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
At the expiration of one hour and two minutes from the first gun, the
Alabama hauled down her colours and fired a lee gun (according to the
statements of her officers), in token of surrender. Captain Winslow could
not, however, believe that the enemy had struck, as his own vessel had
received so little damage, and he could not regard his antagonist as much
more injured than himself; and it was only when a boat came off from the
Alabama that her true condition was known. The 11-inch shell from the
Kearsarge, thrown with fifteen pounds of powder at seven hundred yards
range, had gone clean through the starboard side of the privateer,
bursting in the port side and tearing great gaps in her timber and
planking. This was plainly obvious when the Alabama settled by the stern
and raised the forepart of her hull high out of water.
The Kearsarge was struck twenty-seven times during the conflict, and fired
in all one hundred and seventy three (173) shots. These were as follows:
SHOTS FIRED BY THE KEARSARGE.
Two 11-inch guns 55 shots.
Rifle in forecastle 48 "
Broadside 32-pdrs 60 "
12-pdr. boat howitzer 10 "
---------
Total, 173 shots.
The last-named gun performed no part whatever in sinking the Alabama, and
was only used in the action to create laughter among the sailors. Two old
quarter-masters, the two Dromios of the Kearsarge, were put in charge of
this gun, with instructions to fire when they received the order. But the
two old salts, little relishing the idea of having nothing to do while
their messmates were so actively engaged, commenced peppering away with
their pea-shooter of a piece, alternating their discharges with
vituperation of each other. This low-comedy by-play amused the ship's
company, and the officers good-humoredly allowed the farce to continue
until the single box of ammunition was exhausted.
DAMAGE TO THE KEARSARGE.
The Kearsarge was struck as follows:
One shot through starboard quarter, taking a slanting direction aft,
and lodging in the rudder post. This shot was from the Blakely rifle.
One shot, carrying away starboard life-buoy.
Three 32-pounder shots through port bulwarks, forward of mizzen-mast.
A shell, exploding after end of pivot port.
A shell, exploding after end of chain-plating.
A 68-lb. shell, passing through starboard bulwarks below main rigging,
wounding three men--the only casualties amongst the crew during the
engagement.
A Blakely-rifle shell, passing through the engine-room sky-light, and
dropping harmlessly in the water beyond the vessel.
Two shots below plank-sheer, abreast of boiler hatch.
One forward pivot port plank sheer.
One forward foremast-rigging.
A shot striking Launch's toping-lift.
A rifle-shell, passing through funnel, bursting without damage inside.
One, starboard forward main-shroud.
One, starboard after-shroud main-topmast rigging.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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