Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1886-05-12
The "Alabanar In Action.

From an account Of @Life on the Confed-
crate Vessel Alabama" By one Of her sail
ors, In the Century, we quote the following:
SWe got everything ship shape, and left
Cherbourg for our last cruise on q bright
Sunday morning, June 10. We were es-
corted by a French armored vessel, and
when We got outside We could see the keaf:
sarge awaiting us, about four miles away.
Captain Semmes made US q short speech,
which was we'll received, though it seemed
odd to me that an American should appeal
to an Englishman's love Of glory to animate
him to fight the speakers own countrymen.
But we cheered, and the French ship leay-
ing us, We steamed straight for the Kear-
sarge. There is no doubt that semmes was
Hurried, and commenced firing too soon.
We were, / should say, Hearty a mile away,
and l do not think a single shot told. The
enemy circled around us; and did not re-
turn fire until within seven or eighl
hundred yards, and then she let us have it.
The first shot that struck us made the ship
reel and shake all over. / was serving on
one of the thirty-two- Founders, and my
spopger was an old man-u'- wars man, who
remarked, after a look out of the port, we
might as we'll fire butter paddens as these
pop-guns; a few more biffs like that last
tkAiu VIC AuHy tuIu tuTtic. nc udu sCdTttlN
spoken when a shell burst under our pivot
OF the crew. What is wrong with the rifle
gum was asked. We don't seem to be do
ing the enemy any HARM while with slow
precision came the crash Of the heavy shell
of the Yankee. One missile that seemed
ms big rs a hsystack whizzed over oar heads,
taking q section Of the port bulwarks away,
fortunately missing the man that was
handling shot. He only remarked that he
believed the Yankee Was firing steam
bilers' ct US. Another shell struck us
amidshirs, causing the ship to list to port
so that one Of our guns weighing three
tons raced in, pinning enc poor fellow
against the polt-siil. He died before We
could get him clesr. This was the missile
that sank the Alabama. She's going
down. was the cry, and all was confusion.
Another shell struck above the water-line,
and the vessel lceled like q drunken man.
The dead and wounded were lying about the
deck, which was red with blood. Our off,
GERS did their duty and the men at once be-
gan to get up the wounded. The cutter
and launch were in the water, and the Off
GERS were trying 10 keep the men back till
the wounded were all in; but certainly many
of them were left, for | saw several on the
berth deck when / went below, and the
boats were then full and pushing off. When
it was certain that the ship was sinking, all
order was at an end. l had fl0 and n watch
in a locker between decks, and | ran below,
but they were gone.
"'All hands on deck-ship's going DOWN.
was called, and l had just got on the upper
step of the forward companion way when
the water, entering the ~berth-de ports.
forced the air up and almost carried me off
my legs. l cast my eyes around for a mo-
ment. Old Gill, with his head crushed
under the carriage Of the eight-inch gun,
was lying there. his brawny hands clinching
the breast of his jumper. just as the wa
ter came over the stern I went over the port
bulwarks. ! was q good swimmer, and had
not been in the water five minutes when a
French pilot-bo came running past, and
a brawny fellow in petticoats and top-boots
dragged me out of the water"