Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-05-11
HOW AL LAURENCE
HELPED KEARSARGE
SINK ALABAMA

III you can get AL Laurence when he
| is through his days. or rather, his
nights work-he is a grip" at the
! Century Theatre. New York City-he
will tell you the story of the sinking
of the Alabama, the famous Confed-
crate raider of the COS. For when AL
Laurence is at work in the fly-gallery
| he has no time to talk about the by
| gone war or the present one. A grip.
| as doubtless you know, is a man who
handles scenery in theatre AL
Laurence wasn't always a grip. AS a
| BOY ne was circus performer. and
AFTER his service in the United States
| Navy he was an actor. an acrobat. and
a stage manager.
AS boy Of twelve he was an in
terpreter on the L. S. S. Kearsarge
ana he is one of the four or five sur
VlVors of the ships company which
took part in the famous engagement
with the Alabama. AL Laurence wit
messed the sea-duel from the bridge
"here ne acted as interpreter between
the navigating officer and the French
pilot. Consequently he had an unusual,
opportunity to view the spectacle
which he speaks of as his first and
last battle"
I'll tell you how it all hammered ~
SAID the old fellow, after the perform
ance the other evening.
In February. 1864, the Kearsarge was
cruising about the channel and the
North Sea in search of the Alabama
one day, after many months Of
searching, word was received that the
ALABAMA was at Cherbourg France
capt. Winslow Immediately took up a
position outside Of the harbor. and sent
IN three challenges, but Capt. Semmes
wouldn't come out. No one questioned
MS bravery. but our officers said he
was acting under orders.
However, our commander knew that
she would comS out some time CO
we steamed back and forth across the
entrance of the port until she sbouIa
appear. Finally. after some tbree
weeks walt. one day about noon tho
Alabama came steaming ont IN noo.
us. With her were several Erencb mo-,
ships. and I learned later thar tha,,
were on hand to keep both of us he.
yond the three-miIe limit.
THE Alabama began tho eah.
CIV "itiil ~ mile or us she
TOOK long shot. but missed us. We
ala not reply. Capt. winslow allowea
her to come within four or five city
DOCKS distance before we began firing
we had pivot gun on our bow ana
we opened with n single shot from tb,.
poW-chaser. IL struck the Alabom,
ana cloud of smoke arose. Then ye
gave her port broadside. As soon
as we squared away. both sb,ps ho'
moved 70 ''eS
Tho distance was Just right for -.
we were protected by heavy cha,ns
ana the shots from tho Alabam. a,s
not penetrate our ship AZ n ma,,ar
oa iact, most OF their shots went wild
i"e h.h' didnt last lonx---hardly mora
than TWO hours--and we had tho hos,
or " all the time. didn't sco r,or.
than half dozen wounded IN 80
decks. while our gunners kii,cd 60,
on the raider
Finally J saw the Alabama vr,av
any settling. and knew TINT wa "a
won tho duel, Capt. winaiow v,vo ~.
order 70 cease firing. and when tho 80,
VivorH took to their boats wo -.
picking them up, Capt. ssemnc, hn,,,
over. was picked up by a nritish v..,,.
ana several OF his officers hnd tho g.,
'uok W eHcare Ia other yen.e,.
we brought eur woupded ,n..
M" ~ soon ~ tho traces Of the ba,,,n
were removed We started for Americn
:" we N"Af@arxe needed a thorpuvh