New-York tribune., 1877-09-01
THE LATE ADMIRAL SEMMES
PERSONAL. "REMINISCENCES.


DER-SRMMRs AS A LAWYER
| fPRoM TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRIBUSEl
WASHINGTON, Aug. 31.-A gentleman who during
the war served for a short time on board the Con-
| federate steamer Alabama and afterwards on the
Georgia which cruised IN company with the Ala
bama il now IN Washng gton, and relates some inter-
estng "reminiscences of the lato Amiral semmes
The last vessel of the United Stltes Navy which
Semmes Commanded was she SomeT- This was tae
frigate upon which, preyh rs to his command OF H.
two young mdshipmen OF of thens son of the then
Sc retary Of the Navy, wffo hanseo by Mckenzie
g, d6n Tor mutiny. Semn,es c1'AG~lied her dnr'Eg
,r. s,exican War and whlo Vt Y,ra Cruz she was
~ rized IN squaI The lo,s OF this vessel was a
sourcs of much satisfaction to i officers of the Navy
at tha time She was very unpopular on account OF
the 81 rstitions which existed in regard to her; the
men constantly deserting, and officers were ull-
willing TO be assigned 10 duty upcn her. After TINS
Admiral Semmes entered the practice of the law IN
Cincinnati and was there at the time the war broke
out.
Going South, he rendered his services to the Con-
federacy and first commanded the Sumter, which
after n short cruise bockaded In Glbralter,
abandoned and afterwards sold 1t is interesting
circumstance that Capt j. g. Hester, who has since
been somewhat noted as Government detective
during Gen. Grants administration, joined the
Sumter at Gbralter was appointed by Admiral
Semmes masters mate and left in charge OF the
vessel when the Admiral went to England 10 take
command of the Alabama. The service on the
Alabama a very exciting one. She was always
either chasing other vessels or being chased herself
and the life that was led by her officers and crew
was very attractive to those who liked adventure.
The Alabama had only two engagements with
United States vessels of war; the first with the Hat
teras off Galveston, and the second with the Kear5
sarge in which she was worsted. The officer already
referred to describes the tactics employed by Semmes
off Galveston as very sharp" About o'clock one
afternoon he steamed up in sight of the blockading
fleet. carrying the British flag. He then turned
about and began to sail away, burning bitumlnous
coal and making an immense cloud of smoke, his
object being TO create the impression IN the Federal
fleet that he was a blockade-runner, making
the best time possible TO get beyond their
reach. Admiral Semmes expected that the
Federal commander would send after him his fastest
vessel and that this would be OF the ightest IN
the feet In this conjecture he was not mistaken Tor
the Hateras wasdispatched to overtake and capture
him. One Of the larger vessels would nave been
more than a match for the Alabama. When she
came alongside Of the Alabama the Captain OF the
Hatteras hailed her. but for a time received no an
swer: when at length be ordered her to lie 10 and
give an account of herself or he would fire into her.
i
the Confederate flag which already at the peak,
tied No in a bundle with small ropes. Then shout
ing defantlv This is the Confederate steamer Ala
bama.n he opened fire. The battle that ensued was
a very brief one lasting only about twelve minutes.
but at the end of this time the Hatteras was sunk
The gentleman who describes the fight says that the
officers and crew of the Hatteras fought most gal
antlv and dld not abandon her until her guns were
level with the water.
The circumstances of the fight between the Kear-
sarge and the Alabama are too well known to need
repetition. The gentleman already referred to was
witness of this fight, but did not take part in it,
being at the time on board a French tug. He says
that Admiral Semmes made great mistake In going
out of Cherbourg the Kearsarge at all He said
the immediate cause of his going out threat Of
Winslow to 90 into port with the United States flag
lying over the inverted Confederate flag, and to
sail around the Alabama as insult Semmes sent
back word that if he would net do that he would go
ont and night him. The Alabama had been at sea
two years and her copper hung in elbows" all
over her bottom which was also very dirty. When
in good condition she could sail twelve or fourteen
knots an hour but at that time she could not have
made over six knots at the best Besides this, the
powder that she used was some that had been con-
dcmned by the British Government, and to make 1t
still worse portion Of the cOndensing apparatus OF
the vessel used for producing fresh water, was In
contact with her magazine that much of her pow
der was wet The result was that the heaviest
shells fred by the Alabama failed to perforate the
sides Of the Kearsarge. and of them were seen
to drop in the water before reaching her enemy,
although the vessels were at the time not 300
yards apart.
The same gentleman expressed the opinion that
Admiral Semmes in his book describing the cruise
of the Alabama, does himself great injustice when
he ascrbes his failure to disable the kearsarge to the
fact that the latter hung chain cables upon her
sides These cables were only placed upon her
bows and had the powder of the Alabama been in
good condition, he expresses 1t his opinion that
she would have sunk the Kearsarge in spite Of all
such protection. One of the shells of the Alabama,
which lodged in the sternpost of the Kearsarge, but
did not explode, is now in this city. If 1t had ex-
ploded. it would undoubtedly have destroyed Wins
lows vessel.
Semmes displayed the greatest GOODNESS in the
handling of his vessel during the whole of the
fight with the Kearsarge, and when the Ala
hama was about TO sink. he the last
man to leave her. sailor named Mars, who had
shown very great bravery during the combat,
| and who had picked up shell from tho Kearsarge
that fell on the deck of the Alabama and thrown 1t
oyerboard-it exploded before it reached the water
brought life-pTeserveT 10 Semmes, and insisted
that he should put it Semmes refused to do so,
| and told the sailor that his life was worth as much
| to him as tho Admrals, and that he must put it
| himself He had in his hand some valuable papers,
among them the bonds of a number of ships that
! had been captured and these he gave to Mars di-
rectng him to save them at all hazards. Subse-
quently some of the officers and sailors persuaded
! Semmes to use a fe-preseryer. Mars was picked up
by one of the boats of the Kearsarge, but jumped
lx