An Englishman's View of the Battle between the Alabama and the Kearsarge: An Account of the Naval Engagement in the British Channel, on Sunday June 19th, 1864 — John Shaqi
An Englishman's View of the Battle between the Alabama and the Kearsarge: An Account of the Naval Engagement in the British Channel, on Sunday June 19th, 1864Edge, Frederick Milnes
History
An Englishman's View of the Battle between the Alabama and the Kearsarge: An Account of the Naval Engagement in the British Channel, on Sunday June 19th, 1864
Edge, Frederick Milnes
Alabama (Screw sloop); Kearsarge (Sloop); United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Naval operations
DEAR TRAVERS--Here we are. I send this by a gentleman coming to
London. An enemy is outside. _If she only stays long enough, we go out
and fight her._ If I live, expect to see me in London shortly. If I
die, give my best love to all who know me. If Monsieur A. de Caillet
should call on you, please show him every attention.
"I remain, dear Travers, ever yours,
"D. H. LLEWELLYN."
There were two brave gentlemen on board the Alabama--poor Llewellyn, who
nobly refused to save his own life, by leaving his wounded, and a young
Lieutenant, Mr. Joseph Wilson, who honourably delivered up his sword on
the deck of the Kearsarge, when the other officers threw theirs into the
water.
The most unanswerable proof of Captain Semmes having challenged the
commander of the Kearsarge is to be found in the following letter
addressed by him to the Confederate consul, or agent, at Cherbourg. After
the publication of this document, it is to be hoped we shall hear no more
of Captain Winslow's having committed such a breach of discipline and
etiquette as that of challenging a rebel against his Government.
CAPTAIN SEMMES' CHALLENGE TO THE KEARSARGE.
"C. S. S. ALABAMA,
"CHERBOURG, _June 14, 1864_.
"To Ad. BONFILS, _Cherbourg_:
"SIR--I hear that you were informed by the U. S. Consul, that the
Kearsarge was to come to this port solely for the prisoners landed by
me,[8] and that she was to depart in twenty-four hours. I desire you
to say to the U. S. Consul, that my intention is to fight the
Kearsarge as soon as I can make the necessary arrangements. I hope
these will not detain me more than until tomorrow evening, or after
the morrow morning at farthest. I beg she will not depart before I am
ready to go out.
"I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
"R. SEMMES, _Captain_."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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