The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-16

the time the fight commenced. We
knew well that if we got in range of her
Dahlgren hOwitzers she would sink us
in ten minutes"
"But,Y l asked, "don't you believe
that Semmes supposed he would whip
the Kearsarge when he went out to.
fight her ?n mo; he was bullied into
it, and took good care to leave all his
valuables on shore, and had life-pre-
server on through the fight. | saw him
put 1t on, and I thought if il was wise
in him it wouldn't be foolish in me and
l put one on too. When Semmes saw
that the ship was going down, he told
us all to swim who could, and was one
of the first to Jump into the water, and
we all made for the Deerhound.s | was
long way ahead of Semmes, and when
came up to the Deerhound's boat they
asked me i'll was Semmes before they
would take me in. said / wasn't; and
then they asked me what | was on the
Alabama. Said /, No matter what ]
was on the Alabama. shall be a dead
man soon if you don't take me in. They
| asked me again if was an officer or
seaman, and wouldn't take me in until
told them that [ was an officer"
But" said l, Ibid they actually re-
fuse to pick up common seamen, and
leave them to drown ?" "They did
that" replied he, wrathfully, and pro-
badly not very correctly, "and as soon
| as they had Semmes on board they made
tracks as fast as they knew how, and
left everybody else to drown or be
| picked up by the Kearsarge."
We append Mr.. Adams statement of
the view taken by the United States
| ~ oct al, :,,l,
| ference in the rescue of Semmes. 1t will
be seen that il IS confirmed with the
utmost precision by this unexpected
| the deck of Mediterranean steamer
| We take the following extract from a
letter addressed by Mr.. Adams TO Earl
Russell, under date of September g,
1864:
"Your Lordship is pleased to remark
| in your note of the 9th of June, con-
cerning the act of the owner of the
| DeerhOund, that he appears to have
performed only common duty of hu-
manity in saving from the waves the
captain and several of the crew of the
Alabama, who would otherwise have
been drowned, and thus would never
have been in the situation of prisoners
of war.
UNFORTUNATELY for this hypothesis, it
does-Ilot appear that the owner of the
Deerhound did rescue the principal per-
sons from drowning. The only indivi-
dual whose safety he appears to have
taken pains to secure was Capt. Semmes.
| The EVIDENCE seems to show that much
| the greater portion were rescued by the
commanders and crews of the enemy's
three boats, the principle one Of which
had been sent to the kearsage TO make
a surrender and to ask for aid to rescue
them. 1t further appears that after au
thOrity bad been given to perform this
c0ilhOn duty OF humanity, great efforts
were made to select the chief enemies OF
the United States, and transfer them,
not in accordance with the obligation
Originally incurred, TO the Kearsage, but
to the hands of the owner Of the Deer
hound, another British subject, who had
likewise been asked to assist but who,
instead of laboring further in the cause
of humanity, fastened at once, on the
reception of these obnoxious persons,
paying no ilrLher regard 70 the large
number of his own Gountrymen still
left struggling with the waves, 10 place
them where he believed they would he
beyond the reach of recovery by the
victor.
FIN view Of all these circumstances
/ regret to be compelled to communicate
to your lordslip the expression of the
Presidents surprise that her Majesty s
Government does not find in the pro.
ceedings of the owner of the Deerhound
Gauge of severe censure or regret. And
this is the more sepsiply felt, that that
person has not hesitated TO avow in his
own letter that he was acttiated by g
desire to withdraw these enemies of the
United States from the power Of the
conquering vessel"