The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-04-09
As THE CABIN BOY SAN /,
THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. SARGE nurr.
TOLD BN TOM srEI.I.MAy.
Capt. Semmes' Speech To His c..
Before the Battle negan-Sinks,~
at the Alabama-Sc mmes' L~>-
Into the Sea and His Re..-

Tom Spellman. a section hand on IL
Cotton Belt route. who has been at Wsro
Texas. recently resting after hard vcrS
putting down steel on the western end n
the road. told the story et the destructtc.
OF Admiral Raphael Semmes hattleshas
Alabama by the kearsarge in June Yass
near the coast of France. In the Ene,llS
channel to the Galveston News corr
spondent Spelinaan Is ia his fif,y-sees,.1
year. He. shipped on the Alabama s
cabin boy when she was turned over Is
agents Of Admiral Sernuies al Birke nhenA
England, by the I.airds on Angus %. IN
Mr.. Spellman, who is a genuine ''osi salf~
gave description OF the Alabama, which.
during her existence areat with the -,
signs of the Confederate navy at Its nas1.
head. was the terror Of the ocean Il H.
shipping of the United States. The Afn-
hama was built in the Laird yard at lfrh
enhead under the superintendent a.
Capt James ID. Bullock. of the confesar.
ate navy. She was brigantine riggd.
with maximum speed Of fifteen knoA
which was fast time at that period. Sh
went with sails or with steam. or both
Her engine was 800 horsepower with =
condensing apparatus. The armament Of
the Alabama consisted Of one Blakely
foNpounder rsfed gun. pivoted forward:
one s-inch solid shot gun, pivoted ahaft
the mainmast, and six S2-pounders n
hroadside. The crew consisted Of 40 men
and twenty-four officers. In leaving Birk-
enhead. as a ruse an excursion was or
ganixed TO Terceira, in the Azores, to
which point transport, loaded with war
material, had been sent. Admiral Semme4
and his officers met the Alabama at Ter
ceira. They sailed there in the Bahama.
The exeursionists. consisting OF EnglisA
ladies and gentlemen. who left Birken-
head on the Alabama, had been trans
ferred to tug in the channel and sent
home, so that when the Confederate ad-
m.ral took possession at Terceira he ives
then and there ready for his career and
there was no delay in getting down to,
work. That which is common now was
a wonder then. The ship could hoist its
propeller. crowd on canves and so through
every evolution under sail, or she could
lower her propeller and with sails furled
and yards braced. within two points OF I
head wind she could so steamship
Her combined speed was fifteen knots and
her independent speed was ten TO twelve
knots.
The French emperor Napoleon H., de-
sclined to allow either the Alabama er the
kearsarge TO go into dock at Cherbsurg,
ard both ships. being near that port. had
IA battle. with the coast of France in the
vicinity lined with spectators. This oc-
Cured in June 1864, and Tom Speflrfau.
the Irish section hand. gave an account
Of that naya. duel which FASTENED ne
collapse OF the Southern cause. Admin
Semnes, standing on gun carriage, d~
liyered the following address to his crew
Officers and Seamen of the Alabama
You have another opportunity OF meeting
the enemy--tEe first that has been pre-
scented to you since YOU sunk the HAT
steras. In the meantime you have been
all over the world and IL Is not too much
to say that you have destroyed and driven
for protection under neutral hags one
half of the ensmy's commerce. which AZ
the beginning of the war covered every
sea- This is an achievement OF which
YOU may well be proud. and grateful
country win not be unm.ndfui OF IL. The
name Of your ship has become house
hold word wherever civilization extends
Shall that name be furnished with defeat!
The thing Is impossible. Remember that
you are in the English channel, the thea
ter of SO much OF the naval glory OF our
race, and that the eyes of all Europe arc
at this moment upon you. Tho nag that
floats over you Is that of a young repub-
lie which bids defiance to her enemies
whenever and wherever found. Show the
world that you know how 70 uphold y.
Go 10 your quarters"
Cant. Winslow the commander OF tho
kearsarge, accepted the challenge Oh lne
Alabama, and forty-five minutes aite4
Admiral Semmes concluded his sfirrin9
address TO his crew and stepped doWl
from the gun carriage the action beGans
The ships approached each other AT high
speed. like two great eagles rushing g
combat firing broadside batteries tnte
each other at range Of 800 yards. ~
keep from sweeping past each other inc
oppostnc comma ntfsrS each gave the SaW4
order. keeping a strong helm to port ana
lighting in eoncentric circles toward
common center, which grew moro ana
more diminished Semmes. hareheaded.
on the horse block abreast the niiyxen
mast, with his glass in his hand. gave nie
orders In clear voice which rang above
the roar of the awful conflict On the
Kearsarge Capt Wlnslow stood on ~
upper deck and directed his battle M
voice being heard between the broadsidea
cheering hts men. Once Admiral Semmes
shouted TO keiis. his executive ofncer.
Give them solid shot. Our shells strike
and rebound into the water without SUM
cient effect on the enemy"
With It's decks covered with wounded
ard dying, the Alabama settled Stern
foremost aud the waves were soon
churnfng with drowning men. Among
those who 1eaped overheard with Admiral
Serumes just as the Alabama lifted me-
bows high I'm air and went TO the bofto0
was Tom Speliman. the Cotton Belt 80.
ton hand Along with his commander
he was picked up by the English yachts
Deerhound. He Is one OF the few living
men who saw Sernmes throw his swofo
into the sea and leap with the Others o.
the survivors of the battle of Cherhaurs.
France. between the kearsarge and the
Alabama,