New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-06-17
THE KEARSARGE SAILS AWAY.
bound FOR PORTAUPRINCE, HAYTI.


ALMOST TWENTY-FIVE YEARS SINCE HEB
FAMOUS BATTLE WITH THE ALABAMA.
Immediately after the large blue pennant OF Rear
Admiral Gherartl had been holstrd n the mizzen and
the handsome American flag had been hoIsted 10 the
ga1 Of the sloop KearSargc yesterday morning.
the officers and called quarters, the vessel
was inspected by the Admiral and Captain Shepard,
and then the last hawser which moored her TO the
bukhead cast of and she steamed out into the
river on her way 10 Port Prince Hayt She passed
under the Bridge in convoy OF the Navy tug Nina, at
10 AS a. m and the great crowd which had assembled
on the Bridge gave the famous old vessel round OF
cheers she passed under. She went directly down
through the Narrows, and as she will steam all tho
way will reach her destination in about six days.
1t Is expected that the vessel will not remain away
longer than month"; and II it necessary that another
vessel be SENT the Galcna Will probably be the
Those who recalled the famous fight between the
Kearsarge and Alabama, outside the harbor OF Cher
bourg, France, Juno 10, 1864, also recalled
the fact that the battle fought on Sunday, and
that II was somewhat appropriate for her to begin
the present expedition 10 the troubled island OF
Hayt on Sunday. 1t was the intention of tho Of
acers and crew Of the Kearsarge to have special
entertainment on board of the ship on Wednesday,
In celeb ration Of the twentyffth anniversary OF the
Kearsarge- Alabama fight, the battle which sent the
Confederate privaeer TO the bottom, and made Cap
tain Raphael Semmes, q criminal escaped hom Jus
tice.n
As she appeared going down the Bay yesterday,
the Kearsarge appeared TO be the identical ship that
she was when Captain John +. Wmslow challenged
the noted pirate Scmmcs, 10 battle with HIM Tho
commanders about Of the age, and they had
served together rs midshpmen, as hcutnnants and
as commanders under the Stars and Stripes, but the
latter chose early in 1851 TO violate his oath OF 10y
atty and join the forces of the Conioder%y
Tho Alabama was buh in British port, and never
rhn
the Confederate states, by which sho was
commissioned. She obtained her supplies mostly from
British ports and they paid for. as well as the
salaries of the officers aud by British gold drawn
upon bills against the Confederate States
The Kearsargc was an Amcrcan-built wooden war
vessel Her rtiddcr-post, with the heavy projeculc
which was lodged in II from Of the Alabama's
guns Is now at the smithsonian Institution at Wash
ington. Had that shell exploded II would no DOUBT
Alabama would have been the victor. In that battle
tho kearsarges battery consisted OF TWO eIcycnnsh
gun, and four light smooth borc thirty two-pound"iS
The Alabamas battery was one llO-Iounder Hne
of tho former numbered los, and Of the latter l4o
The battery Of the kcarsarGe Of today consists oi Two
bore Dahlcfrn guns: four O-lnch smooth bore guns
one FOUNDER brCech loading rhC, one HOtChhsa IT
volying rife. and one Calling gun ., ,,o x.,r
sarge. he made the boast that he would no" the
could % S., IA chance to fir. gun And 50 confident
were the of"e Of the French man -Of-War CoTnne
and those OF he English yacht Dcerhourd. owned by
semmess T.rsonai friend and aide John " Lane ascr
of Lancahe, that both vessels accompanied the Ala
bama cut Of the hsrtor to see the blowing up. ...
the Kearssse had fr"d her first gun Scmmes saw that
s Gn snS h noRs ryHr wai to 10 Do GSf ao b G e
circles in the dS,S Of about SIX mile, vo Inc hn1
pierced the Alabama below tho water line and that
vessel began to sink. sennes ran mp tie white nag
tka hut