The Washington herald., 1914-06-19

'ue warrington derald.) 81
apart. the Alabama opened the battle.
at 1857. with brosdside from her star
board guns. The Kearsarge madei no
reply to this, nor to second broadside
that quickly followed 1t. Part of y
third had been fired by sthe Alabama
when the Kearsarge. then within 800
yards. changed her course, presented
her starboard side, and answered with
a broadside.
Kcarsarse's, sternpest Struck.
Capt winsiow headed his ship be-
tween the Alabama and the land. and
tried to get astern of his opponent. to
rake him. This movement was met BY
a turning Of the Alabama. to keep her
broadsidc toward her enemy.
This resulted in the two ships de-
scribing a circle. each firing her star.
board guns The range across the. cir
Gle was 500 yards. This was maintained.
After the first few minutes 1t was ap-
parent that the Confederates were out
classed In gunnery. Their firing was
rapid. but wild. At first II was high,
cutting the Kearsarges rigging. and BY
a strange stroke loosing her great flag,
which had been sent aloft in stops OF
string. to be broken out in the event of
victory. shot from the Kearsarge cut
soon hoisted again.
The firing Of the Kearsarse was slower
than the Alabama's. and deliberate. as
II she were at target practice. Her gun
ners were under orders to FIRE only after
aiming. and to fire low. Her hits could
be plainly seen, and were followed by
cheers from the gunners and such ex-
carnations as That's a good one!''
Give her another" and the like.
Tha kaI k<a
Alabama's FIRE eighteen minutes before
she was struck with effect. A shell
from the Aiabama's largest gun, q Blake
ly rifle, then exploded on the quarter
deck, wounding three men.
One shell set fire to the hammock net
tings on the Kearsarge's rail but the
blaze was quickly extinguished.
A lucky shot lodged shell In the
Kearsarge's sternpost. Capt. Semmes be-
might have brought the battle to q Diff
ferent issue; that its explosion might
have damaged the Kearsarge's rudder
enough to disable her; that the Alabama
then might have chosen her position,
and finished her opponent at leisure. Tho
shell was defective and did not explode
Had 1t done SO its effect on the bat
tie outcome probably would not have been
great, for when II was fired the Ala
pdIld was ALREADY LOO muCn DAMAGED to
maneuver freely.
As the Alabama's fire steadied two Of.
her shells struck the Kearsarges side.
but without penetrating. as the Federal
ship was protected amidship with chains
fixed to the Sides The chain was broken
by each she'll
Deadly Fire of 1I-inch Guns.
From the first the officers of the Ala
m 60 w hA Rra 81 H. L
was more effective than their own. Each
hit on the Alabama's hull by an Il-inch
shell from the Federal ship made q great
ragged hole. One shell went entirely
through coal bunker and the engine
room, passing out on the other side
Another shell struck amidst a gun
crew, passing completely through one
man and killing others. The deck about
this gun was red with blood and SO en-
numbered with human fragments that a
seaman ordered to clear II used a shovel
TO throw overheard the mangled flesh
He then sanded the deck as methodically
as II on his usual duty. This man was
Michael Mars. an Irishman, who had
jumped overheard in a storm at sea to
rescue shipmate-one perhaps who here
perished.
With every broadside Of the Kearsarge
capt Semmes saw his ship being knocked
to pieces under his feet In half an hour
the Alabama was staggering.
The first intimation that the ship's
wounds might be mortal came through
a listing" or leaning Of. the ship to
starboard; the next through her NOT
minding her helm properly.
At the end of an hour the shin was
known by those on board to be sinking.
Capt Semmes seeing that the day was
lost. now ordered sail made, and the
Alabama headed for the French coast
as soon as the circle bnsught the ships
head In the right direction.
The two ships having made seven cir
cles, with west-going tide of three
miles an hour under them. a smooth
sea and light west wind, had moved
westward about six miles, and were now
about five miles from the coast. on
which throngs of spectators breathlessly
watched their movements and listened
TO the thunder Of their guns. Two miles
OF water traversed would bring the Ala
bama into the safety of the marine
leagues.
Capt Winslow, of the Kearsarpe ,ow
left the circle and steered to place HE
snip across the Alabama's bow. Through
out the maneuver both ships ceased
nring' the kearsarge because choosing a
position from which to end the battle
the Alabama from the necessitv n,
changing her guns from the starboard
SIDE TO the port The guns being trained
anew: her fire was resumed, though
weakly.
Alabama Strikes Her Flag.
The maneuver described was not COM
pieted when the Alabama's engineer
came on deck and reported that the
water had reached the fires and the en-
gines had stopped. Capt. Semmes hear
this report with unmoved face. and said
Return to your duty"
seamen who heard this remarked "o,d
Beeswax has made up his mind tn drown
US like lot of rats"
This was not so. Turning to Ji.p,
John Mcintosh Kell, his first OFFICER
capt. Semmes asked him to go below
and examine the ship. On Kell's return
ne asked How long will she Iast?''
Not more than ten minutes" was the
reply '"e
capt. Semmes. now in the moment of
supreme trial, promptly accented defeat
declaring to his officers that in the
century it would never do to
allow a ship to sink with her wounded
on her decks. he ordered the Alabama's
nag hauled down.
AFTER the flag was down 1t was found
mat the kearsarge continued to fire. A
Whita faD