Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1880-09-30


r ness of vessel was little supe
: rior. By Sunday, the 18th Of
June, the Alabama was ready
and steamed out of the harbo
followed by the eyes of thou
! sands of the people who crowd
ded every available place fol
watching the impending conflict
The Kearsarge awaits us seven
miles out, and as we approach
she turns to meet us. AS the
vessels near our crew is mustered
at, and from a gun-carriage
Semmes makes a short speech,
in which he urges us to do our
whole duty in upholding the flag
Of the ConfederacY, and espec-
Tally here in the English Chan
mel, the maritime theatre where
in almost endless succession oc-
Cured the achievements of ma
val heroes whose deeds history
holds in enduring grasp.
About a mile and a half inter-
vened between the rapidly near
ing vessels and the Alabama
bridges the gap with an iron
bolt. The Kearsarge replies,and
both vessels commence steaming
around a common centre at dis
tances varying from one-half to
three-quarters OF a mile. 1hro'
wars key-hole-an open port-I
watch the shots, and am surpris-
ed to find that the bolts of our
powerful Blakely rebound from
the sides of theKearsarge,as as from
coat of mail. Our guns are
served rapidly yet seem to make
little impression upon the foe,
while we are visibly suffering in
men and timber. The flag is Shot
away early in the action, but an
other is at once run up at the
mizzen-peak. Dead bodies lie
about the decks, while manoled
humanity is carried below. The
scuppers trail threads of blood
to the hurrying waters below, to
be woven in crimson figures up
on the restless ground of green
and white. Under our feet we
feel the impact of the huge eley-
en-inch shells rending great holes
in the sides and listen to the ex-
plosion which sends the frag-
ments tearing the ships yitaIs.
An hour of this work and we are
wounded to the death, but try to |
reach the French coast ere we
sink. Futile effort. The rising
waters extinguish the fires, and |
the battered hulk idly drifts and
settles lower and lower. The flag
is lowered and a message sent
for assistance. The firing that
has been continued after suren-
der soon ceases, but no aid is
sent. The wounded are placed
in the Alabama's boats and sent
of. "Every man save himself!"
is the command; and, although
this unloosens discipline there is
little disorder. The water, with
not loud but appalling sound,
pours into the gaping wounds, as
officers and men divest them
selves Of all articles of heavy
clothing. The last moment has
come, the Alabama settles rap
dly by the stern, all plunge O.
7erboard and swim out to avoid
he suction. She gives a con- {
throe; her bows, which {
nave ruffled the waters Of every {
nation but that of the flag she /
pore, rise high i'll the air, hang c
here a moment, and the Ala e
)ama disappears forever. I
A great many of the surviving @
rev were rescued by neutral a
'essels and boats, and the re- h
nainder, save ten, by the diIato- t
y boats of the Kearsarge. The t
casualties on the Alabama from a
he action were nine killed and t
wenty-one wounded. The ex- d
Ict loss to the Kearsarge ] never
earned. / was rescued and car
led to the Kearsarge, when / as
:ertained the reason of our inef-
ectual fire. She was virtually \
N iron-clad. Amidships chains e
lad been hung over the sides and a
beneath the water, the Ii
whole skillfully covered with, a V
hin boxing of plank. Our shot Ia
ad ripped and torn this novel G
eneering and exposed the sheet 81
f mail. Twenty-eight shot d
truck the Kearsarge. In Wash d
ngton is portion of her stern j.
ost, in which is buried an unex- b
loded percussion shell. Had {
his shell done its duty this yes-
el would have gone down more
apidly than did her enemy.
During her career of twenty
wo months the Alabama (which L
a her tireless flight, belied the hC
indian significance of her name, pI
Here we rcst") destroyed one th
'ar vessel and captured sixty h;
We merchantmen. The visible q
amage thus inflicted has been v;
~ c.o.,. Ct NO0 900 III