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diff --git a/35107-h/35107-h.htm b/35107-h/35107-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..629bd18 --- /dev/null +++ b/35107-h/35107-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4316 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Cruise and Captures of the Alabama, by Albert M. Goodrich. + </title> + + <style type="text/css"> + + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + + body {margin-left: 12%; margin-right: 12%;} + + .pagenum {position: absolute; left: 92%; font-size: smaller; text-align: right; font-style: normal;} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 {text-align: center; clear: both;} + + hr {width: 33%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; clear: both;} + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + .huge {font-size: 150%} + .big {font-size: 125%} + + .blockquot {margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} + .poem {margin-left:15%;} + .note {margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%;} + + .right {text-align: right;} + .center {text-align: center;} + + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .figleft {float: left; clear: left; margin-left: 0; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: + 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .bbox {border: solid 2px; color: gray; margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + p.dropcap:first-letter{float: left; padding-right: 3px; font-size: 250%; line-height: 83%; width:auto;} + .caps {text-transform:uppercase;} + + a:link {color:#0000ff; text-decoration:none} + a:visited {color:#6633cc; text-decoration:none} + + .spacer {padding-left: 1em; padding-right: 1em;} + + ins.correction {text-decoration:none; border-bottom: thin solid gray;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +Project Gutenberg's Cruise and Captures of the Alabama, by Albert M. Goodrich + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Cruise and Captures of the Alabama + +Author: Albert M. Goodrich + +Release Date: January 29, 2011 [EBook #35107] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CRUISE AND CAPTURES OF THE ALABAMA *** + + + + +Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/American +Libraries.) + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/cover.jpg" alt="" /></div> +<p> </p><p> </p> +<div class="bbox" style="width: 600px; height: 346px;"><img src="images/frontis.jpg" alt="" /></div> +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Confederate States Steamer Alabama.</span></p> +<p> </p><p> </p> + +<p class="center"><span class="huge">CRUISE AND CAPTURES</span><br /> +OF THE<br /> +<span class="huge">ALABAMA</span></p> +<p> </p> +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">By <span class="big">Albert M. Goodrich</span></span></p> +<p> </p> +<p class="center">MINNEAPOLIS<br />THE H. W. WILSON CO.<br />1906</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<p class="center"><i>Copyright 1906, by Albert M. Goodrich.</i></p> +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Lumber Exchange Printing Co.</span></p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<h2>PREFACE.</h2> + +<p class="note">The publication of the naval records of the Rebellion, both Union and +Confederate, makes it possible to take a comprehensive view of the career +of the famous cruiser. In addition to these, Captain Semmes kept a diary, +which after the close of the war he expanded into a very full memoir. +Various officers of the vessel also kept diaries, and wrote accounts of +their adventures, The long report of the Geneva Tribunal of Arbitration, +and various consular reports contain a great deal of information in regard +to the Alabama’s inception and operations. All this voluminous material +has been gone over with care in the preparation of this volume, and the +facts are set forth in a trustworthy, and it is hoped also, in a readable form.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="5" summary="table"> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">I.</a></td><td><span class="smcap">England and the Blockade</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">II.</a></td><td><span class="smcap">Escape of the “290”</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">III.</a></td><td><span class="smcap">Arming at the Azores</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">IV.</a></td><td><span class="smcap">Semmes and His Officers</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">V.</a></td><td><span class="smcap">Destruction of the Whalers</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">VI.</a></td><td><span class="smcap">Burning the Grain Fleet</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">VII.</a></td><td><span class="smcap">Settling a “Yankee Hash”</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">VIII.</a></td><td><span class="smcap">Off Duty Amusements</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">IX.</a></td><td><span class="smcap">Dodging the San Jacinto</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">X.</a></td><td><span class="smcap">Capture of the Ariel</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">XI.</a></td><td><span class="smcap">Recreation at Arcas Keys</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">XII.</a></td><td><span class="smcap">Fight with the Hatteras</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">XIII.</a></td><td><span class="smcap">Escape from the Gulf of Mexico</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">XIV.</a></td><td><span class="smcap">In Ambush on the Highway</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XV">XV.</a></td><td><span class="smcap">Admiral Wilkes Is Mistaken</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVI">XVI.</a></td><td><span class="smcap">Strewing the Sea with Valuables</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVII">XVII.</a></td><td><span class="smcap">Hide and Seek with the Vanderbilt</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII">XVIII.</a></td><td><span class="smcap">Palsied Commerce in the Far East</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIX">XIX.</a></td><td><span class="smcap">A New Adversary</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XX">XX.</a></td><td><span class="smcap">Battle with the Kearsarge</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXI">XXI.</a></td><td><span class="smcap">Conclusion</span></td></tr></table> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p> +<h2>CRUISE AND CAPTURES OF THE ALABAMA.</h2> +<p> </p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I.</h2> +<h3>ENGLAND AND THE BLOCKADE.</h3> + +<p class="dropcap"><span class="caps">In</span> the decade preceding the Civil War in America the carrying trade of the +United States had grown into a vast industry. The hardy seamen of New +England had flung out the stars and stripes to every breeze, and cast +anchor in the most remote regions where a paying cargo might be found. Up +to October, 1862, they hardly felt that they had more at stake in the war +of the Rebellion than any other loyal citizens. But in that month the news +swept along the seaboard that the Alabama lay within a few days’ sail of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span>their harbors, dealing out swift vengeance upon all Northern vessels +which came in her way.</p> + +<p>Whether or not the decline of American shipping is principally due to +unwise legislation, certain it is that its downfall dates from the +appearance in the mid-Atlantic of this awful scourge of the seas. Northern +newspapers called the craft a pirate, and no other word seemed to the New +England sea captains adequate to describe the ruthless destroyer. Although +regularly commissioned by the Confederate government, she never entered a +Confederate port from the time she left the stocks until she tried +conclusions with the Kearsarge off the coast of France; and this, together +with the further fact that her crew was chiefly of European +origin—largely English—was used as an argument that she could not be +considered as a legitimate vessel of war. None of the great nations of the +world adopted this view, however, and she was everywhere accorded the same +treatment that was extended to war vessels of the United States.</p> + +<p>Early in 1861 there sprang up in England a thriving trade in arms and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span>munitions of war. While the cotton spinners of Lancashire were suffering +from the loss of their usual supply of raw material, owing to the blockade +of the ports of the Confederacy, the merchants of Liverpool were turning +their attention to supplying the belligerants with the equipment necessary +for the continuance of the conflict. Sales were made directly or +indirectly to the Federal government, but the higher prices offered in the +South tempted many to engage in the more hazardous traffic with the +government at Richmond.</p> + +<p>As the blockade gradually became more efficient, insurance companies +refused longer to take the risk of loss on Southern commerce. But it still +went on. The owners of a blockade runner were certain of enormous profits +if they could succeed in getting through the lines, but, if captured, both +vessel and cargo were confiscated by the Federal prize courts. The sleepy +little village of Nassau in the Bahama islands awoke to find itself a +great commercial emporium, and immense quantities of goods were soon +collected there, awaiting transshipment within the Confederate lines.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span>According to the law of nations, vessels of neutral countries were not +subject to seizure, unless actually attempting to run the blockade. +Consequently, ocean steamers could land their cargoes at the English port +of Nassau without danger, while smaller vessels, having less draught than +the Federal war ships, could make the short run to the coast with better +chances of escape. Liverpool was the principal European depot for this +traffic, as Nassau was its principal depot on this side of the Atlantic.</p> + +<p>In the spring of 1862 Confederate agents in England were still talking +about the “paper blockade,” but English merchants whose goods were piled +up at Nassau found the blockade much more real than it had been +represented to be. Their anxiety was somewhat lessened by the circulation +of rumors that the blockade was shortly to be raised. Confederate vessels +of war were to make an opening in the encircling fleets, and the blockade +was to become so lax that it would no longer be recognized by European +governments. Eventually these prophecies became tangible enough to connect +themselves<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span> with a certain mysterious vessel which was at that very time +lying in the Mersey awaiting her masts and rigging.