The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-03-29
TUESDAY. MARCH %. 1898.
A SAMPLE BRICK.

In giving a report, on Friday last Of
fhe launching Of the Kentucky and Kear-
sarge. an esteemed contemporary gave the
following account Of tho battle between
The the old Kearsarge and the Alabama
in 1864:
4 GLANCE INTO HISTORY.
sunday morning. June i. 1851. Captain
John A. Winslow I'm command of the
Kearsarge. which lay off Flushing, Hol-
land. received information that the Con-
federate ship Alabama Admiral Raphael
Semmes IN command, had arrived at
cbsrbourg. lie Immediately weighed
anchor and made for that point. upon
arriving at which he could see the flag
of the Confederacy flying from the mast
head Of the Alabama, as She lay inside
the breakwater
Until the following Sunday captain
Winslow patiently waited for the Ala
bama 20 come out and on that day about
u o'clock I'm the morning it was suddenly
reported that the Confederate vessel was
making towards the Kearsarge. lmme-
diately ordering the decks cleared for ace
ton Captain WinslOw turned his vessel
20 sea. and ran ont about seven miles. in
order that no question might arise as 20
neutral waters.
THE FAMOUS BATTLE.
When the ships We're about 500 yards
apart the Alabama opened the engage
ment with q broadside. which did no
material damage merely cutting away a
little rigging. Tho second and third
broadside did no more damage than the
first but Captain Winslow. fearing q
raking FIRE. sheered around ana delivered
IlfT Of al n
the action the carrying away Of the Ala
bamas ensign raised a shout OF JOY from
the national crew of the Kearsarge, but
tho Confedorates soon hoisted another at
their mizzen
At noon the Alabama ceased firing and
tried 20 run ashore. Winslow, however
quickly steered so as 20 cross her bow.
and was about 20 pour in rakinS fire
when the flag of the Confederate was
lowered and almost Immediately there
appeared IN its place q white flag. The
national commander convinced that the
Alabama intended 10 surrender. began
his preparations for rendering her assist
ance. At this moment however the Ala
hama renewed her firing, whercupon the
kedrsarge discharged three OF her guns.
The course Of a famous cruiser had been
run. The Alabama was settling Two
save the drowning men, and a few min
utes later the unfortunate Confederate
settled by the stern. and lifting her bow
high out Of the water plunged to the
depths OF the brine.
We have no idea where our contempt
rary got this account OF the engagement
but we feel We risk nothing by saying It
was taken from some history prepared
by Northern man. II bears unmistaka-
BILE ear-marks Of writer whose sympa-
thies were with the North and against
the South. The repeated use Of the word
national" as contradisunguished from
Confederate would give the writer away
~ there were nothing else I'm the piece
In his view the war was the act Of the
NATION suppressing a REBELLION.
But another passage marks its pater-
nifty too plainly Tor mistake. We refer TO
the statement that after Captain semmes
had run up "a white flag and disarmed his
adversary. he took advantage Of the sit
uation and again opened fire upon him.
Captain semmes was as Incapable Of DO
Ing such q thing as he was Of performing
any other act Of treachery. II is nothing
but tho fabrication OF "a writer who states
facts enough TO give color TO his narra-
tive. but who has it ia mind 10 glorify
pne side Of the controversary and to dis
parage the other side OF g.
This Is "a fair illustration Of the charac-
tor OF school histories which have been
placed in the hands Of our children and
which arc teaching them in the faith that
their fathers were set Of dishonorablc
rebels and traitors. who ough, TO be only
100 grateful that a magnanirnous govern
ment spared their degraded lives II IS
books OF this sort that the Confederate
veterans are seeking TO drive out of their
tchools and that the History Committee
Of the Grand Camp OF Virginia VIII 10.
cay ask the Board Of Education to Danish
ghen It asks that board to drive Barnes
ana other such books away. and TO sub
,titute FOR them the histories Of Mrs. Lee
md DR.. Jones. These books pretend 10
,arrate the events OF the war just as
hey occurred, and in great deal OF