Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-04-02

FROM an account Of Life on the Alaba-
ma" by one of her sailors, in the April Cen
tury We quote the following: 1--WE got ev-
erything ship-shape and left Cherbourg for
our Last cruise on a bright Sunday morning,
June l9th. We we're escorted by French
armored vessel, and when We got outside We
could see 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 appeal to an Englishman's love OF
glory TO animate him to fight the speakers
own countTymen. But We cheered, and the
French ship leaving us, we steamed straight
for the Kearsarge There is no doubt that
Semmes was hurried and commenced firing
too soon. We were, l should say, nearly a
mile away, and do not think q single shot
told. The enemy circled around US and did
not return our fire until within seven or eight
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
sponger was an old man o wars man, who
remarked after a look out of the port We
might as well fire batter puddens as these
pop guns few more biffs like that last and
we may turn turtle He had scarcely spoken
when shell burst under our pivot.gun,
fitting it out of range and killing five of the
crew. What is wrong with the rihe-gun 2
was asked. we don't seem to be doing the
enemy any harm, while with slow precision
came the crash Of the heavy shell of the
Yankee. One missile that seemed as big as
q haystack whizzed over our heads, taking q
section of the port bulwaTks away, fortunate
ly missing a man that was handling shot. He
only remarked that he believed the Yankee
was firing steam b'ilers 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 before We could get him
clear. This was the missile that sunk the
Alabama. Shes going down. was the cry,
and all was confusion. Another shell struck
about the waler-line, and the vessel reeled
| like drunken man. The dead and wounded
we're lying about the deck, which was red
with blood Our officers did their duty and
| the men at once began to get up the wound
| ed. The cutter and launch were in the wa.
ter, and the officers were trying to 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 be-
low, and the boats were then full and push
ing. When it was certain that the ship was
sinking, all order was at an end. had flC
aud a watch in locker between decks, and
ran below, but they we're gone.
"'All hands on deck-ship's going down
WAS called, and 1 had just got on the uppel
step of the forward compsnion-way wheI
the water, entering the berth deck ports
forced the air up and almost carried me of
my legs. cast my eyes around for mo
ment Old Gill, with his head crushed un
der the carriage of the eight inch gun, wa
lying there his brawny hands olinching the
breast of his jumper. just as the waite
came over the stern went over the port bul
waTks. l was good swimmer, and had no
been in the water five minutes when Frencl
pilot boat came running past and a brawnl
fellow in petticoats and op-boots dragged M
out Of the water"