Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1894-05-23

OF both ships, and aided by the power
full current, the combatants gradually
drew nearer the shore, until they came
within five miles of the French coast.
About noon, Capt Semmes, finding
that the rudder of his ship was becom-
ing unmanageable aud that the vessel
was rapidly filling, set all sail and
headed for the coast, hoping to reach
neutral waters and protection. The
Kearsarge, still in good form and not
much damaged, frustrated this design
by running across the bows of the Ala
bama, where she could rake the doomed
craft with her heavy guns. At this
point the Alabama struck her colors,
and ran up a white flag in token of
surrender.
Two guns were fired by the Alabama
after Winslow had ceased firing in
obedience to the signal of surrender,
and Winslow reopened hostiiites dur
ing the few moments that elapsed be-
fore the officer, dispatched by Capt.
Semmes for the purpose, reached the
Kearsarge and formally surrendered
the privateer. This unfortunate cir
cumstance may be readily understood
and partially excused when we consider
the condition in which the Alabama
was at that time, and the inevitable
confusion on board the sinking ship
1t is certain that Capt. Semmes did not
"give up the ship" until her fate was
unquestionably sealed, and that Capt
Winslow proposed to take no chances
of the battered wreck escaping into
neutral waters.
AT twenty minutes past 10, while the
Kearsarge was still several hundred
yards from her adversary, the Alabama.
with great plunge by the stern, her
bow raising high above the water, went
down in forty fathoms. Her crew
clung to boxes, spars aud other floating
wreckage drifting helpessly on the n.
Two of the boats of the Kearsarge,
which remained uninjured, were sent
to pick up the drowning men, and, the
Deernound coming within hail, Capt.
Winslow requested her master to aid
him i'll the work of rescue. The Deer
hound picked up Capt. Semmes and
several Of his officers and seaman. aud
made off for the English coast. Capt.
Winslow was loath to recognize this
exhibition of British tfeachery, and
was too busy with his humane work to
give chase until the Deerhound was
well out of reach. With the assstancs
of two French pilot boats the survivors
were picked up, and about clock the
Kearsarge started for Cherbourg with
seventy prisoners on board.
The success of the Kearsarge was un-
doubtedly due to the intelligence and
bravery of her officers and crew. Her
guns were well served, while much of
the Alabama 8 fire was wasted OF the
$40 shots fred by the Alabama only
twenty eight hit the Kearsarge and
only fourteen "hulled" her. AS we
have already remarked, the gunners on
the Kearsarge were Americans, and
those on the Alabama were chiefly, if
not entirely, British. Much stress has
been laid upon the fact that portions of
the Kearsarge's sides were protected
with armor. The truth is that her coal
bnnkers which, from their position,
normally afforded partial protection
to her engines and boilers when full.
were at this time empty. and the
armament" consisted simply of sheet
cables stopped from her upper works
and covered with inch boards, afford
ing no better protection than would the
coal bunkers had they been filled,,
which they were not. The Alabama's 3
bunkers were full.
The news of this splendid victory
filled the North with enthusiasm, and
gave the name of "Kersarge" place
of high honor and reverence.
The career of the Kearsarge since
1864 has been uneventful, as is always
that of man of war in time Of peace.
She was partially rebuilt and rearmed;
has served on the various foreign and
domestic stations; has seen her effec-
tiveness dwindle and disappear before
the prestige of ships of iron and steel,
and was recently employed in the
rather commonplace duty of blowing
up "derelicts. At the time of her dis.
aster she was flagship of the North At
lantic Squadron, and carried the pen
nant of Rear Admiral Stanton, who
was on board.
Visitors to the National Encampment
of the Grand Army of the Republic at
Washington in September, 1892, will
RENE mber that one of the great attrac-
tions on that occasion was model of
the Kearsarge, which was erected on
the white Lot" 1t will ever be q
source of regret that this famous old
vessel was not put out of commission
and into n place of safety before she
met her fate in the Caribbean Sea. A
gallant craft of such historic memory
deserved better treatment and less
cruel fate Washington Post.
If King Solomon was alive he would
now say: "Go to the travelling man,
learn his ways, and be wise." Mr.. G.
W. Battell, a Cincinnati travelling man
representing the Queen City Printing
Ink Co., after suffering intensely for