Delaware State journal and statesman., 1864-11-24

pNtment, Of the action between the kearsarge
aud Alabama, now published for the FIRST time,
by permission Of the Secretary Of the Navy;
L. S. STEAEHE KEARsAGE,
ENoLIsH CHANNEL.
July 80, 1854 !
SIG: 10 obedience to instructions Of the De- /
partment, have tue honor 10 make the following ,
supplementary report Of the action between the
kearsaTge aud Alabama 90 the morning Of the
18th ult., the day being fne with hazy etmos
pberr, wind moderate from the westward, With
little sea, the poeitioa Of TIE kearssree at ten
o'clock WAS near the buoy which makes the line
OF shoals TO the eastward OF Cherburg and dis
tant about three miles from the eastern entrauee,
which bore 10 the soulhWard aud westward. At
twenty minutes after ten o'clock the AlHoams
was discovered coming out Of the western en-
trance, accompanied BY the CourOnne (iron-elad)
| had 10 an interview with the Admiral, assured
him, in the event Of an action occurring with the
Alabama, that the positions Of the ships should
be so far of shore that no questions could be ad-
yauced about the line Of jurisdiction.
Accordingly, to perfect this object. and With
the double purpose Of drawing the Alabama 80
far of shore that, if disabled, she could not re-
turn, objected the ships head seward ani
cleared for action, with The battery PiToIed to
starboaTd.
Having attained point about seven miles from
the shore The head Of the Kearsarge vas turned
short n uud and the ship sieered directly for the
Alabama, my purpose being to run her down, or
il circumstances did not warrant II, TO elo.e in
with her. Haidly had the KearsaTge come round
before the Alabama sheered, presented her star
board battery aud slowed her engines. On ap-
Proschng her al long range VI about mile she
opened her full troaiside. the shot cutting some
Of our rigging AID going over and alengside Ci
us.
Immediately ordered more speed, but 10 two
minutes The Alabama had sgsin loaded and hrea
another bTosiside. SID followed il with third.
without dams glng US except 10 rigging. We bad
now arrived within nine hundred yards Of her,
and Wss apprehensiye that another broadside,
nearly raking ns Il vas, would prove disastrous.
Accordingly ordered the ksarssfge shetred
and opened on the Alabama.
The positions Of the vessels was now brORdside
to broadsile but It was soon apparent that Cap
tain stmmes did lot seek close action. be-
cane then fearful lest, sfier some hghting, that
be would egain make for the shore To defeat
this determined to keep full speed on, and with
port helm to run under the stern Of the Ala
baua aud rake, If be did bot preEentit by sheer
log aud keeping his broadsde to us. He adopt
ei this mode rs 4 preventive, and as eonse-
qlen.e, the Alabama Was forced, with full head
OF sean, in'o circular track during the en-
gsgemsn'.
AhN NhfE- u tAtc MuuNAfeA HAh 7ASA tA1h1
the last 0! the action, when the AlabaGa would
have mad cf she was nesr Eve miles from the
shore, and had the action continued fr- m the
htst iu araltl lines, With her head in shore. the
line Of jurisdiction would 10 doubt have beer
reached
Tue firing Of tie Alabama from The first wEl
Ispd and wild, toward the close Of the action
ler firing became better. Oar men, who had
been eaulontd against rapid Grit without di-
rect aim, were much more deliberate and the
Instructions gven TO point the heavy guns below
raihtr lhan above the water line, AID clear th'
deck with The lighter ones, were fully observed
had endeayored with port helm 10 close IL
with the Alabama, but it was not until just be-
tore the close Of the action that we we're in
position to use grape this was avoided, howsv
er. by her surrender. The effect Of the lraininI
Il our mtn wss evident, nearly every thot frou
cur guns was telling feartully on the Alabama
aud on the seventh relation on the circular tn ol
she windtd, setting lore lrysail and two j.bs
with head iu shore.
Her speed was now retarded, and BY Windn
her port bfoadsle was presented to us with on
two guus bearing, not bavDg been able, as
learned Of evWard 10 shift over but one. sal
that she was ut our mercy, and a few more guns
vel directed, brought down her dag ! WI
urable to ascertain whether they had been hau
ed down or shot away, but white Gag bavin
heen displayed over lilo stern, followed by w
uns fied 10 eewsrd our fire WAS reserved. "
minutes had not more than elapsed before sl
rgain optntd en- US with lLe two guns on Il
Itrt eide. This drew cur fire again, aud II
Keaisarge was Immediately steamed ahead au
lay across her bows for raGing.
The white flag was It'll flying. and our I'll
was again res, rved. Shortly after this her Loa
were seen to be lowering, aud an officer in one
them came alongside aud Informed us the shi
had surrendered and was fast sinking.
l-,ru sht a. lakn
down, her manmast, which had received shO
breaking near the head as she sunk, and hl
how rising high out Of the Wattr as her siei
rapidly settled. The hTe Of the Alabama, a
though il stated she discharged $40 or mo-
shell and shot, Tas not OF strious damage TO Il
kearsarge. Some thirteen or fourteen Of the
had iaken effect 10 and about the hull, aud Ell
teen or seventeen sb,ut the waste aud riggin
The ch.ualues were email. only three perso
having been wounded yet it is q matter Of su
prise that's few were injured, considering Il
number Of Trtjeetiles that came aboard. TV
suots passed through the ports in which the %
were placed, with men thiekly stationed arour
ihem, one taking effect in The hammock ntttin
and the Other going through the port on the o
po.ile side, yet no one was hit, the captain
uf tue guns being only knocked down by Il
Wind ot tle shot, as it WAS supposed. The h
Of the keatsagge. although only l13 projectil
mad been discharged, according to tbs prisoue
&c .ounsi Was terrific Ons shot alone had kill
and wounded eighteen men, snd disabled 1
gul; another bad entered the coal bunkerg, E
piodi and COMP. tely blocked Up the esgil
room; aud Capt. semmts siaus siot and sh
had tAken ehe 4 in The side of b vessel, tesrI
large koles by explosion, and bis men v,
everywhere kLoekei down.
OF the caspslties en- the Alabbms, no corr
account can be given. One hundred aud cite
persons reached the share, either 10 England
France, stier the action IL s kaown that
Alabama carried crew, ciiiotrs and men,
nh ut $50 into Cheibourg, sud that while 10
Southern Ocean, her complement was about
but lestTtions bad reduced this complement
The prisoners state that q number of men c 4
:, gu board ct Cherbourg, and the night before
ac'9u boats we're going 10 aud fro, and in
morning strange men we're seen who we're .
Toned az captains Of the guns. Among th
three WAS one Lieutenant (Snclair) who joir
her at Cherboutg
The Alabama had been five days 10 prtpa
ton. She had taken in 800 tons Of coal, uh
brought her iowa in tie water The kearsa
hal only 100 tons in, but as an offset TO this
sheet chaina were slowed outside, stopped
and down. as ap additional preventive aud pi
lection 10 her mere empty bunkers. The nu
btr Of the ortw OF the keaTsage, including Q
Gers and sick men, was lG3 and her battl
numbered seven guns; Two ll-ineh, one
Iounder rife, and four light % pounder guns
The bRttery Of the Alabama numbered ell
euna One heavy GS Of 5000 lbs, one II
FOUNDER rifle, and six heavy 82 ponuder guns
la the engagement the Alabama fought SCI
gual and the Kearsarge Eve, both exercising
nrboard battery until the Alabama wind
us her port battery, with one gun and al o h