</p> + +<p>Charles Francis Adams was the United States minister to England, residing +at London. The suspected character of the vessel was communicated to him +by Thomas H. Dudley, the United States consul at Liverpool, and a strict +watch was kept upon her.</p> + +<p>Any avowed agent of the United States government had great difficulty in +acquiring information of a compromising character. Public opinion in +England among the wealthy and influential was strongly in favor of the +South. For this there were two reasons—one political, the other +commercial. People of rank and those of considerable worldly possessions +saw with growing apprehension the rising tide of democracy, not only in +England but throughout the world. The feeling of disdain with which the +idle rich had so long looked upon those who were “in trade” was beginning +to lose its sting, and something like an answering scorn of those who +never contributed anything toward the struggle<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span> for human subsistence +began to be felt. The existence side by side of vast wealth and degrading +poverty were more often referred to, and the innate perfection of +institutions hoary with antiquity was more often called in question. The +dread of an uprising of the “lower classes,” peaceful or otherwise, was +strong. The success of Napoleon III. in overturning the second republic of +France was greeted with delight and construed to mean the triumph of the +privileged classes.</p> + +<p>And at last had come that long-deferred failure of republican +institutions, which aristocracy and aristocracy’s ancestors had been so +confidently predicting—the breaking up of the American republic. The +refusal of President Lincoln and the people of the North to acquiesce in +the dismemberment of the Union was received at first with surprise and +then with indignation. British commerce was seriously interfered with by +the blockade. Spindles were idle all through the manufacturing districts +in the west of England. And all because a blind and headstrong<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span> people +persisted in an utterly hopeless war of conquest.</p> + +<p>Abhorrence of chattel slavery was well nigh universal among the English +people of all classes. Indeed, the existence of that institution in +America was one of the principal indictments which aristocracy had been +fond of bringing against her. The assertion that the North was waging a +war for the extinguishment of slavery was laughed to scorn. Aristocracy +pointed to the assertion of Lincoln in his inaugural address, that he had +no intention or lawful right to interfere with slavery where it already +existed and to similar statements of <ins class="correction" title="original: Republcan">Republican</ins> leaders. The general +opinion among the well-to-do classes was that the war was being fought on +the part of the North for territory—for empire—or from motives of pride.</p> + +<p>On the other hand, the mechanics and artizans were inclined to believe +that the war was really a war against slavery, and that in the cause of +the North was somehow bound up the cause of the poor and downtrodden +generally. So it came about that associations of working<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span> men passed +resolutions of sympathy with President Lincoln, and the craftsmen of +Lancashire, who were the principal sufferers from the cotton famine, kept +as their representative in parliament the free trade champion, Richard +Cobden, an outspoken friend of the North.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II.</h2> +<h3>ESCAPE OF THE “290.”</h3> + +<p class="dropcap"><span class="caps">In</span> March, 1862, a steamer just in from an ocean voyage ran up the Mersey, +and as she passed the suspected craft the flag of the latter was dipped to +her. The new comer was the Annie Childs, and she had run the blockade. But +there was more important freight on board than the cargo of cotton which +she brought. Consul Dudley gained an interview with some of her crew, and +learned that it was understood at Wilmington, South Carolina, whence they +had come, that a number of war vessels for the use of the South were +building in England, and that several officers for the Oreto, the name by +which the suspected vessel was now known, had been passengers in the Annie +Childs. These officers had come on board at Smithville, some twenty miles +down the river from Wilmington.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> On the steamer they had talked of their +future positions on the Oreto, of which Captain Bulloch was to have the +command.</p> + +<p>The information thus obtained was hastily transmitted to Mr. Adams, but on +the same day, March 22, 1862, the Oreto sailed, bound, so her clearance +papers certified, for Palermo <i>and Jamaica</i>. She was next heard from at +Nassau, where she had been seized by the British authorities, but she was +subsequently released. She afterward ran into the port of Mobile and +reappeared as the Confederate war ship Florida.</p> + +<p>The complications arising in the case of this vessel warned the +Confederate agents to be more guarded in their operations. The British +Foreign Enlistment Act provided a penalty of fine and imprisonment and +forfeiture of ship and cargo for any person who should “equip, furnish, +fit out or arm” any vessel to be employed by any persons or real or +assumed government against any other government at peace with Great +Britain. This prohibition was generally understood not to extend to the +construction of the vessel, no matter for what purpose she might be +intended;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> and the existing state of public opinion was such that it +required strong evidence to induce officials to act in a given case and a +very well fortified cause of action to induce a jury to convict an owner +of breaking the law.</p> + +<p>Scarcely was the Oreto beyond English jurisdiction before Mr. Dudley’s +attention was occupied with another and more formidable vessel, which was +suspected of being intended for the use of the Confederate government. She +had been launched from the yard of Laird Brothers at Birkenhead, near +Liverpool. The vessel had not yet even received a name, and was still +known by her yard number, 290.</p> + +<p>On June 29th, 1862, Mr. Adams called the attention of Lord John Russell, +who was at the head of the British department of foreign affairs, to the +suspicious character of the “290,” and an investigation was ordered. The +report of the custom house officers, made July 1, was to the effect that +the “290” was still lying at Birkenhead, that she had on board several +canisters of powder, but as yet neither guns nor carriages, and added that +there was no attempt to disguise <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span>the fact that she was intended for a +ship of war, and built for a foreign government, but that Laird Brothers +did “not appear disposed to reply to any questions respecting the +destination of the vessel after she leaves Liverpool.” Having agreed to +keep watch of the vessel, British officialdom concluded that it had done +its entire duty in the premises, and the matter was dropped. Meanwhile Mr. +Adams, who had all along been expecting exactly this result, had been in +telegraphic communication with Cadiz, Spain, where the United States +steamer Tuscarora had touched, and that war ship was now on her way to +Southampton.</p> + +<p> </p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span> </p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/image1.jpg" alt="" /></div> +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Raphael Semmes, Commander of the Alabama.</span></p> +<p> </p><p> </p> + +<p>Mr. Adams had also caused a number of affidavits to be prepared, embodying +as much evidence as to the character of the “290” as could be obtained. +The affidavit of William Passmore was to the effect that he was a seaman +and had served on board the English ship Terrible during the Crimean war. +Hearing that hands were wanted for a fighting-vessel at Birkenhead, he +applied to Captain Butcher for a berth in her.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span>“Captain Butcher asked me,” the affidavit continued, “if I knew where the +vessel was going, in reply to which I told him I did not rightly +understand about it. He then told me the vessel was going out to the +government of the Confederate States of America. I asked him if there +would be any fighting, to which he replied, yes, they were going to fight +for the Southern government. I told him I had been used to +fighting-vessels and showed him my papers.”</p> + +<p>Captain Butcher then engaged him as an able seaman at £4 10s. per month, +and it was arranged that he should go on board the following Monday, which +he did, and worked there several weeks. During that time Captain Butcher +and Captain Bulloch, both having the reputation of being Confederate +agents, were on board almost every day.</p> + +<p>This affidavit with five others was laid before the customs officers, but +the evidence was adjudged to be insufficient to warrant the detention of +the vessel. Determined not to neglect any possible chance of stopping the +“290” from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> getting to sea, the energetic United States minister placed +copies of the affidavits before an eminent English lawyer, Mr. R. P. +Collier, who arrived at a very different conclusion in regard to them. He +said:</p> + +<p>“It appears difficult to make out a stronger case of infringement of the +foreign enlistment act, which, if not enforced on this occasion, is little +better than a dead letter.”</p> + +<p>Armed with this opinion, Mr. Adams lost no time in laying it before Lord +Russell, together with the affidavits upon which it was based. His success +was an agreeable surprise. An official opinion was at last obtained to the +effect that the “290” might lawfully be detained, and an order was issued +in accordance therewith.</p> + +<p>The Confederate agents were well aware of the efforts of Mr. Adams and his +assistants, and suspected the nature of the errand of the Tuscarora. +Friends of the builders and others were invited to participate in a trial +trip of “No. 290” on July 29th. Her armament was not yet on board. The +still unfinished deck was decorated with flags, and occupied by a gay +party of pleasure<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> seekers, including a number of ladies, and several +British custom house officials. The vessel dropped down the Mersey, and +the revellers partook of luncheon in the cabin. Then a tug steamed +alongside, and the surprised guests were requested to step on board. +Bunting and luncheon were hastily hustled out of the way, and holiday ease +instantly gave way to the work of getting to sea. Anchor was dropped in +Moelfre Bay on the coast of Wales, and preparations for a voyage were +rapidly pushed forward. A tug brought out about twenty-five more men, and +the crew signed shipping articles for Nassau.