The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-02-17
OLD GLORY'S CHILD.
THE KEARsARGE BATTLE WITH
THE ALABAMA.
1t Happened on June 10, 1864, and
Was a Great and Thrilling Naval
Contest, witnessed by Many.

The remains of that staunch old yes
sci, the Kearsage, are now being grad
ually pounded to pieces on Roncador
reef, in the Caribbean sea, and while
Ian good Americans regret the fate of
1 the historic vessel, there are none old
or young-but who will take pride in
the following brief description of her
victorious fight with the Alabama, as
portrayed by the New York Morning
Journal
On Sunday, June 10, 1864, one of the
hottest battles in the history of naval
warfare was fought about six miles
outside of the harbor of Cherbourg,
France. This was the celebrated duel
between the United States warship
kearsage and the terrible Alabama.
the dreaded man-of-war of the Confed-
crate navy. The popularity of this en-
gdsement was that it was regularly
arranged meeting, for which chal-
lenge had been sent and accepted. Cap
tam Semmes, the gallant commander of
the Alabama, notified Captain Wins
low, the equally brave commander of
the Kearsage, that he had come to
Cherbourg for the purpose of fighting
and begged the latter to remain outside
I
could get ready to meet the enemy
captain Winslow replied that he, too
had come thither to fight, and that he
mad no intention of steaming away
without having met the Alabama
Several days were consumed by the
Aiabama in taking supplies, coal, ETC.,
during which interval the Kearsage
waited patiently just outside the three
mile neutrality line.
AT 1920 o'clock on the Sunday of the
engagement, while the officers and crew
| of the Kearsage were attending divine
services, the dreaded southerner was
seen approaching, escorted by the
small steamer Deerhound, of the Royal
Mersey Yacht club.
1.-The Alabamar'
| This warning cry was echoed through
out the ship, the services ended abrupt
| ~ and the drum beat to general quar-
ters
The French frigate accompanied the
Alabama only as far as the three-miIe
limit but when the Kearsage steamed
away to point some six or seven miles
from the coast, pursued by the Alaba-
am, the British yacht followed the war
ships to the scene of action.
Captain Winslow tried to run the en-
envy down, but the Alabama sheered
ana fhe two vessels presented their
lStarboard batteries to each other. At
1887 o'clock the Kearsage, while ad-
Vancing at high speed, received a broad
side of solid shot at /, 800 yards that
cut away part of her rigging. Two
more broadsides We're fired by the Ala
bama with like effect. At 800 yards the
Kearsage sheered to avoid raking.
and opened with her starboard battery
The Federal vessels attempts to run
under the Confederate ships stern for
raking were frustrated by the clever
Handling of the Alabama, which kent
her broadside on and substituting shell
| for solid shot, poured furious fire into
| the Kearsage at distances varying
from a quarter to half a mile. The
Alabama's spanker gaff was carried
away and her ensign came down. The
men Of the Kearsage cheered Justify.
accepting this an omen of victory, but
I the crew Of the Alabama sent back an
answering yell and hoisted the ensign
at the mizzen.
Fierce enthusiasm prevailed on both
ships, Which, sailing around a, common
centre, continued to send death-dealing
lbroadSideS into one another. The gun
nerS of the Alabama were not so sure
| of aim during the early part of the en-
gagement, which saved the Kearsarge
from much of the suffering she herself
sustained. Of the Kearsarges crew
only three of 1853 men were injured Sc
lriously, although nearly twice as many
I
Alabama as by the union vessel. The
quarterback of the Alabama was so
encountered by the mangled bodies of
the dead that First Lieutenant Kell was
obliged to have some of them thrown
overheard before he could fight the
after pivot-gun.
Immediately after the eighth rotation
on the circular track had been begun
Captain SemmeS made all sail in a
lfruitless attempt to reach the French
coast Only two guns of the Alabama
were bearing when she presented her
port battery in winding. Great gaps,
! Through which the dancing white caps
poured, were in her port SIDE now seen
for the first time by the crew of the
Kearsarge. Captain Winslow pursued,
keeping to a line nearer the shore.
! Only few more shots were required
to sink the Alabama. She settled rap
idly, and sixty-two minutes after the
beginning of the duel she struck her
colors.
BY som accident, it is alleged.
| through the hot-headedness of two
Junior officers, a couple of shots were
fired by the Alabama after she had
hauled her ensign down. Captain Wins
low, thinking this a trick, sent another
broadside of shot and shell crashing
| through the enemys sides. A white
4 flag was displayed over the Alabama's
IStefn, ana ner ensign was nOlSted to
half-mast, union down.
Boats from the Alabama came along
side the Kearsarge. reported surrender,
and asked for aid. Captain Semmes
and his officers and crew jumped into
1.-THE sea. The wounded were taken off
| in the quarter-boats.
At 1924 o'clock the Alabama's bow
pitched upward, and she went down,
stern first.
The yacht Deerhound rescued Cap
| tain Semmes, First Lieutenant KelI,
twelve other officers and twenty-six
seamen of the Alabama and carried
them to England Seventy others of
the officers and crew were saved by
the Kearsarge and taken to Cherbourg,
where the wounded were attended by
| the French authorities.
| Fifteen thousand persons witnessed
this celebrated fight, and it was the
talk of the world for long time 1t
also gave rise to more controversy than
almost any other naval battle of mod
ern ages.
! All Sorts.
1t is supposed that a hen lays an