The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1881-07-26

The Victory of the Kearsarge-A
Bloody Scene on the Confeder-
ate Cruisers Deck.
". Il. Howard IN the Ph.ia Weekly Times

W. T.. Howard in the Ph.la. Weekly Times.
The kearsarge steamed away to
seward until about nine or ten miles
from the breakwater, when she veered
and headed direct for the Alabama.
That stopped the chat the boys had
been passing around about her having
weakened and turned tail, and each
one seemed to realize at last that this
was to be no 'child's play. BY this
time about three miles interviewed be-
tween the beligerents, which was
rapidly being decreased. When with
in about a mile and quarter from
the kearsarge the Alabama veered,
presenting her starboard broadside,
and opened the ball by firing her 10
FOUNDER riAed pivot at an elevation of
1900 yards range, followed almost
simultaneously by whole broad>ide.
The guns were worked and served
with the utmost rapidity, and in a
few minutes another brOadside was
poured in, when the Kearsarge, being
by this time about 500 yards distant,
presented her starboard battery and
the firing became general. The
spirit of carnage had begun to ami
mate the crew and the desire to he
the upper dog in the fight stirred
each man to emulation. A few
broadsides passed when the Kearsarge.
under full head Of steam, forged
ahead, steering SO near As to pass the
Alabama's stern and rake her fore and
aft, and also get between her and the
shore. This maneuver was check
mated by port helm. causing both
vessels to move in a circle revolving
around a common center distant from
each other about FIVE or six hundred
yards. The firing, meantime, con-
tinued with undated vigor. The
steady directness of the fire from the
Kearsarge now began to be felt. The
11-iach shells poured into the ill-fated
Alabama with sickening regularity
and precision, dealing death and de-
struction on every hand. Guns were
dismounted and their crew decimated
by q single shot. Early in the action
a shell struck the blade of the fan.
breaking it short off and injuring the
rudder. Another landed in the en-
CINE room, and tore things all to
pieces, damaging the machinery,
making a hole in the boiler and
flooding the stoke hole with boiling
water.
On deck the prospect was no more
cheering. Men dropped dead, cut in
twain by shot and shell, while the
groans of the wounded, struck by the
crashing and flying splinters, mingled
with the muttered curses of the sea-
men and the hoarse orders of gunners
and officers. At halfpast IL Mr..
kell had jib and foretopsails hoisted
and attempted to stand in toward
shore, distant by this time about five
miles. This was prevented by her
opponent ranging and pouring in a
raking fire of shot and shell. Word
was passed aft almost Immediately
that the vessel was sinking, whereup-
on a flag of truce was suspended from
the quarter, and the new officer, Sin
clair, sent in a boat to surrender the
vessel. During his absence the
whale boat, dingy and three cutters
were launched, and preparations made
to desert the doomed vessel Before
they could be perfected, however, she
settled by the stern, her head rising
high out of the water. The MAIN
mast, which had already been badly
shattered by the firing, went by the
board, and few seconds sufficed to
engulf the shattered hulk of the late
scourge of the sea. Struggling in the
vortex were many of her crew, and
the efforts of Sinclair, who had re-
ceived permission from Capt. Wins
low to return and rescue the sur
vivors, were soon ably seconded by
the boats of the Deerhound, two cut
tiers from the Kearsarge and two
French pilot boats, that were near
the spot. The whale boat and dingy
of the Alabama, with the boats of
the Deerhound, we'll freighted, made
quickly for the yacht, which i'm
mediately steamed away to the north
ward, bearing safely away from cap
tivity Capt. Semmes and a majority
Of his 'best bowers" while the cutter
transferred their cargoes to the Kear-
sarge. One pilot-boat turned over
those she had rescued to the same
sheltering care, while the other one
stood in for shore and aided in the es
cape Of those who were lucky enough
to get on board of her. The Kear-
sarge picked up and had transferred
to her decks total of five officers and