The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-08-26


ordered the men to stand to their
quarters and not finch from the shot
of the enemy; they stood every man
to his post most heroically with the
first shot fred upon us after our col.
ors were down, the quartermastcr was
ordered to show the white flag over
the stern, which order was executed
in my presence.
When the firing ceased, Capt Sem
mes ordered me to dispatch an officer
to the Kearsarge to say that our ship
was sinking, and to ask that they send
boats to save our wounded, as our
boats were disabled. The dmgey,
our smaller boat had escaped dam
age. ! dispatched Masters Mate Full
man with the request No boats APP
pearing, | had one of our quarter.
boats lowered, which was slightly in
iured, and l ordered the wounded
placed in her Dr. Gait, the surgeon
who was in charge of the magazine
and shell room division, came on deck
at this moment and was at once put
in charge of the boat, with orders to
take the wounded to the Kearsarge."
They showed off just in time to save
the poor fellows from going down in
the ship.
Fighting For Life in the Sea.
now gave the order for every man
to jump overheard with a spar and
save himself from the sinking ship
To enforce the order, l walked for
ward and urged the men overheard
AS soon as the decks were cleared
save of the bodies of the Dead l re
turned to the stern-port, where stood
Capt. Semmes with one or two of thu
men and his faithful steward, whC
, poor fellow, was doomed to a water!
grave, as he could not swim. Thu
, Alabama's stern-port was now almos
at the waters edge. Partly undressing
we plunged into the sea, and made al
offing from the sinking ship, Capt
Semmes with a life-preserver and l OF
, a grating.
t The Alabama settled stern foremost
/ launching her bows high in the air
, Graceful even in her death struggle
she in a moment disappeared from
. the face of the waters. The sea nov
5 presented a mass of living heads
t striving for their lives Many poo
2 fellows sank for the want of timel
2 aid. Near me l saw float of empt
r shell boxes, and called to one of tn
l men, a good swimmer, to examine it
he did so and replied, 1T is the doc
: tor, sir, dead" Poor Llewellyn, h
e persisted almost in sight of his home
= The young midshipman, Maffit
e swan to me and offered his life-prt
e server. My grating was not proving
+ very buoyant float, and the white car
t breaking over my head were distress
t ingly uncomfortable, to say the leas
Maffit said; "Mr. Kell, take my lif
e preserver, sir; you are almost eXhaus
n ed" The gallant boy did not consi
n er his own condition, but his pail
J face told me that his heroism was S
e perior to his bodily suffering, and
S refused it.
~ After twenty minutes or more
heard near me someone call on
r"There is our first lieutenant" an
the next moment | was pulled into
p boat, in which was Captain Semme
stretched out in the stern-sheets, q
pallid as death. He had received du
ing the action a slight confusion O
the hand and the struggle in the WI
ter had almost exhausted him. Thel
were also several of our crew in th
boat, and in a few moments we wei
l alongside a little steam yacht, .whic
, had come among our floating me
r and, by throwing them ropes, ha
. saved many lives.
a Upon reaching her deck, asce
l tanned for the first time that she Wa