</p> + +<p>At two o’clock on the morning of July 31st “No. 290” turned her prow +toward the Irish sea. On the same morning came the British officials with +the order for her detention. Information of the proposed seizure had +leaked out through the medium of Confederate spies, and the bird had +flown.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the Federal agents had discovered the location of “No. 290” at +Moelfre Bay, and the Tuscarora proceeded to Queenstown and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> thence up St. +George’s Channel in quest of her. Mr. Adams telegraphed Captain Craven:</p> + +<p class="blockquot">At latest yesterday she was off Point Lynas; you must catch her if +you can, and, if necessary, follow her across the Atlantic.</p> + +<p>But the fleeing steamer passed through the North Channel, around the north +coast of Ireland and vanished in the broad ocean. The Tuscarora at once +abandoned the chase.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span></p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III.</h2> +<h3>ARMING AT THE AZORES.</h3> + +<p class="dropcap"><span class="caps">Captain Bulloch</span> had gone ashore with the pilot at the Giant’s Causeway, in +the north of Ireland, and the vessel was under the command of Captain +Butcher. During the next nine days the “290” struggled with strong head +winds and a heavy sea, shaping her course toward the southwest. The speed +at which she was driven was attended with some damage to the vessel and +considerable discomfort to her crew, but immediate armament was a pressing +necessity, and haste was made the first consideration.</p> + +<p>On the 10th of August the welcome words “Land ho!” were wafted down from +the foremasthead, and the “290” or “Enrica,” as she had been christened in +the shipping articles, came to an anchor—not at Nassau, but in the +secluded bay of Praya in the little-frequented island of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> Terceira, one of +the Azores. As an excuse for anchoring in their bay Captain Butcher +represented to the Portuguese authorities that his engines had broken +down. This being accepted as sufficient, the crew set to work ostensibly +to repair them, but really to prepare the vessel for the reception of her +guns. Three days were spent in quarantine. The inhabitants treated the new +comers very civilly, and they were regaled with fruits and vegetables. +Water was scarce, and meat had to be brought from Angra, on the other side +of the island. On the 13th a United States whaling schooner arrived, and +one of the crew of the “Enrica” was indiscreet enough to make known the +real character of his vessel, whereupon the whaler hastily departed.</p> + +<p>At last, on the 18th of August, the anxiety of Captain Butcher was +relieved by the arrival of the bark Agrippina from London, under command +of Captain McQueen, with a cargo of ammunition, coal, stores of various +kinds, and the necessary guns for the steamer’s armament. In response to +the inquiries of the harbor officials her commander stated that she had +sprung a leak,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> which would necessitate repairs before she could resume +her voyage.</p> + +<p>The next day Captain Butcher ran alongside the bark, and having erected a +pair of large shears, proceeded to transfer her cargo to the deck of the +“Enrica.” This brought off the Portuguese officials, furious that he +should presume to communicate with a vessel which had two more days of +quarantine to run. They were told that the Agrippina was in a sinking +condition, and a removal of her cargo was absolutely necessary in order to +repair the leak. Finally, Captain Butcher, feigning a passion in his turn, +protested angrily that he was only performing a service of humanity, and +was doing no more for the captain of the bark than any Englishman would do +for another in distress.</p> + +<p>The Portuguese withdrew, and the transshipment proceeded without further +protest. Two days later (August 20th) when this work was nearly completed, +the smoke of a steamer was discovered on the horizon. After a period of +anxious suspense on board the two vessels, she was made out from signals +to be the English<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> steamer Bahama, from Liverpool, commanded by Captain +Tessier. She had on board the future officers of the “Enrica,” about +thirty more seamen, $50,000 in English sovereigns and $50,000 in bank +bills, together with some less important stores. Captain Bulloch was also +a passenger in her.</p> + +<p>The Bahama took the Agrippina in tow, and the three vessels proceeded +around to Angra. Here there was more trouble with the authorities. The +latter could hardly help knowing the warlike character of the stores which +were being transferred, and notwithstanding the fact that the British flag +was flying from all three of the vessels, they suspected some connection +between them and the war in America. In common with other European +governments, Portugal had issued a proclamation of neutrality, and all her +subjects had been warned to conform to the international law governing +neutrals.</p> + +<p>Captain Bulloch flitted from vessel to vessel, accompanied sometimes by a +small man with a gray mustache and wearing citizen’s clothes, whom the +officers of the “Enrica” greeted as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> Captain Semmes, late commander of the +Confederate States steamer Sumter. Captain Butcher was still nominally in +command, and communications from the shore came addressed to him. An +English consul was stationed at Angra, and he sent word that the +authorities insisted that the vessels should go to East Angra, as West +Angra was not a port of entry. Captain Butcher replied that he wished to +take in coal from the bark, and that he would go outside the marine league +for that purpose. The three vessels stood along the coast. Gun carriages +were hoisted out and as many guns mounted as possible. At night the +“Enrica” and the bark returned to Angra. The Bahama kept outside. The next +morning the English consul came on board with several custom house +officials, and the ships having been regularly entered on the custom house +books, Portuguese dignity was satisfied, and peace once more reigned +supreme.</p> + +<p>Late on Saturday evening, August 23d, the coaling was finished, and six of +the eight guns on the “Enrica” were ready for use. The next day the +vessels steered for the open sea, and the officers<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> of the newly armed +steamer, having made certain beyond the possibility of dispute that they +were outside of Portuguese jurisdiction, the seamen were called aft, and +Captain Semmes, in full Confederate uniform, stepped upon the quarter deck +and read his commission from Jefferson Davis. A starboard gun emphasized +the chameleon change, as the British flag dropped to the deck and was +replaced by the stars and bars.</p> + +<p>The new-made warship now had a commander, but she still had no crew. It +was an anxious moment for Captain Semmes. The success of his enterprise +lay in the hands of the motley group of sailors before him, representing +nearly every country of western Europe, and gathered up in the sailors’ +boarding houses of Liverpool. Under written instructions from Captain +Bulloch, Clarence R. Yonge, who was to be paymaster, had fraternized with +the crew on the outward voyage and done what was possible to impress them +with the justice of the Southern cause, and what was probably more to the +purpose, told them what might be looked for in the way of pay and prize +money. Other emissaries<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> had been equally active among the thirty men who +came out in the Bahama. But none of these men had signed anything by which +they could be bound, and who could say what notions might be in their +heads?</p> + +<p>The small band played “Dixie,” and as the last strains died away Captain +Semmes began his speech to the crew. He briefly explained the causes of +the war as viewed from the Southern standpoint, and said that he felt sure +that Providence would bless their efforts to rid the South of the Yankees. +The mission of the vessel, he said, was to cripple the commerce of the +United States, but he should not refuse battle under proper conditions. +There were only four or five Northern vessels which were more than a match +for them, and in an English built heart of oak like this and surrounded as +he saw himself by British hearts of oak, he would not strike his flag for +any one of them.</p> + +<p>“Let me once see you proficient in the use of your weapons,” he said, “and +trust me for very soon giving you an opportunity to show the world of what +metal you are made.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span>The cruise would be one of excitement and adventure. They would visit many +parts of the world, where they would have “liberty” given them on proper +occasions. They would receive about double the ordinary wages, and payment +would be made in gold. In addition to this, the Confederate government +would vote them prize money for every vessel and cargo destroyed.</p> + +<p>When the boatswain’s call announced the close of the meeting eighty men +out of the two crews signed the new articles. Those who refused to sign +were given free passage to England in the Bahama. Captain Bulloch took a +fraternal leave of Captain Semmes, the Bahama and the Agrippina set sail +for British waters, and the Confederate States sloop-of-war Alabama went +forth on her mission of destruction.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV.</h2> +<h3>SEMMES AND HIS OFFICERS.</h3> + +<p class="dropcap"><span class="caps">Captain Raphael Semmes</span> was a typical representative of Southern chivalry. +He was an ardent admirer of the South and a firm believer in her peculiar +“institution.” His memoirs, written after the war, breathe secession in +every line. He was born in Charles county, Maryland, Sept. 27, 1809. At +the age of seventeen he received an appointment as midshipman, but did not +enter active service until six years later, meanwhile adding the study of +law to his naval studies. In 1834, at the end of his first cruise, he was +admitted to the bar. In 1837 he was made a lieutenant, and commanded the +United States brig Somers, which assisted in blockading the Mexican coast +during the war with that country. While in chase of another vessel a +terrific gale arose. The Somers was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> foundered and most of her crew were +drowned. A court martial acquitted Semmes of any fault in this matter, and +in 1855 was promoted to the rank of commander. In February, 1861, he was a +member of the Lighthouse Board, of which body he had been secretary for +several years.