The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-05-07

single survivor exhibited the slightest
tear. At the expiration OF the time
have mentioned, one hsur and teD
minutes. the engineer came on deck and
reported that the water let 10 by the
wounds in the ship caused by the enemys
shells had put out the furnace fires. Ad-
miral Semmes ordered me to 20 below
and see how long the vessel would float
went below and examined the damage.
The holes in the side of the poor old Ala
bama were large enough to admit a wheel
barrow. | returned to the deck and re-
ported to the admiral that the vessel
would not float ten minutes longer.
Strike the colors, Mr.. kell,' he said
it will not DO ia the nineteenth century
to sacrifice every man we have on board.
If we must be sunk after our colors are
down, we will go to the bottom with
every man at his post Upon hearing
this order, every man stood silently at his
post. As soon as the Kearsarge ceased
firing, | went over the decks and ordered
every mau TO secure what be could to
cling 10 aud then to jump overheard.
This order was issued to prevent any of
the crew from being carried down in the
vortex made b. the sinking ship. But
two men went down with her, One was
a man who had deserted from a Yankee
vessel, and the other was a carpenter,
who, poor fellow, could not swim. He
Jumped overheard, but afterwaId climbed
back into the ship. In all the last sad
and dangerous moments before the Ala
bama sank there was no fear nor hurry
upon the part of the men. Everything
was done quietly, as ifthe crew were pre-
pairing for an ordinary ship inspection.
The Alabama's total loss in the action
was nine killed and twenty-)E wounded.
Ten others were drowned after the ship
sank.
admiral Semmes and l were among
the last to leave the ship. l stripped
myself to my underclothes, and was
about to pull off my boots, when a sail
or stepped up TO me and said: Lieu
tenant, let me pull off your boots l
yielded to his request, and, while exam
ming the man, discovered that he was
one whom l had been compelled to
punish a number of times. Notwith-
standing, he was anxious to do me a IA
yor.
"A number of incidents similar to
this, occurring both to me and to Adj
miral Semmes. served to show how de-
voted the sailors of the Alabama were
to their officers. When Admiral Semmes
and l jumped into the water the ship
was rapidly settling. After swimming
off a few yards l turned to see her go
down. AS the gallant vessel. the most
beautiful | ever beheld, plunged down
to her grave, | had it on my tongue to
coll - ,Lo ,Aan urhA cfu,,rEny in
the water, to give three cheers for her !;
but the dead that were floating around
me, and the deep sadness l felt at part
ing with the noble ship that had been
my home SO long, deferred me. In all
the two years Of the Alabama career,
| was off the ship but twenty-five hours.
Down she went, she that had never bad
a home within the country she SO gal
lantlv served. She had been christened
on the broad seas, and now she met her
death and burial upon the same bosom
that had qulvered at the sound of the
cheers uttered when she was named. A
fitting end. No fOeman ever trod her
deck as victor"
There was a silence for a few mo-
ments. broken only by the exclamation
of an enthusiastic friend sitting near me:
If that eight-inch shell had but ex-
ploded, what a different tale Captain
kell could tell"
"More?'' said the captain. ''There
is but little more to tell. After those
of us who were rescued by the Deer
hounds boats had been transferred to
that vessel. Mr.. Lancaster and his wife
treated us with the most distinguished
kindness. At the suggestion of Adj
miral Semmes, Mr.. Lancaster carried
US to Southampton. When we reached
that place / borrowed a pair of trousers
and a pair of carpet slippers from Mr..
Lancaster and walked from the landing
to the hotel in my shirt sleeves. The
proprietor Of the hotel treated the adj
miral and me as if we were princes. In
fact. he was at some pains to tell us
that the rooms he had prepared for US
had been but recently occupied by a
prince. The next day the admiral and |
went to a t%ailor's to buy some clothes.
The tailor invited us back to his private
apartments and insisted On our parta-
king OF cake and wine. While we were
enjoying the feast the tailor, who had
left the rooms, returned and said, Sen
tlemen, l shall have to request you to
return to your hotel. Your presence
here has completely blocked business
On this street. When we went out we
found that the street was packed with
thousands of people who had come to
catch a glimpse of US. Policemen had
to clear a way back to the hotel for us.
The English, a theart, were undoubtedly
with the South. During our stay in
England they showed us distinguished
attention in a thousand ways. Many
young men from the very best families
were anxious to join Us in our new
ship.'