The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1892-10-25
TRUTH OF HISTORY.
CAPTAIN KEEL CEITICIES NAVAL
OF,FICER'S STORY.
The Sinking of the AIabamn-He Points Out
tho Falsities in the Narrative of Paymas-
ter Smith-About the Famous Battle.

Editor Constitution.--May / ask the use
OF your widely circulated paper TO reply
TO the Thrilling Narrative Of the Great
Naval Battle in which the Alabama was
sunk as told by one raymaster Smith,
united States Navy, who is stated to have
dropped his usual business TO man a gun"
This article l have just noticed III The
Washington Post of September 22nd, 1882
'To err is human but to lie is damnable
Notwithstanding said Smith was enter
tanning to Mr. Vice President Morton and
Hon. Secretary Tracy, l wish herewith to
expose the falsities of his narrative, and
again to state (as l have already done
through the columns of The Century Mag
Rzine) the truth of history.
To take this narrative in details, / will
here state for the honor and reputation of
the United States Navy lin which l had
the honor of serving officer for twenty
years before the war between the StateS)
that upon going into battle, no officer or
man would be allowed to leave the station
in battle and according to usagas in the
navy; Paymaster Smiths station WAS below
deck in charge of the powder division.
This remarkable narrative states that Pay
master Smith dropped his usual business
to man a gun.
So much for the first statement, which
reflects directly on the .iciplIneS of the
famous kearSarge, and the decentralization of
both officers and crew. Now us to the con-
struction of the Alabama, she was built
for speed of light material trather than
for bat+le) to destroy the enemyS commerce
which she did, most effectually. he kear-
sarge was built for a war ship, of heavier
timber and protected by chain arInor.
Again while the Alabama carried one more
gun, viz: Eight guns. consisting of one-siX-
ty-eight FOUNDER pivot smooth bore, one
one hundred FOUNDER pivot rife and six
thrty-tWO FOUNDERS, III brOad-sght. The
Kearsarge carried seven guns, VIZ: Two
eleven-inch pivot, smooth bore, ono twenty
eight FOUNDER rife and four thirty-tUO
Founders in broad sight, showing from the
celibre of the guns that the Kcarsarge
threw more metal at a broadsde, than did
the Alabama.
Again, the crew of The Kearsarge, Pay
the Alabama carried 40 men. So much
for the superiority of The chain arIn0rCd
ship "Kearsarge' throwing more metal and
carrying more men than the light built
wooden ship, 'The Alabama NJ
Captain Semmes challenged Captain Win
slow to meet him In n fair fight as he sup
posed not with chain armor under an outer
garment, which duplicity he ms not aware
of until after the fight. when the officer
] had sent to the Kearsarge to asl that
boats be sent 10 save our wounded rep0r-
ted to me on board the Yacht Deerhound
'that orr shot had torn off the sheeting
and exposed the chain armor that securely
encased the Kearsarge."
will now quote from Paymaster Smith.
the closing scene of the fight, md prove
him false. by his own cant lin:
AT last a gun of the Alabama seemed to
he silent and she settled perceptibly by the
stern A moment later she spread her
head sails and fOretrysails sheets and
turned her PROV away from tho Kearsarge,
and made for the coast of France. where
she would be safe. Her flag temporarily
but was seen again soon,
>uIgh her fire slackened. The kearsarge
seteamed across the enemys
the eleven-inch Dahlgreen, the
% s~~,"~ 80 ard the How
forth their |
Kearearge did |
evident that |
2alise for |