</p> + +<p>The provisional government of the Confederacy was not yet a fortnight old +when he was summoned to Montgomery. Hastily resigning his Federal +commission, he met Jefferson Davis in that city, and was soon speeding +northward on an important mission. Mr. Davis had not yet fully made up his +cabinet, had not even a private secretary apparently, for Semmes’ +instructions were in Davis’ own handwriting. The funds for the trip were +borrowed from a private banker. Semmes visited the arsenals at Richmond +and Washington, and the principal workshops in New York, Connecticut and +Massachusetts, in search of information and supplies. In New York he +procured a large quantity of percussion caps, and shipped them to +Montgomery. Thousands of pounds of gunpowder were also shipped southward +by him before any hindrance was placed in the way of such operations.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span>Semmes entered the Confederate navy with the rank of commander, the same +which he had held in the Federal service. He was promoted to captain about +the time he took command of the Alabama, and near the close of the war was +again promoted to rear admiral. April 18th, 1861, he was ordered to take +command of the steamer Sumter, at New Orleans. More than a month was spent +in converting the innocent packet steamer into a war vessel, and before he +could get to sea the mouths of the Mississippi were blockaded by a Federal +fleet. The propeller of the Sumter could not be raised, and when she was +under sail alone, the propeller dragged through the water, greatly +retarding her speed.</p> + +<p>On the 30th of June Semmes succeeded in running the blockade, and within a +week he had captured eight merchant vessels, six of which he took into the +port of Cienfuegos, Cuba. The captain general of Cuba ordered the prizes +to be detained until the subject of their disposition could be referred to +the Spanish government. Ultimately most governments refused to permit war +vessels with prizes of either the United<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> States or the Confederate States +to enter their ports. The vessels which were taken into Cienfuegos were +turned over to their former owners.</p> + +<p>As it was impossible to get into a Confederate port with his prizes, +Captain Semmes was forced either to destroy or to release those which he +took. After capturing ten more vessels, most of which were burned, the +boilers of the Sumter gave out, and she was blockaded by Federal cruisers +in the port of Gibraltar. In March, 1862, further efforts to utilize her +as a war vessel were abandoned, and her officers made their way to +England, where many of them were subsequently assigned to positions in the +Alabama. Captain Semmes proceeded to Nassau, where he found a +communication from Stephen R. Mallory, the Confederate secretary of the +navy, directing him to assume command of the Alabama. In reply he wrote a +letter, of which the following is an extract:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Upon my arrival in London I found that the Oreto had been dispatched +some weeks before to this place; and Commander Bulloch having +informed me that he had your order assigning him to the command of +the second ship he was building [the Alabama]. I had no alternative +but to return to the Confederate States<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> for orders. It is due to +Commander Bulloch to say, however, that he offered to place himself +entirely under my instructions, and even to relinquish to me the +command of the new ship; but I did not feel at liberty to interfere +with your orders.</p> + +<p>While in London I ascertained that a number of steamers were being +prepared to run the blockade, with arms and other supplies for the +Confederate States, and, instead of dispatching my officers at once +for these states, I left them to take charge of the ships mentioned, +as they should be gotten ready for sea, and run them in to their +several destinations—deeming this the best service they could render +the government, under the circumstances. I came hither myself, +accompanied by my first lieutenant and surgeon—Kell and Gait—a +passenger in the British steamer Melita, whose cargo of arms and +supplies is also destined for the Confederate States. It is fortunate +that I made this arrangement, as many of my officers still remain in +London, and I shall return thither in time to take most of them with +me to the Alabama.</p> + +<p>In obedience to your order assigning me to the command of this ship, +I will return by the first conveyance to England, where the joint +efforts of Commander Bulloch and myself will be directed to the +preparation of the ship for sea. I will take with me Lieutenant Kell, +Surgeon Gait and First Lieutenant of Marines Howell—Mr. Howell and +Lieutenant Stribling [Stribling had been second lieutenant of the +Sumter] having reached Nassau a few days before me, in the British +steamer Bahama, laden with arms, clothing and stores for the +Confederacy. At the earnest entreaty of Lieutenant-Commanding Maffit, +I have consented to permit Lieutenant Stribling to remain with him, +as his first lieutenant on board the Oreto (Florida),—the officers +detailed for that vessel not yet having arrived. Mr. Stribling’s +place on board the Alabama will be supplied by Midshipman Armstrong, +promoted, whom I will recall from Gibralter, where I left him in +charge of the Sumter. It will, doubtless, be a matter of some +delicacy and tact to get the Alabama safely out of British waters +without suspicion, as Mr. Adams, the Northern envoy, and his numerous +satellites in the shape of consuls and paid agents, are exceedingly +vigilant in their espionage.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span>We cannot, of course, think of arming her in a British port, this +must be done at some concerted rendezvous, to which her battery, and +a large portion of her crew must be sent in a neutral merchant +vessel. The Alabama will be a fine ship, quite equal to encounter any +of the enemy’s steam sloops, of the class of the Iroquois, Tuscarora +and Dakotah, and I shall feel much more independent in her upon the +high seas than I did in the little Sumter.</p> + +<p>I think well of your suggestion of the East Indies as a cruising +ground, and I hope to be in the track of the enemy’s commerce in +those seas as early as October or November next: when I shall, +doubtless, be able to lay other rich “burnt offerings” upon the altar +of our country’s liberties.</p></div> + +<p>John McIntosh Kell, the first lieutenant of the Alabama, had occupied the +same position in the Sumter. He had served twenty years in the United +States navy, had been in the war with Mexico, and had seen a great deal of +active service. The second lieutenant, R. F. Armstrong, and the third +lieutenant, Joseph D. Wilson, also came from the Sumter, and were fresh +from the instructions of the United States naval academy at Annapolis. The +fourth lieutenant was John Low, an Englishman, and a master of seamanship. +The fifth lieutenant, Arthur Sinclair, came of a family which had +furnished two captains to the United States navy. The acting master, I. D. +Bulloch, was a younger brother of Commander Bulloch. Dr. E. L. Gait, from +the Sumter, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span>and the ill-fated Dr. D. H. Llewelyn, of Wiltshire, England, +occupied the positions of surgeon and assistant surgeon respectively. +Lieutenant of Marines B. K. Howell was a brother-in-law of Jefferson +Davis, and Midshipman E. A. Maffit was a son of the commander of the +Oreto, soon to be known as the Florida. Other officers were Chief Engineer +Miles J. Freeman and three assistants, who were excellent machinists and +able to make any repairs which could be made with the appliances on board, +Midshipman E. M. Anderson and Master’s Mates G. T. Fullam and James Evans.</p> + +<p> </p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> </p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/image2.jpg" alt="" /></div> +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">First Lieutenant J. McIntosh Kell.</span></p> +<p> </p><p> </p> + +<p>The Alabama was 220 feet long, 32 feet in breadth of beam, and 18 feet +from deck to keel. She carried two horizontal engines of 300 horse power +each, and had bunkers for 350 tons of coal, sufficient for eighteen days’ +continuous steaming. Captain Semmes was, however, very economical with his +coal supply and only used the engines for emergencies. The Alabama proved +to be a good sailor under canvas, and the greater number of her prizes +were taken simply under sail. This enabled the vessel to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> keep at sea +three or four months at a time, and to strike Northern commerce at the +most unexpected places, while only once did a Federal war vessel succeed +in getting a glimpse of her against the will of her commander.</p> + +<p>The engines were provided with a condensing apparatus, which supplied the +crew with water. The Alabama was barkentine rigged, her standing gear +being entirely of wire rope. Her propeller was so built as to be readily +detached from the shaft, and in fifteen minutes could be lifted out of the +water in a well constructed for the purpose, and so would not impede the +speed of the vessel when under sail. On the main deck the vessel was +pierced for twelve guns, but carried only eight; one Blakely +hundred-pounder rifled gun, pivoted forward, one eight-inch solid-shot +gun, pivoted abaft the mainmast, and three thirty-two pounders on each +side.</p> + +<p>The semicircular cabin at the stern, with its horse-hair sofa and +horse-shoe shaped table, was appropriated to the use of Captain Semmes, +and became the center of attraction for hero-worshippers when the vessel +was in port. A little<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> forward of the mizzen mast was the steering +apparatus, a double wheel inscribed with the French motto:</p> + +<p class="poem">“Aide-toi et Dieu t’aidera.”<small><a name="f1.1" id="f1.1" href="#f1">[1]</a></small></p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V.</h2> +<h3>DESTRUCTION OF THE WHALERS.