The San Francisco call., 1898-03-27
HOTTEST WORK OF THE FORWARD ELEVEN-TNCH PIVOT GUN.

venge he wanted to burn the Ariel. But she had over 750 people on board and we could not take them on the Alabama
 Finally the engineer of the Ala bama was sent on board the Ariel, her piston head was taken out and brought aboard, her captain and officers were made prisoners, and with a prize crew on board we started in company for Jamaica. But the engines of the Ala banla broke down, and at the same time we spoke a vessel which told us there was yellow fever in Jamaica. Semmes told the captain of the Ariel that he would not be so cruel as to land the passengers and crew under the circumstances, though 1t had been his intention to do so and then burn the Yankee steamer. o he bonded the vessel for $50 0000, sent back the piston head, put her officers back on board and let her go.
 It took a week to repair the engine of the Alabama, during which time we would have been at the mercy of any Yankee cruiser that ran across us, but none came. After the engines had been put in order again we ran over to Los Arcos Keys, off the coast of Cam peche, where we met ship from Car diff with another cargo of coal which had been arranged for before hand. We stayed there over Christmas and New Years, and on January 10 left for Gal weston, where we had learned from pa- pers obtained on captured vessels there was a Yankee fleet getting ready to Lombard the city.
 We reached the place on Sunday afternoon and went in close enough to see several ships lying at anchor. They looked like warships, and as soon as they saw us they commenced making signals. One of them got up steam, raised her anchor and came out after us. The Alabama then turned and ran away from land, with the other, which we afterward learned was the Hat teras, in close pursuit. About dark she came up close, and by the time it was entirely dark she was so close along side that we could hear the orders given aboard her.
 The Hatteras hailed us and asked what ship we were.
 "Kell, the executive officer, replied: Her Brittanic Majesty's ship Petrel. What vessel is that?'
 Back came the answer, The United States gunboat Hatteras.'
 "The plan of action of the Alabama had already been agreed upon. The men were all at quarters, the guns loaded and everything ready. A full broadside was to be fired whenever Kell should use the word Alabama
 At once, after the reply came from the Hatteras, Kell shouted This is the Confederate steamer Alabama" and the words were hardly out of his mouth than every gun on that side was fired square into the Hatteras. She must have suspected something for she was all ready, and fired at the flash of our guns I verify believe the shots passed each other on the way.
 we were not fifty yards apart, and every shot we fired hit her. I had been posted with another man at the hatchway between the engine room and the main cabin, just where the big pivot gun was stationed, and it was my duty with another man to hoist shells from the magazine for that gun.
 This gun had no porthole cut for it, but when in action the whole bulwark was slid away, leaving a large open space and we were all exposed to the view of the Hatteras without a particle of protection.
 At first felt trifie nervous as the shot whistled around us, but pretty soon I got over it and had all wanted to do getting up the heavy shells and passing them along to the gun. The Alabama was so low in the water that most of the HatteraS shots passed over