New-York tribune., 1877-08-31

semmes a commander in the u. s. Navy and member OF
Light House Board received dispatch from Mont
gomery Ala inviting him consult with the Confederate
Committee Naval Affairs He had already expressed MS
Willingness 10 fight for the South letter to Alexander
H. Stephens had declared that his Judgment, his LIE
clinatons and his affections were spurring him oo 10
link his fate with the fret movement OF the South But
should be unwilling" he explained unless Invited TO
appear thrust myself upon the new Government until
my own State has moved" He native OF Charles
County Maryland, had entered the Naval Academy as
representative OF that State, and at one time,
while awaiting naval orders, had studied law
and been admitted to the Baltimore Bar
as the invitation came, he left his own State to
take time about moving aud after sending his
resignation TO the Navy Department, telegraphed to j.
L. NJ Curry IN Montgomery that he was at last free
man suffering country" lie was then in his
hftythird year. He had been promoted to
lieutenancy in 1887 and to the position OF
commander in 1855. He without experience,
for he had served land and in the Mexican War
He was not without pluck and ability, his career on
the high seas subsequently disclosed. He was not with
out breezy rhetoric, OF which his first dspatch 10
Montgomery feeble but promising puff ana which
was to expand into airy buncombe in the elastic pages OF
his Diary"
Mr.. Davis shook hands with him in Montgomery and
sent him North by the first train to buy arms and ammu-
mttoh lie was authorized to make large purchases and
contracts munitions OF and to arrange for the
construction OF powder-ml in the South and the INTRO
duction OF machines for the manufacture OF guncaps
Mallory instructed him to purchase several steamers
of Light draught In April he returned to Alabama and
taking the oath OF allegiance to the new Government was
assigned to the command OF the steamer Sumter at New
Orleans This the pioneer vessel OF the Confederate
navy IL had been plying as packetship between hat
port and Havana, ana armed with four 2lponnher
hOwizegs and heavy Sinch shei-sun. On the morning
fJuyI 1861 while the blockading steamer Brooynwa
in chase OF vessel eeward, the Sumter dashed boldly
across e and stood The BROOKLYN changing
her course ondeayorcd to cut her OF; and gave her
crossed the bar An exciting cGaso OF Our
hours followed, but the Sumter hnaly got away Dart
ing from point point IN the West India waters capt
semmes captured dozen or fifteen merchantmen IN as
many days. ard finally into CieniuegoS for supplies
After a long cruise, during which he landed at various
ports IN the Wesl Indies and South America, and took
many prizes on the high seas, he finally entered the haf
Dor Of Gibraltar Here the Federal gunboat Iusc1rora
found him and his vessel and anchotng the Spanish
port Algcsras opposite where she was not compeei
to after the sumter departed held the prya;eer
fast The Kearsargc upand the blockade was man
tanned persislenty that the Confederate o1cers hd
" abandoned Their vessel under the preiense OF selhS
her Tie cruise had been successful one 80 iar a
the number Of captures went, although great difficulty
was experienced in disposins OF the prizes Eighteen
merchantmen were captured The incidents not
interesting Even Capt Semmess grandiloquent Diary
Il dun reading save for inflated rhetoric. lie had
Pie time pad that remarkable record with entries
such as this: I'VE have thus far beaten thsAandal
hordes that have invaded aud desecraed our son. The
lust God of Heaven who looks down upon the quarels
Of men, will ayenge the rishi!"
A!ter the sale OF the sumter Capt. semmes went to
England where new vessel was III forward state OF
construction the Confederate service. IL view Of the
Treaty Of Washington, the Geneva Award ana the unex
pended balance unnecessary to worry British ears
| with the details of this business. 1t viii be
enough to say that the 300" got out of British
wateIs and saic1 the West Islands, where she
received her armament from bark which had previously
left Thames. Capt Scmmc the officers ~ the Sumter
and twenty sailors joined the steamer at that point and
in Angra Bay Confederate flag raised The cruise
began in September, 1867, and during tie ncKI
| three months she captured twenty-seven American
| merchantmen she had means OF landing
and condcnug her prizes, she had neither register
record no regular ships papers evidence - trans
fer and vessel lturrd by her sent into any
| port adjudication condemnation. Sne hld TO burn
! and destroy her prizes Her mainly Eng
lisa one although few sailors volunteered from cap
tured vessels. Sne In ualy approached her prey un
der British colors, hOistcf the Confederate flag
| soon as tho prize within her grasp. Occa-
| siesally a vessel Of small value released OF
condition OF taking into port the crews Of ships which
| had been burned; "a were bonded but the great
iorty were plundered ana burnes Her most important
prize was the steamship Ariel of the Aspnwall Line,
which was bonded; bat as the $250,O0o which was to
hayo been her payable six months after the
recognition md pend nee ~ the Southern Conicd
cracy prize money Of the sailors still subject 10
iutulc adjudication.
The voyage Of the Alabama lasted from September
1862 10 june 1854. she captured sxty-four vessels
| OF these all but seven burned. number Of
United states vessels sent OUT to cruise In her track
but without success. Among these was tine Nanderblt,
the fastest steamship in the world the Commodore's
princry gift the Government On January ii, 1863
while the blockading squadron Of Ave vessels was
Of EaIy
IN the southeast, and the Hatteras was ordered to
ascertain what was Just after dark the officers OF
the Hatteras perceived that the stranger was lyngo
under steam. Capt Blake hailed him and asked what
shn il was The was, Her Britannia Majesty
ship sptne." Capt. Blake replied that he would send
poat aboard The stranger thcn ranged ahead and her
commander shouted that she tr Confederate steamer
Alabama Broads.les were exchanged fast the
crews load and fire. hut the heavy guns OF the Ala
bama soon disabled the Hateras. Two guns were fired
TO eewarI the contest ceased, and the officers and
we're rescued from the sinking vessel. Subsequently the
Alabama crulscd in company with the Florida on the
coast OF south America In April 1868, the two vessels
separated tie Alabama proceeding to tie Cape Of Good
| Hone while the Florida North. OF Capeown the
Alabama WAS Joined by the Tuscaloosa and the Georgia
After long and prosperous cruise IN hesouth Atlantic
| and Indian Oceans the Alabama returned TO European
waters and took refuge in the French port Of Cherbourg
The Kearsarg was then lying in the Dutch harbor OF
Flusang As soon as her commander learned OF the
anchorage of the Confed cruiser he SET ai for
Cberbourg. Seinmcs weary of chasing ami
! 5ycrhauling merchantmen. lie was anxious %
| how his Chcrtourg friends that he could fight
,s well az scuttc and burn. Perhaps he was beginning
90 identify himself with Byron's gentle corsairs. He
dispatched request Capt. WnsOw TO meet him OUT
.ide the harOor. The vessels fairly matched The
Alabama was superior in dimensions and tonnage, but
the Kearsargc had a powerful engine. the arma-
ment of the Ala'ama comprised one Blakey rihe-gun'