</h3> + +<p class="dropcap"><span class="caps">The</span> Confederate flag was first hoisted on the Alabama, Sunday, August +24th, 1862. When once the shipping articles had been signed coaxing and +persuasion were at an end, and the man with the gray mustache had become a +dictator, to disobey whom meant severe or even capital punishment. Semmes +says:</p> + +<p class="blockquot">The democratic part of the proceedings closed as soon as the articles +were signed. The “public meeting” just described was the first and +last ever held on board the Alabama, and no other stump speech was +ever made to the crew. When I wanted a man to do anything after this, +I did not talk to him about “nationalities” or “liberties” or “double +wages,” but I gave him a rather sharp order, and if the order was not +obeyed in “double-quick,” the delinquent found himself in limbo. +Democracies may do very well for the land, but monarchies, and pretty +absolute monarchies at that, are the only successful governments for the sea.</p> + +<p>The hasty transfer of stores to the deck of the vessel, a large part of +which had been accomplished in a rolling sea, had not been favorable<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> to +an orderly bestowal. A gale sprang up, and the boxes and chests on deck +went tumbling about. The hot sun of the Azores had opened seams in the +deck and upper works, and the clank of the pumps, so familiar to those who +had been in the Sumter during the latter part of her cruise, once more +disturbed their dreams.</p> + +<p>It was the purpose of Captain Semmes to strike at the American whaling +vessels which he knew would be at work in the vicinity of the Azores. The +season would close about the first of October, after which time the whales +would seek other feeding waters. The following week was spent in getting +the pivot guns mounted and in putting the ship in order. The captain was +not at once successful in locating the whaling fleet. On Friday, August +29th, a blank shot was fired at a brig which had been pursued all day, but +the latter refused to heave to or show her colors, and not having the look +of an American craft, the chase was abandoned. Another week was spent in +the search, and several vessels were overhauled, but all showed neutral +colors. September 5th the Alabama was in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> chase of a brig which showed +very fast sailing qualities, and came unexpectedly upon a ship lying to in +mid-ocean with her foretopsail to the mast. Excitement grew apace as a +nearer approach justified the opinion that the motionless stranger was a +Yankee whaler. The English flag was hoisted on the Alabama, and all doubt +was set at rest when the ship responded with the stars and stripes. The +chase of the brig was forthwith abandoned. The master of the whaler made +no effort to get under way. He had struck a fine large sperm whale, which +was now alongside and partly hoisted out of the water by the yard tackles, +and his crew were hard at work, cutting it up and getting the blubber +aboard. A boat was sent from the Alabama, and as the boarding officer +gained the whaler’s deck, the cruiser dropped her false colors, and ran up +the Confederate flag.</p> + +<p>The astonishment and consternation of Captain Abraham Osborn when he +realized that he was a prisoner and that his ship and cargo were subject +to confiscation, can only be imagined. International law, which is so +careful<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> of property rights on land, affords no protection whatever at sea +in the presence of a hostile force. The ship was the Ocmulgee, of +Edgartown, Massachusetts. Captain and crew were removed to the deck of the +Alabama and placed in irons. Some beef, pork and other stores were also +<ins class="correction" title="original: tranferred">transferred</ins>, and the ship left, anchored to the whale, as Captain Semmes +did not wish to burn her during the night, for fear of alarming other +whaling masters, who were probably not far away. Next morning the torch +was applied, and the most of the Alabama’s crew saw for the first time a +burning ship.</p> + +<p>Sunday, September 7th, the Alabama approached the south shore of the +island of Flores, one of the westernmost of the Azore group, and the crew +of the Ocmulgee were permitted to pull ashore in their own whaleboats. At +four o’clock p. m. the Alabama filled away to head off a schooner which +appeared to be running in for the island, and hoisted the English flag. +The schooner failed to respond, and a gun was fired, but she still held +her course. A shot was fired across her bow, but even this failed to stop +her. Then a <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span>shot whistled between her fore and main masts, and the +futility of attempting to escape being apparent, she rounded to and +hoisted the United States flag. Her master, a young man not over +twenty-eight, was well aware of the fate which had befallen him. His +vessel was the Starlight, from Boston, and he was homeward bound from the +Azores, having on board a number of passengers to be landed at Flores, +including several ladies. He also had dispatches from the American consul +at Fayal to Secretary Seward, narrating the proceedings of the Alabama at +Terceira. The captain and the six seamen who constituted his crew, were +placed in irons. Next day the cruiser proceeded again to the island of +Flores, and sent the prisoners on shore in a boat.</p> + +<p> </p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> </p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/image3.jpg" alt="" /></div> +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Captures near the Azores.</span></p> +<p> </p><p> </p> + +<p>The obliging governor of the island paid the Alabama a visit, and offered +her officers the hospitalities of the place. In the afternoon (Sept. 8th) +the whaling bark Ocean Rover, of New Bedford, Massachusetts, was captured. +She had been out over three years, had sent home one or two cargoes of +oil, and now had about 1,100<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> barrels of oil on board. The captain and +crew were permitted to pull ashore in their six whale boats, into which +they had conveyed a considerable quantity of their personal effects.</p> + +<p>Before daylight the next morning Captain Semmes was aroused and notified +that a large bark was close by. She proved to be the Alert, of New London, +Connecticut, sixteen days out. Her crew pulled ashore in their boats. +During the day the three prizes (Starlight, Ocean Rover and Alert) were +burned. While the hulks were still smoking the schooner Weathergauge, of +Provincetown, Massachusetts, was captured. This vessel and the Alert +brought plenty of Northern newspapers, and those on board the cruiser were +thus informed of the progress of the war. The whaler Eschol, of New +Bedford, came near enough to make out the burning vessels with a glass, +but her master kept her close to the shore, determined to run her upon the +beach rather than permit her to be captured, and she escaped without being +seen.</p> + +<p>On September 13th the brig Altamaha, of New Bedford, fell a prey to the +spoiler, and during<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> the night the Benjamin Tucker, of the same town met a +like fate. The boarding officer on this occasion was Master’s Mate G. T. +Fullam, an Englishman, whose home was at Hull. He wrote in his diary:</p> + +<p class="blockquot">Darkness prevented us knowing who she was, so I went on board to +examine her papers, which, if Yankee, I was to signal it and heave to +until daylight. What I did on boarding this vessel was the course +usually adopted in taking prizes. Pulling under the stern, I saw it +was the whaling ship Benjamin Tucker, of and from New Bedford. +Gaining the quarter deck, I was welcomed with outstretched hands.</p> + +<p>The unsuspecting master answered all questions promptly touching the +character of his ship and cargo, and was then told that the vessel was a +prize to the Confederate States steamer Alabama. This ship had 340 barrels +of oil and made a brilliant bonfire. One of the crew, a Hollander, shipped +on the Alabama. Early the next morning (Sept. 16th) the whaling schooner +Courser, of Provincetown, Massachusetts, was captured. The Alabama then +ran in toward Flores, and to the rapidly increasing colony of shipless +mariners on that island were added the sixty-eight seamen forming the +crews of the last<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> three prizes. The Courser was used as a target until +dark and then burned.</p> + +<p>The forenoon of the next day was taken up with the chase of another +whaler, the Virginia, of New Bedford. She was overhauled at noon and +burned. The next day (Sept. 18th), with the wind blowing half a gale, the +Alabama chased the Elisha Dunbar, also a New Bedford whaler. Both vessels +carried their topgallant sails, although the masts bent and threatened to +go over the side. In three hours the Alabama had drawn within gunshot, and +her master judged it best to obey the summons conveyed by a blank +cartridge. Sails were hastily taken in on both vessels. Captain Semmes +hesitated somewhat about launching boats in so rough a sea, but he was +fearful that the gale would increase and that the prize would escape +during the night. The Alabama reached a position to windward of her +victim, so that the boats’ crews might pull with the wind and waves, and +two of the best boats were launched, gaining the Dunbar’s deck in safety. +The Alabama then dropped round to the leeward of the prize, so that the +boats might return in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> the same manner, with the wind. The Dunbar’s master +and crew were ordered into the boats, and hastily applying the torch, the +boarding officer gained the lee of the Alabama where a rope was thrown to +him, and the boats’ crews with their prisoners got on board the cruiser +without accident. The fire quickly gathered volume, and the flames +streamed heavenward as the doomed ship drove before the blast. The storm +burst and thunder and lightning added their magnificence to the sublime +scene. The fire was blazing too fiercely to be affected by the rain. Now +and then a flaming sail would tear loose from its fastenings and go flying +far out over the sea. At last the masts crashed overboard, and only the +hull was left to rock to and fro until nearly full of water, and then dive +deep into the ocean. This was the only ship burned by Captain Semmes +without examining her papers, but as the Elisha Dunbar was a whaler there +was little danger of burning any goods belonging to a neutral owner.</p> + +<p>In thirteen days the Alabama had destroyed property to the amount of +$230,000. Captain Tilton, of the Virginia, had remonstrated with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> his +captor and asked to be released, and Captain Semmes had replied:</p> + +<p>“You Northerners are destroying our property, and sending stone fleets to +block up our harbors. New Bedford people are holding war meetings and +offering $200 bounty for volunteers, and now we are going to retaliate.”