The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-05-07
CAPTAIN kELL'S STORY.
The Famous Flight Of the kear-
sarge and Alabama

heAnIO-H IAGlA, i ~ 49,
cutiye officer OF the famous Alabama,
now living near Sunnyside, Ca, from
whom he obtained the following story OF
the duel between the Alabama and hear
sarge, off Cherbourg, France, June ii,
1864:
After a cruise Of two years." the cap
tain said, during which the Alabama
had driven the commerce o. the Unlted
States from the seas, our ship was sadly
in need ofrepairs. Such being the case
Admiral Semmes determined 10 run into
a French port. dock ship and repair her.
We anchored in the port of C%herbourg a
few minutes past noon, on the 18th OF
June, 1864. The next day the admiral
went on shore to obtain permission OF the
mort admiral to dock the Alabama aud
repair her. The port admiral said that
as all the docks at Cherbourg were gov
rnmen property he could not grant the
request until he could gain the emperors
consent. The emperor was then at
Biarritz, and would not be back IN Paris
for several days. While We were waiting
the emperor's return to Paris the kear-
sarge, which had been lying at Flushing,
steamed to Cherbourg and took her sta
ton at breakwater, just outside the har-
Dor. Immediately after the kearsarge
arrived Admiral Semmes sent for me.
went to his cabin.
Take a seat, Mr.. kell, he said: i
have sent for you to discuss the advlsa
bility Of fighting the kearsarge. As you
know, the arrival Of the Alabama at this
port has been telegraphed to all parts OF
Europe. Within a few day Cherbourg
will be effectually blockaded by Yankee
cruisers. 1t is uncertain whether or not
we shall be permitted to repair the Ala
bama here, and, in the meantime, the
delay is not to our advantage. | think
we may whip the Kearsarge, the two
vessels being of wood and carrying about
the same number of men and guns. Be-
sides, Mr.. Kell, although the Confederate
States government has ordered me to
avoid engagements with the enemy
| cruisers, | am tired of running from that
dirty hag!' He referred to the United
| States flag at the peak of the kearsarge.
Il fully agreed with Admiral Semmes.
| There are those who have ceDsured him
for engaging the Kearsarge, but there
was nothing else that could be done. The
two vessels were both of wood. The Ala.
dIu d Il SISN VI IL LlShs al tOlo,d uO
the Kearsarge had l62.
The Alabama Mounted Eight Guns,
one eight inch, one rifled 100 FOUNDER,
and six thirty-two Founders. The Kear,
sarge mounted seven guns two eleven
inch D~ahlgrens, four thirty-two Founders
and a rihed tw~enty.eight FOUNDER. The
bore of the shell guns of the kearsarge
gave her an advantage of three inches in
size of shells. The crew of the Alabama
were 10 splendid condition, and were an
xious to fight. There were but two
things that prevented our whipping the
Kearsarge-our powder, which lad been
exposed to all kinds of weather for two
years. was bad, and the commander OF
the Kearsarge-a Southern man, by the
way-resorted to a miserable trick to pre-
vent injury to his vessel. He ironplated
her with heavy cable chains, and covered
the armor with a thin sheeting OF plank,
to hide the deception.
las soon as 1t was determined hat we
should fight the Kearsarge, Admiral
Semmes sent Captain Winslow, the com
mander of that vessel. a message to the
effect that if he would wait outside until
the Alabama could take on board a sup
ply of coal, we would 60 out and fight
him.
"On Sunday, the 10Th of June, we
weighed anchor and steamed out to meet
the kearsarge The hills above Cher
hourg were crowded with people from
Paris-some came from distant parts of
Europe to witness the fight. a num-
Der of French pilot boats went out with
us, as also did a French ironclad ~frigate,
the Couronne, which went out to see that
the neutrality of French waters was not
violated. Another vessel, the English
steam yacht Deerhound, belonging to Mr..
Lancaster, also went out with US. 1t
was charged by the Yankees that the
Deerhound went u to assist us, This
was untrue. Mr.. Lancaster himself told
me that Oh the day we steamed out to
engage the kearsarge he wanted to 90
to church, but when the question as to
whether his party should 60 out to wit
ness the fight or go to church was put TO
a vote his wife and children outvoted him
IN favor of witnessing the fight. This
vessel afterward rescued Admiral Semmes
myself and q number of the Alabama's
crew. The first intimation | had that
the Deerfound was anywhere near was
after had jumped into the water. l
heard somebody exclaim, There is our
first lieutenant and soon after | was
pulled int one of the Deerhound boats.
When we discovered the Kearsarge,
as We steamed out, Admiral Semmes or
dered me to send the crew aft. Mount
ing a gun carriage he addressed the men
for the second and last time since the Ala
bama was put in commission. quote
his words literally:
"'Oficers and seamen ofthe Alabama
You have at length another opportunity
OF meeting the euemy-the first that has
been presented to you since you sank the
ii itteras In the meantime you have
been all over the world, and it is not too
much to say that you have destroyed
md driven for protection under peutral
fl = one-half of the enemy's commerce.
which, at the beginning OF the war, Gov
ered every sea This is an achievement
i which you nay well be proud. and a
grateful country viii uot BE unmindtul OF
It. The name Of your ship has become Il
household word wherever civilization
extends. Shall that ZANE be tarnlshcd
by defeat? The tning is impossible
Remember hat you are in the English
O~ilduuel, the lHtdlIe VI So Wucn OF the
naval glory of our race, and that the eyes
of all Europe are at this ONE upon
you. The flag that floats over you is
that of a young republic. who bids de
fiance to her enemies whenever and
wherever found. Show the world that
you know how to uphold it.
THE action between the Alabama and
the Kearsarge, which was in progress one
hour and ten minutes, may be described
ln ten minutes. We began the fight
when within about a mile of the Kear-
sarge by opening with solid shot. The
two vessels rapidly approached each
other, and the remainder Of the fight oc
CURED at distance of not more than 500
yards. The vessels circled around each
other as the fight progressed, in order to