman belonging to our gun was
cut right in two by one of the Kearsarge's
shots while he was bringing shell to our
gun. His name was James Hart. He was
blown all to pieces, and nothing was found
of him which could be recognized except the
collar of his shirt. Several men were
wounded and carried below. The first Sc
rious disaster we met with was from shell
which carried away our rudder. About the
same time more shell came into our coal
bunkers and penetrated the boilers, putting
out the fires and burying several of the fire.
men under the coal. Some were killed, and
others dug out alive. The vessel was filled
with smoke and steam. ALI our power of
movement then was over. ~ l.a-u.s! p. -Hr
The Kearsarge then gradually began to
edge round on our port quarter. when she
reached this position the order was given
to lie down, as we expected to be raked fore
and aft. A few minutes afterwards the sail
trimmers were called away to loose the
fore trysail and headsails so that she could
be steered. She was then standing into
shore. We then considered ourselves done
for, as the Alabama was fast settling. / do
not think our screw was damaged. The
Kearsarge kept up a continuous fire on our
port side, and we shifted over our guns to
Ggueu and many disabled and wounded
We still fired as well as possible from the
port side, though we knew the day was lost.
Whtn the headsails were loosed the loader
of our pivot gun, John Roberts, young
Welshman, while engaged in the work, had
the lower part Of his body cut open, which
caused his entrails to pr0trude.g With his
entrails hanging out he walked towards his
gun and fell dead onldeck without uttering
a word. Mr.. Anderson, midshipman, I
stationed in the after division, was knocked
overheard, his leg, which was shot of, re-
naming on board. He was from Savannah,
and was son of Major Anderson. l1 XIX.
Captain Semmes about the same time
was wounded in the hand by splinter
He tied his handkerchief round his hand,
but never left his post. 5,.7.r ..., f,1,. -
The dead, of whom there were about
eight, and the wounded, numbering per-
haps twelve, instead of being carried below,
were lying about the deck. The carnage
was awful, some of the men being literally
cut to pieces. There was much confusion
on board, though nothing like panic, ex-
not Englishmen. One young Prussian, sta
TONED at gun, having ran below and stated
20 the doctor that he was wounded, was or
lered on deck, he not being wounded, and |
was Immediately shot in the back by an old
nan named Hicks, an English seaman, who
has been long in the English navy. He shot
him with his revolver. He died soon after,
wards. Nl" 4'H
Our first Lieutenant, Mr.. Kell, seeing the |
battle was lost, ran to Semmes, and told |
lin he must strike the colors, as the vessel
was sinking fast. Semmes merely replied, |
TRY to get little more headway on herr
Ind to the last would not order the colors |
% be struck. The color halliards about this 4
inle were shot away, and the colors fell to |
he deck. The report was circulated fore
md aft that they were down, and for mo- |
nent the Kearsarge ceased firing. When |
,ur men saw our colors were down they |
we're enraged, and most of them turned |
ound on their officers. Several of them |
an aft to Captain Semmes with drawn cut
asses.
One of them told him that If he did not
hoist the colors he would cut
lin down. At the same time Mr.. Sinclair,
ne fourth Lieutenant, pointed a revolver
t this mans head to shoot him dead in case
le made an attack on the Captain. !"
Captain Semmes was perfectly cool, and |
lid not even draw his sword. He said he
dmired the courage of the men, but the
olors were down, the vessel was sinking, |
nd he did not wish that any more lives
hould be lost. 1t was for their own bene-
It that he refused to raise the colors. AS
oon as the colors were shot away, by the
riders of Mr.. Kell, white flag was held up