The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-02-20
msrdbRy OF TnE KEARsARaE.
A Notkhern and a Southern View of
the Famous Vessel.

the Famous Vessel.
THE famous ~coryste Kearsage Was
wrecked on the reef Iii Roncador, two
hundred miles FROM the coast Of Gen.
trial America, on thel2pd of February,
1894. The steamer City OF Para was
sent from Colon, isthmus of Panama,
to rescue the ofiicers and crew of the
Kearsarge and take them to New York.
The Kearsarge was one of the oldest
vessels in the Navy with a splendid
history. The event. with which the
vessel is most closely associated in the
public mind was its gallant fight with
the Alabama, the Ontederate priva-
teer, near ChecbOur& France, June 10, |
1854. AS the Merrinsc which was de.
stroycd by the Monitor, had inflicted
untold damage on the commerce of the
inland waters and along the coast Of
the United States, sostbe Alabama had
| preyed upon the comperce of the I'M
ion on the high seas. Even after the
Confederate Navy had been practically
annihilated the Alabana's commander,
Captain Semmes, Continued his depre-
datory work, and The destruction of
the vessel was greatly desired. After
the Naval Departmental been thor
oughly aroused against the vessel the
Alabama's commando managed for q
time to keep out of the way of Uncle
Sans war ships. Ultimately, however,
Captain Semmes entered the port of
C~herbourg for repairs, and Captain
Winslow, of the Keanarge, who had
been looking for the alabama vas mott
fled Of the fact. The Kearsarge was
hurried to the Frensh port with all
made for o big naval battle. The Kear-
sarge did not go into the harbor, but
sailed across the opening of the bay,
practically daring Senmes to combat.
The French Government objected to
having the fight take place within a
league of the shore, and when Captain
Winslow found that 8the enemy was
about to accept his challenge he steam
ed out to sea. The Alabama started
in pursuit, frequently firing her bow
chasers at the fugitive but the latter
did not deign to reply When within
a mile of the KearsaHge the Alabama
sent a ~broadside after ths Union man
of-war, but Captain Winslow still bid
ed his time. He manAeuvrere to get
the W vessels withiA a few hundred
yards when he opened tp q raking fire
that created great haSOc on the Ala
bama. Captain WinslSw's orders were
to fire the heavy guns hnder the water
line Of the Alabama, land to save the
, lighter guns for decA work at close
quarters. The v~esselsl however, never
grappled, and the Albania was de-
feated before the vessels could get to
close Quarters.
a peculiar thing about the fight was
: that the two vessels keptcircling about
) each other, and that They both de-
scrlbed seven distinct circles before
the Alabama finally ran D the white
/ flag. At that time all but two of the
heavy guns on the pdrt side of the
Confederate cruiser had been silenced.
After the white flag wont up, Captain
Wlnslow ordered the firing to cease,
but almost immediately afterward the
Alabama again opened up with her
+ two port guns. Winslow reopened
with his heavy guns, but finding the
white flag still flying, once more drew
b OH MS gunners. In a few moments q
, boat was lowered from the Alabama
and an officer from the rebel ship came
TO n kearsarge and informed Captain
/ WINSTON that the Alabama was sink
ing. Twenty minutes later the Alaba-
ma went down, stern first.
!, AS soon as Captain Winslow was IN
formed that the Alabama was going
down, he ordered out the K~earsarge's
boats topick up the officers and crew
OF the rebel ship. The English yacht
Deerhould was in sight and her owner
John Lancaster, was requested to as
slst In the work of rescue. He did it
only too voll. He picked up Semmes
and all tue officers and hurried them
to land, thus dcpriving Captain Wins
low OF his awful prisoners. This action
on the part Of the Englishman led to a
serious International QUESTION. which
nf mo ff,,.t II,
this county and Great britain. Dur
ing the fight many casualties occurred
on board the AlabamaI while only
three persons we're wounded on the
k~earsarge.l One of these afterward
died.-Ciago Inter-Ocean.
a SOUTHERN view.
The lfcltents of the fight arc too
well knd~Ito require repetition. 1t
was n nl1lmportant engagement at
sea during the war, as The sinking of
the Hattdra3 by the Alabama in sight
OF the Uhit3d States Gull squadron
scarcely tmunted to IN engagement,
and the KeA'sarge, as tile victorious
ship, has eniged her peculiar honors
ever since wEhout Il rival The Hart
ford, Farragtfs flag ship. tas popular
at the North ferhaps as the Kcarsaroe,
put her ighs were fought and hor
lame was woltn smooth water, and in
company witlbther ships.l
me SouthSn people admire good
hghtlng, on lad and sea, aad they are
disposed to dhy to the Hatford and
the k~earsareA any measure OF the
honor they dServe for their part in
the war. Wqthink, hoYsver, that
most eX-Confderates have a much
higher regardlfor the Hattford, for
tne reason th$ she was hot only a
good hard figlter, ready to give and
TAKE, but "fouht fair" wihal. The
hearsarge fougt her famotR battle in
suls armoA cquippedsn that re-
sPect IKE due1st with a oat of mail
ma under her sirt. and the Alabama
iought her notbnly in Ignorance of
Gnat lact, u wiz spoiled Ammunition.
me TWO ships we're we'll matched
otherwise, and TN K~earsarn. instifed
her trick by her bccess, and was cnr-
Calhly not responYblc for thecondition
of her Observation-Disclosures.
II Is worthy olnote, perhps, that
Ine commanders 4 both the Eearsarge
hold the highest lace in til. aGmirao
lion or our Northdp friends, sere both
southern men. fhragut was a Louis
lanlan by birth an Winslowa North
Carollnlan.-New Ad Couricf
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