Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-01-25
HOW THE zIaBAmA sUsn.

HOW THE AL4BAMA SUNK.
The Kearsarge steamed away to sea-
ward until about nine or ten miles from
the breakwater, when she veered and
headed direct for the Alabama. That
stopped the chaff the boys had been
passing around about her having weak
ened 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 between the bel
ligerents, which was rapidly being de-
creased. When within about miss
and quarter from the Kearsarge tie
Alabama veered, presenting her star
board broadside, and opened the ball
by firing her 119-pounder rifled pivot at
an elevation for 1900 yards range, fol-
lowed almost simultaneously by whole
broadside. The guns were worked and
served with the utmost rapidity, ard in
a few minutes another broadside was
poured in, when the Kearsarge, being
by this time about 800 yards distant,
presented her starboard battery, and the
firing became general. The spirit of
carnage had heg,ln to animate the crew,
and the desire to be the upper dog in
the fight stirred each man to emulation.
A few broadsides passed, when the Kear-
sarge, under full head of steam, forged
ahead, steering SO as to pass the Ala
bama's stern and rake her fore and aft,
and also get between her and the shore.
This maneuver was checkmated by
port helm, causing both vessels to move
in circle, revolving round a common
center, distant from each other about
500 or 900 yards The fire meantime
continued with undated vigor. The
steady directness of the fire from the
Kearsarge now began to be felt. The
eleven-inch shells poured into the i'll
fated Alabama with sickening regularity
and precision, dealing death and de-
struction on every hand. Guns were
dismounted and their crews decimated
by single shot Early in the action
shell struck the blade Of the fan, break
ing it short off and injuring the rudder.
Another landed in the engine-room and
tore things all to pieces. damaging the
machinery, making hole in the boiler,
and flooding the stoke-hole with boiling
water.
On the deck the prospect was no more
cheering. Men dropped dead, cut in
twain by shot and she'll, by the crash
ing and flying splinters, mingled with
the muttered curses of the seamen and
the hoarse orders of gunners and officers,
At 1870, MIR. Keu had jib and foretop-
sails hoisted and attempted TO stand in
toward shore, distant by this time about
five miles. This WIS prevented by her
opponent ranging mp and pouring in
ranking fire OF shot and she'll. Word
was passed aft almost Immediately that
the vessel was sinking, whereupon flag
of truce was suspended from the quarter
d
boat to surrender the vessel. During
his absence the whale-boat, dingy, and
three cutters were launched, and prepa-
rations made to desert the doomed ves-
sci. Before they could be perfected,
however, she settled by the stern, her
head rising high out of the water. The
mainmast, which had been already bad
ly shattered by the firing, went by the
board, and few seconds sufficed to in
gulf the shattered hulk of the late
scourge of the seas. Struggling in the
vortex were many of the crew, and the
efforts of Sinclair, who had received per-
mission from Capt. Winslow to return
and rescue the survivors, were soon ably
seconded by the boats Of the Deerhound,
two cutters from the Kearsarge and two
French pilot-boats, who were near the
spot. The whale-boat and dingy of the
Alabama, with the boats of the Deer
hound, well freighted, made quickly for
the yacht, which Immediately steamed
to the northward, bearing safely away
from captivity Capt. Semmes and ma
jority of his chest bowers" while the
cutters transferred their cargoes to the
Kearsarge. One pilot-boat turned over
those she had rescued to the same shell
tering care, while the other stood in for
shore and aided il the escape of those
who were lucky enough to get on board
of her. The Kearsarge picked up and
transferred to her decks q total Of
Ave officers and sixty-three men, and
one dead body. Semmes, on board OF
the Deerhound, reached Southampton
with thirteen of his officers and near
thirty of his crew and petty officers.
The pilot boat landed quite a number,
and the killed and wounded were never
accounted for.