Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-12-15
LORD BURGoYNRs ROMANCE
Capt. KelI COrrects Some Historical
Mfsstatements

The following letter appears in the Macon
TELEGRAPH of yesterday:
SUNNYsIDE, GA, Dec. lO.-YOurs of to DAYS
date, enclosing me an article from the New
York Sun of Dec. s. relating an interesting
incident of the late war as told by Gov.
j. Schuyler Crosby, who was one of the guests
at meeting of the Loyal League" in Wash
lnetOn city, is certainly one of the romances
of the late war between the States, | do not
for an instant question the authencity of the
Governors story as told to him bv Lord Bur
gOyne," OF England, with whom ''he formed
SO peasant an acquaintance while in
Florence" but do in charity most positively
charge my Lord BurgOyne with having either
lndulged too freely in the sparkling wines of
tair Italy, thereby exciting too much his
imaginary organs, or that his insane desire
Tor narrative Overcame his bump of truthful
ness.
1t has now become matter of history, as
recorded IN the correspondence between Mr..
Secretary Seward and Lord Russell, relative
10 the English yacht Deerhound. owned by
J0hn J,2 Lancaster, Esq, of Hindley Half.
w W Fan, "a ior resculng capt. Semmes, with IL
OF tne Othcers and q of the crew of the Ala
Dama, after she had been sunk in action by
the hearsarge. History will pass down to nos
te ity Ihe noble deed of plain John Lancaster
anu MS yacht Deerhound, when Lord Bur
goyne and his imaginary achievements in his
yacnt greyhound will be heard of no more
Now for the remarkably ACCOMPLISHED
gentleman" who accompanied him on board
the hearsarge. l will here state that the
kearsarge did not anchor IN the harbor of
CherbOurg while the Alabama was there, but
ran IN Tor the purpose of taking on board the
prisoners we had landed. to which Capt.
Semmes objected, as strengthening his crew
in neutral port, when the Kearsarge steamed
out again and lay off the breakwater. 1t was
then That Capt, Semmes communicated to
our agent, requesting him to inform Can't
Mlnslow, of the Kearsarge. through the
united states Consul, that If he would re-
man of the harbOr till we could coal ship. he
would come out and fight him. | happened
20 nave been at this interesting time upon the
quarter-d deck of the Alabama, with glass in
hand, examining with intense scrutiny
every part of the enemy's hull,
rigging and battery. She was
guarded, however, in not approaching us near
enough to expose her iron shield she had so
lngenlOusly covered. While the vivid i'm
aglnatlon of Lord BurgOyne flatters me with
having located the boilers of the Kearsarge, he
rays me liable for great temerity in permit
tlhg capt. Semmes unknOwingly to engage an
lrOn-clad; for certainly the battle would not
nave taken place had that fact been divuged,
nor would there have been opportunity given
IOr the brilliant Imagination of Lord Bur-
goyne IN picturlng that tragic scene after the
SINKING OF the Alabama, when he E'pulled into
Lhe boat Capt. Semmes, and little later the
nrst olncer of the Alabama, his late friend of
Gne taDle dhote and fellow visitor of the
hearsarge. Yours, truly,
JOHN MCINTOSH KELL.
Executive Officer late q = Str Alohapo