The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-05-11
THE "ALABAMA."
The Confederate Cruisers
Last Engagement.
How She Was Sunk by the 'Kearsarge''
OFF the French Coast.

vi al oSSounC VI Ill Ou CuC ALI
bama," by one of her sailors, in the Gen.
tury, we quote the following: eve got
everything ship-shape and left Chcrbourg
for our last cruise on a bright Sunday
morning, June 10th. We were escorted
by a French armored vessel, and when
we got outside we could sec the Kearsarge
awaiting us, about four miles away.
Captain Semmes made us a short speech
which was we'll received, though it seemed
odd to me that an American should ap-
peal to an Englishman's love of glory to
animate him to fight the speakers own
countrymen. But VIC checred, and the
French ship leaving us, we steamed
straight for the Kearsarge. There is no
doubt that Semmes was Hurried and COM
mcnced firing too soon. We were, I
should say, nearly a mile away, and I do
not think q single shot told. The enemy
circled around us and did not return u
fire until within seven or eight hundred
yards and her she let us have it. The
first shot that struck us made the ship
reel and shake all over. I was serving on
one of the t~hirty-two Founders, and my
sponger was m old man-o'-war's man,
who remarked, after a look out of the
port, we might as we'll fire batter pud-
dens as these pop-guns: n few more biffs
like that last and we may turn turtle
He had scarcely spoken when q shell
burst under our pivot-gun, fitting it out
of range and killing five of the crew.
What is wrong with the rihc-gun2' was
asked. we don't seem to be doing the
enemy any HARM while with slow preci-
sion came the crash of the heavy shell of
the Yankee. One missile that seemed as
big Us O haystack whizzed over our heads,
taking a section of the port bulwarks
away, fortunately missing a man that
was handling shot. He only remarked
that he believed the Yankee was firing
'steam-b'ilcrs' at us. Another shell
struck us amidships, causing the ship to
list to port so that our gun weighing
three tons raced in, pinning one poor
fellow against the port-sill. He died be-
fore VIC could get him clear. This was
the missile that sunk the Alabama.
She's going down. was the cry, and all
was confusion. Another she'll struck
about the water-l1ne, and the vessel reeled
like a drunken man. The dead and
wounded were lying about the deck,
which was red with blood. Our officers
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
officers were trying to keep the men back
till the wounded were all in; but certain
ly many of them were left, for I saw sew
eral on the berth-dcck when I went be-
low, and the boats were hen full and
pushing off. When it was certain that
the ship was sinking, all order was at an
end. I had 910 and a watch in q lock-
er between decks, and I ran below, but
they were gone.
"tAl hands on deck-ship's going
DOWN. was called, and 1 had just got
on the upper step of the forward compan-
ion-way when the water, entering the
berth-deck ports, forced the dir up and
almost carried me off my legs. T cast
my eyes around for a moment. 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 water came over
the stern I went over the port bulwarks.
I wa a good swimmer, and had not been
in the water five minutes when a French
pilot-boat came running past, and a
brawny fellow in petticoats and top-boots
dragged me out of the water"
The Thirteen Superstitfon.