The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-13
TIE FORECASTLE
What Our Naval Heroes Have to Say
About Their Cruises.
ALABAMA's FIRST PRIZE.
A Genuine New England Sea Captain.

one hear more thrilling Stories OF adventure
than those told by the retired seafaring men
IN ouiet old Edgartown, on Martha's Vineyard.
Cart Marryat's most startling tales pale away
before some Of the real adventures which these
daring sailors have actually encountered.
Aware of this, took occasion one evening
during recent visit to the island to tackle, ;"
in his cosy parlor, Capt. Abraham Osborn,
Familiarity called capt. Abe" and widely
known az one of the most courageous and sue
cessful navigators and whalers Of the old Bay
aThey tell me- Cap you were among the
first captures made by the Confederate pFi-
vateer Alabama2"
That's 50; my ship was the very first that
internal pirate took" responded laconically
this staiwart son of the sea.
Please then, tell us all about it, Cap; won't
@Oh. YES if you care to listen. It's some
time ago you see; yet, I'll never forget as long
as ] live how that hound of q craft sneaked in
upon us. Well. then, you see, was in COM
mand of my fathers vessel, the Oemulgee !"
Fcuriously enough named after river In Ala
bamal. ave left Edgartown on the I'd day of
Julv. 1862. steering toward the Azores, upon
reaching the vicinity Of which we were soon
busly engaged in taking sperm whales, with
every prospect of an unusual catch.
- Ii was on the 5th of September when in
latitude $50 40". longitude $50, having already
=
to with large whale lashed to our starboard
side. busy with preparations to render blubber
and take in bone when we noticed trim
steamer in the distance steering toward us,
observing SIS she came nearer that she carried
the British flag. When within easy hallIng
distance she hauled TO and lowered boat, that
made direct for our vessel. / was rather glad
TO see the craft, because we had been away
from home upward of two months, and
thought this would give me an opportunity to
send a letter TO my family. Throwing over a
rope ladder, despatched as / was all over with
grease I awaited the strangers arrival Won
derinp In nv mind what he came for. Very
soon a dapper little Lieutenant with an at
tcndant stepped On board saying:
Good day, Captain; you seem to have been
doing very we'll
Yes / replied, we have had a mighty
good season this time
sRWell. Captain the little Lieutenant then
smilingly said, you are prize to the Confed-
crate Cruiser Alabama: and then, with de-
termined air, added, hurry up, now; there is
no time to lose; yi,u must 20 on board of her
g Well won't say how felt but you may
bet ] was pretty mad about that time, and
therefore showed no haste about shifting quar-
tiers, whereupon that little bantling called out
again:
a. Be lively, Captain; hurry up! hurry up =
Just then was about as mad as could be,
and giving him an angry, determined look.
said:
Now, look here mean to take my time
shall first 20 and put on my best suit of
clothes; you are nothing more than pirate,
anyway
some further inPudence. which you bet ! re-
turned in kind. more forcible than elegant.
From the steamer they must plainly have
seen that there was some difficulty on our
quarterback The little Lieutenant suddenly,
without another word, abruptly turned, ran
down the ladder, entered his boat and made
for the steamer whose guns meanwhile were
run out completely covering our defenseless
craft.
i went below to change my clothes and
await further developments. Presently an
other officer Of the Al2bama First Lieut.. Cell
came on board. He spoke and acted very gen.
tlemanly 1t first, expressed regret that his or
ders compelled him 10 perform this unpleasant
duty. winding up by saying that after all
it WAS nothing more than had been done to
him BY those cursed black Republicans, who
had destroyed his property and run of his
slaves.
- Now. Captain added the Lieutenant ra-
Their kindly, you must make the best of ii
come, haul down your flag, and leave the vessel
at once; because she viii be set on fire right
away
That hauling down of the flag was rather
more than could stand, and ] firmly said:
No, sir; ! shall not haul down that 1agl'
q Then order one Of vour men TO do it. said
Che Lieutenant rather kindly.
- No, sir, I'll not do that; if you're mind
&C. do SO, you can. Lieutenant
FTherenpon he ordered first one then another
of my men to haul down the flag, but al
promptly refused, whereupon he approached Tho
halyards himself aud laid hands on the rope.
Just then Oneida, my dog, splendid speci
men of q Newfoundland, whom ] greatly
priced, and who. as it were, had all this time
kept alO0f suddenly sprang forward and il
one bound grabbed the Lieutenant in thu
region Of the waist, as much as TO say Dom
you dare, at the peril Of your life, to touch tina
fagl'
This, Of course, enraged the officer ant
drawing his revolver he instantly commenced
firing at the dog. 1t required four shots befor
he succeed in killing the noble brute, which
stood by its country's flag equal TO any man
This never-to- e-forgotten scene seemed for tn
time being TO have paraiyzed both myself AM
my crew, and realizing our utter helplesSnes
we submitted to our fate.
On reaching with my men the deck of tn
Alabama, was at once confronted by Capt
Semmes who commenced TO berate the North
and Massachusetts, in particular, in a manne
calculated to madden me more than ever. Yet
seeing as | did how completely j was in hi
power tried to contain myself, but when
ordered me to be put in double irons, for inso
lence TO his officers could hold still no longer
and said in words more sharp than choice
Capt. Semmes. you are simply taking
towards revenge; you should be ashamed {
YOURSELF
- was prompted TO say This because TIL
same Capt. Senmes you see, when Lieutenan
in the Federal service, had been in Edgartow
at one time upon Lighthouse business and o
that occasion was my fathers guest-the CUES
OF the very man whose vessel and her valuabl
freight be was just then maliciousiy setting o
fire. reminded him Of If, bat Ofcourse he denie
ever having stopped at my fathers house. ii
evidently was ashamed 10 own before his ow
crew that he was thus returning my father
hospitality.
begged to have him bond me and m
vessel, but in vain. He peremptorily ordere
her TO be burnt before my eyes
was kept in irons nine days. During tn
time, however, ] was frequently on deck an
had good opportunity for observation. / M
ticed, notwithstanding all his Boosting, that
soon the Captain of the privateer observe
smoke issuing from a sighted vessel he woul
instantly alter his course, evidently to ayo
an encounter with Federal gunboat ha'
seen him frightened several times by some
the harmless whaling crafts known by me
be in that region, and which happened at Il
time TO he rendering blnbber on board. Or
day ] was standing close by one Of the GU
listening to some of the officers speaking. The
were wishing they could only get sight of OF
Of those hateful Yankee gunboats How tht
would put her through. Just then an 0
British sar WIN .vnc fr, fha