</p> + +<p>Captain Tilton resented the indignity of being put in irons and was told +that this was a measure of retaliation for the treatment which had been +meted out to the paymaster of the Sumter, Henry Myers, who was arrested in +Morocco by order of the United States consul, put in irons, and sent to +New York. During the time Captain Tilton remained on the Alabama (nearly +three weeks) he was never permitted to have more than one of his irons off +at a time. Captain Gifford and crew, of the Elisha Dunbar, were treated in +like manner.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span></p> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI.</h2> +<h3>BURNING THE GRAIN FLEET.</h3> + +<p class="dropcap"><span class="caps">A week</span> of tempestuous weather followed. The prisoners from the last two +prizes occupied the open deck, with no other shelter than an improvised +tent made from a sail. They were frequently drenched by driving rain or by +the waves which washed over the deck, and often awoke at night with their +bodies half under water. The seamen of the Alabama, who bunked below, were +not much better off, for the main deck above them leaked like a sieve. A +few days of pleasant weather were occupied in calking the decks.</p> + +<p>The ship was now far to the westward of Flores and at no great distance +from the banks of Newfoundland. On the morning of October 3d two sails +were seen. The wind was light; both the strangers approached with all +sails set,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span> and apparently without the slightest suspicion of any danger. +When within a few hundred yards the Alabama fired a gun and ran up the +Confederate flag. There was nothing to be done but to surrender. The +prizes proved to be the Brilliant and the Emily Farnum, both conveying +cargoes of grain and flour from New York to England. The boarding officer +clambered up the side of the Brilliant and ordered Captain Hagar to go on +board the Alabama with his ship’s papers. Having been shown into the cabin +of the cruiser, the master was subjected to a sharp cross-examination, in +the course of which he said that part of his cargo was on English account.</p> + +<p>“Do you take me for a d—d fool?” demanded Captain Semmes. “Where are the +proofs that part of your cargo is on English account?”</p> + +<p>The papers not having any consular certificates attached, were not +accepted as proof of foreign ownership. The beautiful vessel, containing +all the worldly wealth of her captain, who owned a one-third interest in +her, was doomed to destruction.</p> + +<p>The master of the Emily Farnum was more<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span> fortunate. His ship’s papers +showed conclusively that the cargo was owned in England, and was therefore +not subject to seizure. He was ordered to take on board his vessel the +crew of the Brilliant and also the suffering prisoners on the Alabama and +proceed on his voyage. The Brilliant was then set on fire. Fullam wrote in +his diary:</p> + +<p class="blockquot">It seemed a fearful thing to burn such a cargo as the Brilliant had, +when I thought how the Lancashire operatives would have danced for +joy had they it shared among them. I never saw a vessel burn with +such brilliancy, the flames completely enveloping the masts, hull and +rigging in a few minutes, making a sight as grand as it was appalling.</p> + +<p>The Alabama was now in the principal highway of commerce between America +and Europe. English, French, Prussian, Hamburg and other flags were +displayed at her summons upon the passing merchant vessels. If any doubt +arose as to the nationality of any vessel, she was boarded and her master +compelled to produce his papers. Masters’ Mate Evans was an adept in +determining the nationality of merchant ships. Captain Semmes soon learned +that if Evans reported after a look through the glass, “She’s Yankee, +sir,” he was absolutely sure of a prize <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span>if he could get within gunshot; +and conversely, when Evans said, “Not Yankee, sir; think she’s English, +sir,” (or French or Spanish as the case might be), it was a waste of time +to continue in pursuit, for to whatever nation she might prove to belong, +she was invariably a neutral of some kind.</p> + +<p> </p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> </p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/image4.jpg" alt="" /></div> +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Master’s Mate G. T. Fullam.</span></p> +<p> </p><p> </p> + +<p>On October 7th the bark Wave Crest, with grain for Cardiff, Wales, ran +into the Alabama’s net. She was used as a target, and in the evening was +burned. The deceptive glare proved a decoy for the brigantine Dunkirk, +also grain laden, bound for Lisbon, and she, too, was fired. One of the +crew of the Dunkirk was recognized as George Forest, who had deserted from +the Sumter when she lay at Cadiz some ten months previously. He was duly +tried by court-martial and sentenced to serve without pay. This was found +later to be a grievous mistake. Forest was a born mutineer, was a glib +talker, and acquired great influence among the crew. Had he possessed the +added qualification of being able to hold his tongue, the career of the +Alabama might some day have been suddenly cut short. But<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> having already +had his pay sacrificed, and so, as he said, having nothing to lose, he was +often openly defiant, and was constantly undergoing punishment of one sort +or another.</p> + +<p>The next capture was that of the fine packet ship Tonawanda, bound from +Philadelphia to Liverpool with a large cargo of grain and about +seventy-five passengers, nearly half of whom were women and children. +Captain Semmes was in a dilemma. The Alabama was already crowded with +prisoners. But he was reluctant to release so valuable a vessel. A prize +crew was put on board, in the hope that the passengers and crew might be +transferred to some ship having a neutral cargo, or one of less value than +the Tonawanda. Her captain was sent aboard the Alabama as a precautionary +measure, and the prisoners of the Wave Crest and Dunkirk transferred to +the prize.</p> + +<p>The next victim was the fine large ship Manchester. A bond for $80,000 was +now exacted from the captain of the Tonawanda, and having added the crew +of the Manchester to the crowds on his ship, he was suffered to proceed on +his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> way, much to the delight of his passengers. The Manchester was given +to the flames. October 15th the Lamplighter, with tobacco for Gibraltar, +was captured and burned. The weather was rough and boarding somewhat +dangerous, but the capture and burning were effected without accident.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p>The newspapers found on the prizes kept Captain Semmes informed in regard +to the events of the war and often gave the whereabouts of the Northern +cruisers which he wished to avoid. The escape of the “290” was known in +New York, but that she would develop in so short a time into the pest of +the Atlantic was not thought of. The tactics of Captain Semmes were always +the same. A false flag was invariably used until the victim got within +striking distance, and then hauled down, to be replaced by the stars and +bars. For this purpose flags of various nations were used—French, +Spanish, Portuguese and the like, and often that of the United States; but +the one most frequently employed was that of Great Britain.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span>The crew of the Alabama taken as a whole were a turbulent lot. Boarding +officers had little or no control over their boats’ crews. Knowing that +the guns of the Alabama would answer for their safety, they would rush +below like a gang of pirates, staving open chests and boxes and carrying +off anything that took their fancy. The clothing and personal effects of +sailors were often heartlessly destroyed After being transferred to the +Alabama, however, the prisoners were comparatively free from this sort of +persecution; and with the exception of being placed in irons, their +treatment seems to have been as good as circumstances permitted. As all +private looting was contrary to the captain’s orders, the sailors +belonging to the boarding crews did not often venture to carry anything on +board their own ship which could not readily be concealed. Whisky they +frequently did find, and occasionally one of them had to be hoisted over +the Alabama’s side, very much the worse for his explorations among the +liquid refreshments.</p> + +<p>Although directly in the path of American commerce and only a few hundred +miles from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> New York, the United States flag now began to be a rarity. +From the 16th to the 20th of October nine vessels were chased and boarded +and their papers examined, but all of them were neutrals. The reason is +not far to seek. The captain of the Emily Farnum had promised Captain +Semmes as one of the conditions of his release, that he would continue his +voyage to Liverpool; but the moment he was out of sight, he put his ship +about and ran into Boston and gave the alarm. The American shipping +interests throughout the seaboard were thrown into an uproar of terror. +The experience of Captain Tilton in trying to escape in the Virginia had +led him to believe that the Alabama was considerably swifter than she +really was, and extravagant estimates of her speed were accepted as true.</p> + +<p>Secretary Welles hastily dispatched all the available warships in search +of the Alabama, but he put too much trust in the report of her probable +future movements, which had been brought in innocently enough by Captain +Hagar, and much valuable time was lost beating up and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span> down the banks of +Newfoundland and the coast of Nova Scotia, while the Alabama had shifted +her position to a point much nearer New York, and thence southward. The +sober second thought of the navy department, that with the advent of cold +weather the Alabama would seek a field of operations farther +south—probably in the West Indies—proved to be correct. But the West +Indies was a very large haystack and the Alabama, comparatively, a very +small needle.</p> + +<p>The Northern newspapers found on the prizes were carefully scanned by the +captain and his secretary for valuable information, after which they were +passed on to the other officers in the ward room and steerage and thence +into the hands of the crew. These teemed with denunciation of the +“pirates,” and the members of the crew were described as consisting of +“the scum of England,” an expression which rankled in the sailor’s heart +and for which he took ample vengeance when his opportunity came.