Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-08
KEARSARGE AND ALABAMA
The Famous Fight Which Was Won by
the Good Old Ship.
The Battle That Formed the Chief
That Has Succumbed to the Waves.

me battIe Thot Formed the Chfer
Glory I'm the Career of the Vessel
That Has succumbed to the Waves.
The kearsarge was chiefly famous for
It's fight with the Alabama, the confeder-
ate cruiser, which had become a scourge to
American commerce. This great sea fight
occurred Off Cherbourg, France, Sunday,
June ID, 1854 That morning the Kearsarge
lay OFT and on the mouth of the harbor of
Cherbourg, France. The Alabama was es-
corted out of the harbor by the French
frigate Couronne to a distance three ma
rine miles from the Shore when the for
eigner turned back, seeing that the battle
was to be fought outside of French juris-
diction. The Kearsarge had put out to
sea- it being the intention of Capt.
Winslow. who commanded the ship. to
draw his adversary as far away from
neutral territory as possible.
Bearing Down Upon Each Other.
When about seven miles off shore. and at
IL o'clock, Capt Winslow put his helm
down. the ship came about, and was head
ed direct for the enemy. The two vessels
seemed as If they were trying to run each
other down. but when they had approached
within mile Of each other they suddenly
sheered aside
pun Of white smoke ran along the Ala
bama's side; then the boom of great gans,
and the crew of the Kearsarge listened to
the hurting of solid shot through the air.
The aim was not good and the missiles
whistled harmlessly through the rigging.
dropping into the sea far to windward or
falling short Of their mark. Capt. Winslow
increased his speed. bearing down upon
the enemy silently at the pace of race
horse without be A IL
bama fired two more broadsides with no
better effect than the first one. The crew
OF the kearsarge stood grimly by their
guns knowing that their time was coming
soon.
When the two ships were less than a
thousand yards apart the Kearsarge sheer
ed a bit and let the enemy have her star
board battery. Its effect was instantly
seen. The crash of timbers was plainly
heard as the solid shot plowed through
the Alabamas frame.
A great shout went up from the Kear-
sarge and Capt Winslow, looking at the
enemy, saw that one of his shot had car
ried away the Alabama's ensign, and as IL
huttered down the Union sailors took it as
good omen and cheere1 1t. Another en-
sign was quickly hoisted at the mizzen
Both ships appeared to be afraid of
being raked fore and aft and, keeping
their helms hard down. they moved in a
circle, banging away with starboard bat
teries at a distance of a little less than half
a mile apart By the time a half dozen
broadsides had been exchanged Capt.
Winslow noticed that the enemy's fire was
rapid, so rapid in fact as to make the
aim inaccurate His own gunners. how
ever. were most deadly deliberate and every
shot was made to tell. Even the men could
see this effect and vented their appre-
citation of il in cheers.
On the Decks of the Kearsarge
They warmed up to action and jackets
anC shirts were peeled off while the tars
worked the great 9-inch pivot gun with
will. There was no disorder on the Kear-
sarge Notwithstanding the enthusiasm, and
each man kept his station, fulfilling his
duty with the regularity of clock work.
In the early part of the fight a sixty
FOUNDER shell exploded on the quarter deck
of the Kearsarge and wounded three men
at the after pivot gun. They were quickly
carried below and only those Immediately
around them knew than any one had been
hurt. A few minutes after this the ships
bell sounded the fire alarm, but this most
dreaded of summons aboard ship caused
no relaxation of the work at the guns.
crew had been detailed for just such
an emergency and they rushed to their
quarters A shell had exploded in the ham,
mock MEETINGS, setting the ship on fire, but
the fire was soon extinguished.
After having gone eight times around the
circle in which the two ships were fighting
II was seen that the Alabama was settling
by the stern. Her commander evidently
realized her condition. for he put about
with the intention of escaping into neutral
waters. When she came around 1t was
seen that only two guns of her port bat
terry were working. Her side was shot
away. The kearsarge poured another
deadly volley into the already disabled ship.
A White Flag.
At this last broadside a white flag was
shown over the stern of the Alabama and
small boat was dispatched to the Kear-
bn dacl resd fho
render of the Alabama and begged for as
sistance. The Alabama was sinking fast
and her decks were incumbered with dy-
ing and wounded men. Her small boats
were shot away and unless help was
promptly rendered all must drown.
While the Kearsarge yet remained some
distance away from the wreck the shatter-
ed hulk plunged out of sight, sinking stern
foremost in 2I5 feet of water. An English
yacht which had been watching the battle
steamed up and at the request of Capt.
Winslow commenced to rescue the Ala
bama's crew, who were floating around on
spars and bits of wreckage. She picked up
Capt Semmes, Executive Officer Kell.
twelve officers and twenty-siX men, and i'm
mediately sailed for English waters. Nine
sailors and Surgeon Lewelyn were drown
ed Nine of the crew were killed outright
and twenty-one were wounded.
This was the end of the famous Alabama,
which for two years had secured the seas
in every quarter of the globe, destroying
federal shipping valued at S15,OOO.OO0 and
virtually sweeping the merchant flag of
the United States from the ocean. The
fight was prearranged. A week before
while the Kearsarge lay at anchor off
Flushing, Capt. Winslow was advised that
the Alabama in the harbor of Cher
bourg He Immediately set sail for that
port, where he found the Alabama. The
Alabama had put into Cherbourg for re-
pairs. and when Commander Semmes saw
the Kearsarge he sent her a challenge to
fight 1t was accepted with the result as
shown.
The two ships were almost evenly match
ed in size and armament, but the Kear-
sarge possessed one vital advantage which
proved her salvation. Her sides were
sheathed with heavy chain cable. forming
an impenetrable barrier of iron, but which
was concealed by thin covering of deal
boards. Virtually, therefore. she was an
armored man-of-war fighting an unarmored
cruiser Capt. Semmes has often said he
would not have fought the Kearsarge had
he known that her sides were protected
with chain cable. The only shot which
struck the Kearsarge that could have done
any damage was the shell which lodged in
her stern post--the shell which did not ex-
plode
The piece Of the sternpost Of the Kear-
sarge, in which the unexploded shell Is i'm
bedded, Is preserved in the naval museum
in the navy yard in this city as an inter-
esting relic Of the war During the @. A.
r. encampment here in September. 1892,
full-siZed reproduction of the Kearsarge
formed the central attraction Of Reunion