Omaha daily bee., 1909-08-01
FOUGHT ON THE ALABAMA
survivor of Famous Sea Fight
of '62 Recalls HI
Event.

With the passing of Mr.. Harry Redden,
who died at his home at ass Greenwich
street recently, the water front of New
York loses a member whose record of mar
row escapes during his career on the sea
has been approached by but few.
Mr.. Redden was a boatswain on the Ala
bama when the southern barkentine was
sunk by the Kearsarge in the battle off
Cherbourg on June 10, 1864, and his son,
who lives at the same address, believes
that he was the last of the crew of that
vessel.
Mr.. Redden was hanging onto a piece
Of wreckage after the Alabama sank, when
he was picked up by the Deerhound. a
yacht owned by John Lancaster. He after
ward made his way to America. He later
returned to London to appear as a wit
ness in the claim case Of the United
States against England, based on the dam
age done to United States shipping by the
depredations Of the Alabama.
Mr.. Redden was also boatswain on the
Royal Charter, when that Inflated vessel
broke in two on a rock off the coast Of
Wales, in 1859, and $50 persons lost their
lives. Another narrow escape from death
was recorded when Mr.. Redden was one
of three survivors of a wreck off the coast
Of Greece. On this occasion he was al
most dead from exposure, when he was
cast upon the shore with a bit Of wreck
age, to which he was clinging.
In 1862 Mr.. Redeem Joined the crew Of
the Alabama and was boatswain on the
barkentine when 1t stole away from
Laird's yards, where 1t was built, and
proceeded to the Azores, where the Ba-
hama, an auxiliary. had taken its stores.
The supplies and the crew were put
aboard there and the rebel craft then
started on it's raids on United States ship
ping, for which England later paid Sl5,-
100000 In damages for allowing the boat to
depart from the yards. Ship after ship
was destroyed by It before 1t met the
kearsarge in the memorable battle off
Cherbourg in June, 1854.
ut was all a piece Of luck that the
story OF the battle didn't read the other
way" Mr.. Rcddcn would declare when he
was relating the story OF the battle. THE
first shell that the Alabama fired lodged
In the stern Of the Kearsarge, but 1t
didn't explode. II II had worked all right
1t would have at least made a great deal
OF difference in the result of the battle.
well. we surrendered, but before we
could be taken or the Alabama sank and
most OF the crew were swimming around,
while boats nut off from the Kcarsarre
and from the Deerhound, Mr.. Lancaster's
yacht" Mr.. Redden used to say.
"a boat from the Deerhound picked me
up and another picked up Captain semmes
OF the Alabama, who laid flat in the
bottom OF the boat, so that he could not
be seen by the sailors Of the Kearsarge,
who were looking all about the bay for
him.
Some of them shouted TO some of our
men In another boat and asked them il
they had seen the captain. They said
that he had gone down with the ship, Al
the time Captain Semmes was lying on tho
bottom Of the boat, afraid that they would
see him.
THE incident OF the whole wreck
though, that Impressed me most was the
fate 81 the ships surgeon, who had
grabbed two shell boxes when he found
himself in the water. They were tied TO
gether with a piece OF cordage, and ir
some way the cord got under his fec
and turned him upside down IN the water
He struggled for a few seconds, but n
drowned before anyone near enough {,
him to help him discovered his pllrht.
II was landed an right and came to m,
United States, but was later taken bach
to act as a witness in the damage sui
against Great Britain that arose from IN,
damage done TO United states boats b,
the Alabama New York Herald.