</p> + +<p>The name of Captain Semmes became a synonym of heartless cruelty. Captain +Tilton said he treated his prisoners and crew like dogs, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span> Captain +Hagar said that it was his custom to burn his prizes at night, so that he +might gather round him fresh victims among those who sailed toward the +burning ships in order to save human life. The British premier, Lord +Palmerston, and his minister of foreign affairs, Lord John Russell, were +denounced for letting loose such a fire-brand.</p> + +<p>The officers and crew were almost universally referred to as pirates. +Indeed, the newspapers had some official warrant for this appellation. In +his proclamation calling for 75,000 volunteers after the capture of Fort +Sumter, President Lincoln had declared “that if any person, under the +pretended authority of said states or under any other pretence shall +molest a vessel of the United States, or the persons or cargo on board of +her, such persons will be held amenable to the laws of the United States +for the prevention and punishment of piracy.”</p> + +<p>This proclamation may have served the purpose of frightening off a horde +of privateers until the blockading fleets could get into place, but the +position taken was clearly untenable when<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> the Confederacy was recognized +as a beligerant.</p> + +<p>Few United States vessels could get cargoes after the presence of the +Alabama off the coast became known. This was true on both sides of the +Atlantic. Ship captains on the coast of Portugal offered in vain to +transport salt free of charge as ballast. American craft which ventured +out took care to have their cargoes well covered with consular +certificates of foreign ownership.</p> + +<p>On October 16th several days of bad weather culminated in a cyclone, and +the Alabama was probably saved from foundering by the prompt action of +Lieutenant Low, who was in charge of the deck, and who took the +responsibility of wearing ship without waiting to call the captain. The +main yard was broken and the main topsail torn to shreds.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII.</h2> +<h3>SETTLING A “YANKEE HASH.”</h3> + +<p class="dropcap"><span class="caps">On</span> October 21st, 1862, a large ship was seen carrying a cloud of canvas, +and running with great speed before the wind. The reefs of the Alabama’s +topsails were shaken out and preparations made to set the topgallant sails +in case it should be necessary, and the cruiser ran down diagonally toward +the stranger’s path. She was pronounced “Yankee” long before she came +within gunshot, and as she drew near a blank cartridge brought her to the +wind. The admirable seamanship displayed in bringing her to a speedy halt +called forth the praise of even the Alabama’s captain, and one can only +wonder that some of her master’s skill was not expended in avoiding this +suspicious steamer idling in mid-ocean. The British flag she wore could +hardly deceive anybody, after the tales which were told<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> by the captains +who were taken into Boston on the Emily Farnum. But doubtless Captain +Saunders relied upon the fact that his cargo was well covered with +consular certificates, remembering that the Farnum had escaped by having a +cargo which was owned abroad.</p> + +<p>The prize proved to be the Lafayette, from New York, laden with grain for +Belfast, Ireland. Captain Saunders readily obeyed the order of the +boarding officer to go on board the Alabama with his ship’s papers. He was +shown into the presence of Captain Semmes, and produced his British +consular certificate, with the remark that he supposed that was sufficient +protection. After a hasty examination, Semmes said:</p> + +<p>“New Yorkers are getting smart, but it won’t save it. It’s a d—d hatched +up mess.”</p> + +<p>The Lafayette was burned.</p> + +<p>The decree of the “Confederate Prize Court,” which seems to have +comprehended neither more nor less than the Alabama’s commander, was in +this case as follows:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p class="center"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span>CASE OF THE LAFAYETTE.</p> + +<p>The ship being under the enemy’s flag and register, is condemned. +With reference to the cargo, there are certificates, prepared in due +form and sworn to before the British consul, that it was purchased, +and shipped on neutral account. These <i>ex parte</i> statements are +precisely such as every unscrupulous merchant would prepare, to +deceive his enemy and save his property from capture. There are two +shipping houses in the case; that of Craig & Nicoll and that of +Montgomery Bros. Messrs. Craig & Nicoll say that the grain shipped by +them belongs to Messrs. Shaw & Finlay and to Messrs. Hamilton, +Megault & Thompson, all of Belfast, in Ireland, to which port the +ship is bound, but the grain is not consigned to them, and they could +not demand possession of it under the bill of lading. It is, on the +contrary, consigned to the order of the shippers; thus leaving the +possession and control of the property in the hands of the shippers. +Farther: The shippers, instead of sending this grain to the pretended +owners in a general ship consigned to them, they paying freight as +usual, have chartered the whole ship, and stipulated themselves for +the payment of all the freights. If this property had been, <i>bona +fide</i>, the property of the parties in Belfast, named in the +depositions, it would undoubtedly have gone consigned to them in a +bill of lading authorizing them to demand possession of it; and the +agreement with the ship would have been that the consignees and +owners of the property should pay the freight upon delivery. But even +if this property were purchased, as pretended, by Messrs. Craig & +Nicoll for the parties named, still, their not consigning it to them +and delivering them the proper bill of lading, passing the +possession, left the property in the possession and under the +dominion of Craig & Nicoll, and as such liable to capture. See 3 +Phillimore on International Law, 610, 612, to the effect that if the +goods are going on account of the shipper or subject to his order or +control, they are good prize. They cannot even be sold and +transferred to a neutral <i>in transitu</i>. They must abide by their +condition at the time of the sailing of the ship.</p> + +<p>The property attempted to be covered by the Messrs. Montgomery Bros, +is shipped by Montgomery Bros., of New York, and consigned to +Montgomery Bros., in Belfast. Here the consignment is all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> right. The +possession of the property has legally passed to the Belfast house. +But when there are two houses of trade doing business as partners, +and one of them resides in the enemy’s country, the other house, +though resident in a neutral country, becomes also enemy, <i>quoad</i> the +trade of the house in the enemy’s country, and its share in any +property belonging to the joint concern is subject to capture, +equally with the share of the house in the enemy’s country. To this +point see 3 Phillimore, 605. Cargo condemned.</p></div> + +<p>The next batch of prizes consisted of the Crenshaw, captured on the 26th +of October, the Lauretta captured on the 28th, and the Baron de Castine on +the 29th. The Crenshaw brought New York papers containing resolutions +denouncing the “pirates,” which had been introduced in the New York +Chamber of Commerce by a Mr. Low, who was a member of that body, and had +lost considerable property on account of the depredations of the Alabama. +The cargoes of the Crenshaw and Lauretta were covered by certificates of +foreign ownership, but these were bunglingly gotten up, and evidently made +only for the purpose of avoiding condemnation, and Captain Semmes, being +well versed in international law, was able to pick flaws in all of them. +The Baron de Castine was an old and not very valuable vessel, bound with +lumber from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span> the coast of Maine to Cuba. She was released on a ransom +bond, and carried the crews of the Lafayette, Crenshaw, and Lauretta, +together with the derisive compliments of Captain Semmes to Mr. Low, into +the port of New York, then distant only two hundred miles. The other +prizes were burned.</p> + +<p>The advent of the Baron de Castine carried fresh dismay to the shipping +interests along the Atlantic coast. The news that a foreign consular +certificate could not be relied upon to furnish protection seemed to sound +the death knell of trade carried on in American ships. The representatives +of the foreign governments whose seals had been defied were appealed to +for assistance in putting an end to the career of the “pirate.” The New +York Commercial Advertiser published the following article:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Some important facts have just been developed in relation to the +operations of the rebel privateer Alabama, and the present and +prospective action of the British and other foreign governments, +whose citizens have lost property by the piracies of her commander. +The depredations of the vessel involve the rights of no less than +three European governments—England, Italy and Portugal—and are +likely to become a subject of special interest to all maritime +nations.</p></div> + +<p> </p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span> </p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/image5.jpg" alt="" /></div> +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Destroying the Grain Fleet.</span></p> +<p> </p><p> </p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Already the capture and burning of the ship Lafayette, which +contained an English cargo, has been the <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span>occasion of a +correspondence between the British consul at this port, Mr. +Archibald, and Rear Admiral Milne, commanding the British squadron on +the American coast; and it is stated (but we cannot vouch for the +truth of the statement) that the admiral has dispatched three war +vessels in pursuit of the pirate. The consul has also, we understand, +communicated the facts of the case to the British government and Her +Majesty’s minister at Washington. What action will be taken by the +British government remains to be seen.