The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-09-02

EeDel uagsnlp, came To-
luctantly out of friendly waters to meet
the Union gunboat. which for very shame
she dared not refuse to fight. The Alabama
hao never before tackled anything of It's
own kind. 1t had been O dlsreputable com-
merce-destroying tramp and knew not the
first syl liable of honorable warfare. 1t was
the second cruiser built in England for
the confederates, and its career be.
gan in July. 1862. She was called
service. ser The sso ssc was a vessel of 500 tons tons
burden. $50 feet in length. 80 feet beam.
and, when provIsIoned and coaled for q
cruise. drew fifteen feet OF water. Her
model was OF the most perfect symmetry,
and she sat upon the w ater with the light.
ness and grace of swan. She as berken-
tine rugged, with long lower masts that en-
abled her to carry large fore and aft sails.
which are of SO much Importance TO
steamer In most weathers. She was OF the
hghtest build compatible With strength.
and was. in fact, constructed with the one
idea of making her an efficient commerce
destroyer. She was fast steamer but her
two modes or iocomotion were independ-
ent of each other.
The Kearsarge was one of the first gun
boats built at our navy yards
at the commencement OF the re-
belliOn. and lacked the improvements
of the later vessels. Yet this is the pa
when writing of his pirate ship: Tho
poor old Alabama was not now what she
had been. She was like the weary fox
hound. limping back alter long chase.
fOOtsoro and longing Tor quiet anu repose!
Her commander. like herself. was we'll
nigh worn down. NIgils by day and night.
the storms and the drenching rain. the fre-
Quent aud rapid change of Climate-nOw
freezing. now melting or broiling. and the
constant excitement of the chase and cap
ture-had laid. In the three years OF wnr he
had been afloat. q load of dozen years
upon his shoulders. The shadows of a sOr-
rowfui future, too. began to dawn upon
his spirit"
Longing for quiet and repose" was good.
The kearsarge. clumsy as she was CON-
pared with the pirate Alabama, was calcu-
lated to make the rebel commander expert
ence tired feeling and desire for seclu-
sion. which he sought In the herbor of
Cherbourg. France. He wanted to dry
dock there, but the French admiral
couldn't see IL that way. The kear-
sarge. which, under Captain Wins
low, had been put IN commission
for the express purpose of running
down the Alabama tramp. reached Cher
bourg ten days after leaving the United
states. After steaining into port and COM
municatIng with the authorities, the Kear.
sarge steamed out to q station just Oft the
breaKwateT. where &c could watch its prey.
and waited DEVELOPMENTS. There was bus
one thing for the valiant Semmes to do,
and that was to fight. He was caught like
n rat In a hole. SO he sent the Kearsarge
word that he would wipe it out of exist
ence In the course OF few days. If his
tory does not lie. the rebel pirate reckoned
without his host. Yet. despite the fact
that he said afterwards that he had no time
to prepare for fight. he spent four days IN
getting ready. ard could have had more
time II he had desired.
BEFORE THE FIGHT.
It was on q Sunday morning. June 70.
1864. when Semmes screwed his courage up
TO the sticking point and started ont to do
up" tho kearsarge. but he failed TO find in
Captain Winslow and the Kearsarge a Sec
ond Captsin Bell and Hatteras. Before
steaming out to meet the Kea rssrge the
commander of the Alabama lined up his
officers and men. all dressed in their best
Sunday clothes. and thus addressed them:
Officers and seamen or tho Alabama-You have
at length another opportunity OF meeting the
enemy-fhe first that has been presented 10 you
since you sunk the Hatteras. In the meantime
you have been all over the world. and IL Is not
too much to sag that you have destroyed aud