Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1894-02-15

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THE OLD KEARsARGE.
from the Mosquito Coast of Central
America. Between the coast and ia
reef lies old Providence Island onIv
seyenty-five or eighty miles to leeward
OF the reef. 1t is believed at
the Navy Department that the
on1cers ana crew would be
able to reach Old Providence without
dlfticulty IN case they were in danger of
tnelr Iyes on the reef and it is be-
lleved they would be safe on the reef
except IN event OF rough weather.
Nothing is known at the department as
to whether the Kearsarge has gone to
pieces. If she still holds together she
may not break up for some time unless
rough weather comes up, although the
tides and currents about the reef are
swift and dangerous.
Immediately upon receipt of the news
of the wreck the Navy Department sent
cable dispatch to Lieut.. Brainard at
Colon, ordering him to charter steam
er and proceed ut once to the relief of
the shipwrecked crew. The Roncador
Reef Is well known to mariners in those
waters as dangerous impeachment to
| navigation. Efforts have been recently
made to secure the erection of light
house on this point. Some time ago,
when Warner Miller and officers of the
Nicaragua Canal Company were on
their way to Nicaragua they were
wrecked on this same point
Admiral Stanton was on the Kear-
sarge. When the New York and De-
trolt were dispatched to Rio she was
made the flagship of the North Atlantic
squadron, and Admiral Stanton, after
the secretary of the navy had acted on
the report Of the salute of Mello in Rio
Bay, was ordered to proceed to Port AL
Prince and transfer his flag to the kear-
ton.
The kearsarge took part in and
won the most desperate naval duel of
the civil war. The fight occurred off
the coast of France, the kearsarge sink
ing the Confederate privateer Alabama
in | hour and 10 minutes, during which
100 solid shot were exchanged by the
two vessels. The Alabama was built in
England and was a wooden ship of
steam and sail. She waged war of ex-
termination on the merchant service of
the United States, and although several
attempts were made to destroy her
they were invariably unsuccessful.
Finally, early in the summer of 1864
Capt. J. A. Wiuslow, Of the kearsarge,
was ordered to hunt down and sink the
privateer. After a voyage through the
South Atlantic and Indian oceans, during
which the Alabama captured sixty-sev-
Ell merchantmen and destroyed nearly
as many more, the vessel entered the
French harbor Of Cherbourg. There she
was found by the kearsarge. Under the
neutrality laws the kearsarge could not
attack the plivateer in the harbor Of a
friendly nation, and six hours were re-
qured to elapse before one vessel could
follow hostile vessel from a friendly
harbor. The kearsarge therefore re-
manned outside the siX-mile limit,
awaiting the hour when the Alabama
10. the Alabama left the har-
Dor. She was commanded by Capt.
Raphael Semmes. An English yacht
and fleet of smaller craft
steamed out to witness the struggle,
while the highlands along the coast
were crowded with spectators In pre-
pairing for the engagement, Capt. WINS
low had protected the kearsarge with
heavy chains that hung in testoons on
the sides of the vessel. AS the Ala
bama left the harbor both ships We're
stripped for action. They were OF
about the same size and armament ana
carried about the same number OF men.
The kearsarge opened the duel, the
onns Of the Alabama replying almost
instantly. Broadside after broadslde
were exchanged, the vessels sailing IN
circle and the guns being worked with
all the rapidity possible. The Ala
bama' S mainmast was shot away almost
at the first fire. Then the Long Tom
amidship was struck by solid shot
and dismouuted, many of the gun crew
being killed. Shot after SHOT was
thrown into the hull of the prlvateer,
and at the end of an hour she was II
sinking condition. Then her colors
were struck and white nag was us
played 1T her stern. Capt. Semmes anu
his officers were rescued ny ny
friends on the English yacht, put
Iarre number of the crew of the
Alabama went down with the vessel,
which sunk in few minutes after ner
flag was hauled down.
1t is coniectured that the kearsafS9
went aground on the rect at nlsnt an
foundered. I.ieut. Brainard seems TO
have cot aboard small boat ana sue
ceeded in getting to Colon IN SIX Gays.
The relief can reach the ship Wnele
wrecked men are in less time than 1na..
The officers aboard the kearsaIge ~
the time of her loss were Rear Ad nn.l
Oscar F. Stanton; Commanding liz 'a,
F. Heyerman; Lieuts. Charles a; iHio'
Charles II. Lyman, Burls l: Nanins,
John Hood and Frederick 4. Bfa ILL.,
Enssns Hs :;sasef Gates ay and t tsasas
Leon s. Thompson, Thomas [. SUI
Thomas S. Borden, B. J. Mc G. oorih past
Walter Ball and David 4. Nation, Ia s'a'