The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1914-12-03


the United States steamer Wander
bilt, which was on its track. The
Alabama to shake off its pursuer
he'd it's course for the Orient and
continued its operations in the China
Sea, where it was least expected, and
where the Emden is now operating.
In a few weeks she cleared the East
ern seas of United States merchant
vessels.
Capt. Kell, describing this part of
the voyage. writes: I'VE ran down
to Singapore and coaled ship, and
then turned westward through the
Straits of Magellan, across to India,
thence to the east coast of Africa.
Passing through the Mozambique
Channel We again touched in at the
Cape of Good Hope, and thence
crossed to the coast of Brazil.
I'VE now set our course for Eu-
rope and on the 11th day of June,
1864, entered the port of Cherbourg,
and at once applied for permission
to 60 into dock. There being none
but national docks, the emperor Of
France had first to be communicated
with before permission could be
granted, and he was absent from
Paris.
1T was during this interval of
waiting on the third day after our
arrival that the Kearsarge steamed
into the harbor for the purpose, as
we learned of taking on board the
prisoners we had landed from our
last two prizes. Capt. Semmes, how
ever, objected to this on the ground
that the Kearsarge was adding to
her crew in neutral port. The au-
thorities conceding this objection
valid, the Kearsarge steamed out of
the harbor without anchoring.
Capt. Semmes communicated
through our agent to the United
States consul that if Capt. Winslow
would wait outside the harbor he
would fight him as soon as we could
coal ship. I at once proceeded to
get everything snug for action, and
by Saturday night we had finished
taking in coal, and had scrubbed the
decks. l reported to Capt. Semmes
that the ship was ready for battle. :
"The next morning, Sunday June
10, between the hours of 9 and 10
o'clock, we weighed anchor and stood
out of the western entrance CT the
harbor, the French ironclad Cou-
rome following US. The day was
bright and beautiful, with a light
breeze blowing. Our men were neat
ly dressed and our officers in full
uniform.
The Alabama and the Kearsarge.
THE report of our going out to
fight the. Kearsarge had been circu-
lated, and many persons from Paris
and the surrounding country had
come down to witness the engage
ment. They, with a large number
of inhabitants of Cherbourg, collect
ed on every prominent point of the
shore that would afford view sea-
ward. AS We rounded the breakwa-
ter we discovered the Kearsarge
about seven miles to the northward
and eastward. We Immediately
shaped our course for her, called all
hands to quarters and cast loose't
starboard battery.
"Ih about As minutes we were
somewhat over a mile from the Kear-
sarge, when she headed for us, pre-
senting her starboard bow. At a
distance of a mile we commenced the
action with our 100-pounder pivot
gun from our starboard bow. Both
ships were now approaching each
other at high speed, and soon the
action became general with broad
side batteries at distance of about
500 yards. To prevent passing, each
ship used a strong port helm. Thus
the action was fought around COM
mon centre, gradually drawing in
the circle.
After using solid shot for some
time we alternated shell and shot.
The enemy's 11-inch shells were now
doing severe execution upon our
quarter deck section. Three of
them successively entered our S-inch
pivot gun port; the first swept of
the forward part of the guns crew;
the second killed one man and
wounded several others, and the
third struck the breast of the gun
carriage and spun around on the
deck till one of the men picked 1t
up and threw it overheard. Our
decks were now covered with the
dead and the wounded, and the ship
was careening heavily to starboard