News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-07-22
A PLUCKY SAILOR
Inc "haler Who Had His Vessel Sunk
Rather Than Surrender.

l was n of the first men who signed
papers with the Confederate cruiser the
Alabama, and my service in her did not
enc until she sailed into an English port
with the Confederate flag flying. You
Will thus realize that l participated in
the capture of several dozen Federal
merchantmen and whalers. There was
a sameneSs about u manner of making
captures which We were glad to have
broker now and then. It was very
rarely that a vessel was Overhauled dur
ing the night If we were in chase of
her we simply kept her in sight, or tried
TO, until daylight came. While we
could not anticipate any stubborn re-
slstsnce, the right sort of skipper might
IRE a volley into a boats crew, or 90 to
some other uncomfortable extreme. As
arnle, we had only to close in on our
victim, fire a solid shot across his course,
and he would heave to and put the best
face possible on q bad matter. Tn first
lieutenant would be sent off to him with
. boat and half a dozen marines, and in
the course of half an hour his fate would
be decided. If it were thought best to
bond him the papers were made out and
signed and he was permitted to go his
way. If his craft was to be DESTROYED,
the men were allowed to bring up their
clothing and knick-knacks, the officers
to pack up their personal effects. and in
! d of an hour the craft would be
ablaze and we would be sailing away in
search of another victim.
When we ran around in search of
whalers we came upon a Yankee skip
per who didn't know what surrender
meant. We were just well to the west
of the stormy cape, when, one morning
after breakfast, we raised a whaler. He
was headed up the coast, and about
DON we overhauled him. He paid no
attention to the first shot, and it was
only when the second one hulled him
that he came into the wind. 1t was
then seen that he had fifteen or sixteen
men aboard, and that all were armed
with muskets and meant to defend the
ship. The lieutenant was sent off with
his boat, but no oon was he in fair
musket range than the whaler opened
on him, killing one man and wounding
two at the first volley. The officer
pushed ahead and demanded a surren-
der, but he got another ,olley and the
reply that the whaler would go to the
bottom before he would surrender to a
uarned reDelf'
The boat was recalled and our gun
ners were instructed to hull the whaler
with solid shot. We approached him
within rife range and opened fire.
Every one of the balls pumped through
his side at and above the water line,
and he answered with his muskets. Sc
verely woundlng two men. He was re-
pestedly hailed to surrender, but in re-
ply he encouraged his men to maintain
their fire. We soon had the sea pouring
into his starboard side through q dozen
holes, and when it was seen that he
would soon go DOWN we ceased firing
and again demanded his surrender.
can remember just how he looked as he
sprang upon the rail-tall, gaunt, hair fly
ing and eyes blazing and shouted in reply:
The Ben Scott don't sur render!
Come and tske us-if YOU can" !
Five minute alter his craft settled
down how first. We lowered the boats |
to save his crew, and, strangely enough,
not a man was lost. When we brought
them aboard the Yankee skipper walked
up to Semmes bareheaded, barefooted
and coatless, and said:
"If I'd only have had one old cannon
aboard we'd have licked We out of yer
boots! Here we are, and what are We
going to do with us 2'
He was voted a jolly good fellow, and
the crew were better treated than any
other ever forced aboard. In order to
give them their liberty the very next
capture we made was bonded and they
were put aboard TO sail for home.