</p> + +<p>The Lafayette sailed from this port with a cargo of grain for +Belfast, Ireland. The grain was owned by two English firms of this +city, and the facts were properly certified on the bills of lading +under the British seal. * * *</p> + +<p>But another case (that of the bark Lauretta) is about to be submitted +for the consideration of the British authorities, as well as those of +Italy and Portugal. The facts establish a clear case of piracy. The +Lauretta, which had on board a cargo consisting principally of flour +and staves, was burned by Semmes on the 28th of October. She was +bound from this port for the island of Madeira and the port of +Messina, Italy. Nearly a thousand barrels of flour and also a large +number of staves were shipped by Mr. H. J. Burden, a British subject +residing in this city, to a relative in Funchal, Madeira. The bill of +lading bore the British seal affixed by the consul, to whom the +shipper was personally known. The other part of the cargo was shipped +by Chamberlain, Phelps & Co. to the order of parties in Messina, and +this property was also covered by the Italian consular certificates.</p> + +<p>The Portuguese consul at this port also sent a package under seal to +the authorities at Maderia, besides giving a right to enter the port +and sending an open bill of lading.</p> + +<p>Captain Wells’ account of the manner in which Semmes disposed of +these documents, and which he has verified under oath, is not only +interesting, but gives an excellent idea of the piratical intentions +of the commander of the Alabama.</p> + +<p>The papers of the bark were, at the command of Semmes, taken by +Captain Wells on board the Alabama. There was no American cargo and +therefore no American papers, except those of the vessel. These, of +course, were not inquired into. Semmes took first<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> the packet which +bore the Portuguese seal, and with an air which showed that he did +not regard it as of the slightest consequence, ripped it open, and +threw it upon the floor, with the remark that he “did not care a d—n +for the Portuguese.” The Italian bill of lading was treated in a +similar manner, except that he considered it unworthy even of a +remark.</p> + +<p>Taking up the British bill of lading and looking at the seal, Semmes +called upon Captain Wells, with an oath, to explain. It was evidently +the only one of the three he thought it worth his while to respect.</p> + +<p>“Who is this Burden?” he inquired sneeringly. “Have you ever seen +him?”</p> + +<p>“I am not acquainted with him, but I have seen him once, when he came +on board my vessel,” replied Captain Wells.</p> + +<p>“Is he an Englishman—does he look like an Englishman?”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” rejoined the captain.</p> + +<p>“I’ll tell you what,” exclaimed the pirate, “this is a d—d pretty +business—it’s a d—d Yankee hash, and I’ll settle it,”—whereupon he +proceeded to rob the vessel of whatever he wanted, including Captain +Wells’ property to a considerable amount; put the crew in irons; +removed them to the Alabama; and concluded by burning the vessel.</p> + +<p>These facts will at once be brought before the British consul. The +preliminary steps have been taken. The facts will also be furnished +the Portuguese consul, who announces his intention of placing them +before his government; and besides whatever action the Italian consul +here may choose to take, the parties in Messina, to whom the property +lost on the Lauretta was consigned, will of course do what they can +to maintain their own rights. The case is likely to attract more +attention than all the previous outrages of the Alabama, inasmuch as +property rights of the subjects of other nations are involved, and +the real character of Semmes and his crew becomes manifest.</p></div> + +<p>Captain Semmes makes this sarcastic comment upon the foregoing article:</p> + +<p class="blockquot">I was not quite sure when I burned the Lafayette that her cargo +belonged to the shippers, British merchants resident in New York. The +shippers swore that it did not belong to them, but to other parties<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> +resident in Ireland, on whose account they had shipped it. I thought +they swore falsely, but, as I have said, I was not quite certain. The +Advertiser sets the matter at rest. It says that I was right. And it +claims, with the most charming simplicity, that I was guilty of an +act of piracy, in capturing and destroying the property of neutral +merchants, domiciled in the enemy’s country, and assisting him to +conduct his trade!</p> + +<p>The alleged destruction of British property on board American ships +attracted much less attention in England than in the United States. The +Liverpool Chamber of Commerce caused a letter to be addressed to the +British foreign office asking for information in regard to the matter, to +which the following reply was made:</p> + +<p class="blockquot">Sir; I am directed by Earl Russell to reply to your letters of the +6th inst., respecting the destruction by the Confederate steamer +Alabama of British property embarked in American vessels and burned +by that steamer. Earl Russell desires me to state to you that British +property on board a vessel belonging to one of the belligerants must +be subject to all the risks and contingencies of war, so far as the +capture of the vessel is concerned. The owners of any British +property, not being contraband of war, on board a Federal vessel +captured and destroyed by a Confederate vessel of war, may claim in a +Confederate Prize Court compensation for the destruction of such property.</p> + +<p>As the “Confederate prize court” which condemned the Alabama’s prizes +habitually walked about under her commander’s hat, and as there was +considerable doubt as to where a court competent and willing to review the +decisions made,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span> might be located, there was not much comfort in this +letter for American ship owners or their prospective customers.</p> + +<p>But the shippers of merchandise were not the only persons to whom the +Baron de Castine’s news brought fear and anxiety. The inhabitants of +unprotected or but slightly protected towns along the coast already saw in +imagination the Alabama steaming in upon them, demanding ransom, and +leaving their homes in ashes. Captain Semmes loved to threaten New York, +and one of the masters last released seems to have gone ashore with the +belief that the Alabama’s next move would be to throw a few shells into +that city. But a descent upon the coast would have put Secretary Welles in +possession of a knowledge of her whereabouts, whereas at sea her commander +could usually calculate the time when the news of her movements would +reach the nearest telegraph office, and shift her position just before the +time when a powerful enemy would be likely to arrive.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> +<h3>OFF DUTY AMUSEMENTS.</h3> + +<p class="dropcap"><span class="caps">When</span> off duty the sailors amused themselves by spinning yarns and singing +songs. Sometimes they got up a sparring match, and occasionally hazing of +the duller or less active of the crew was indulged in. It is related that +one sailor was nicknamed “Top-robbin” because he usually began his stories +with the introduction, “When I sailed in the Taprobane, East Ingyman.” +Once he was induced to attempt a song, and began in a voice in which a +hoarse bass struggled with a squeaky treble:</p> + +<p class="poem">Jerry Lee was hung at sea<br /> +For stabbing of his messmate true.<br /> +And his body did swing, a horrible thing,<br /> +At the sport of the wild sea mew!</p> + +<p>The whole watch shouted for him to stop, and he was warned:</p> + +<p>“If you ever sing again in this ’ere watch while we’re off soundings, +we’ll fire you through<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span> a lee port. Such a voice as that would raise a +harrycane.”</p> + +<p>“Top-robbin’s” yarns, however, were treated with more tolerance. He had a +lively imagination and a very impressive delivery. His themes were of the +ghostly sort—of phantom ships sailing against wind and tide, and women in +white gliding on board in the midst of storms.</p> + +<p>Curiously enough, Captain Semmes, who was constantly called a pirate and +whose name was associated in the minds of New England people with that of +Captain Kidd, had gained the reputation in the forecastle of his own ship +of being a sort of preacher, the impression doubtless dating from that +introductory speech of his off Terceira, in which he predicted the +blessings of Providence upon the Alabama’s efforts to rid the South of the +Yankees. One of the forecastle songs is said to have run thus:</p> + +<p class="poem">Oh, our captain said, “When my fortune’s made,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I’ll buy a church to preach in,</span><br /> +And fill it full of toots and horns,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And have a jolly Methodee screechin’.</span><br /> +<br /> +“And I’ll pray the Lord both night and morn<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To weather old Yankee Doodle—</span><br /> +And I’ll run a hinfant Sunday School<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With some of the Yankee’s boodle.”</span></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span>One sailor who claimed to have been an officer in the British navy had an +excellent tenor voice, and delighted not only his messmates, but +frequently the officers as well, with his rendering of popular songs. Even +the captain used occasionally to stroll out on the bridge and listen with +pleasure to the entertainment furnished with voice or violin. The +following song, said to have been improvised by one of the crew, was sung +on the night before the fight with the Kearsarge:</p> + +<p class="poem">We’re homeward bound, we’re homeward bound,<br /> +We soon shall stand on English ground;<br /> +But ere that English land we see,<br /> +We first must lick the Kersar-gee.</p> + +<p>At the Cape of Good Hope fourteen of the Alabama’s crew deserted. Captain +Semmes records in his journal the fact that the Irish fiddler was one of +the number, and calls this “one of our greatest losses.” When the +desirability of keeping the crew in a state of subordination and +contentment was taken into consideration, there is no doubt that a petty +officer or two could have been better spared.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span>The engineer now reported only four days’ coal in the bunkers, and Captain +Semmes determined to shape his course for Martinique, in the West Indies, +to which point Captain Bulloch had arranged to dispatch a fresh supply in +a sailing vessel.</p> + +<p>Early on the morning of Nov. 2d, a sail was discovered and the Alabama +immediately gave chase. The master of the fleeing stranger was not even +reassured by the United States flag which flew from his pursuers’ mast +head, and made all haste to get out of the dangerous vicinity. He was +overhauled about noon and a hint from the “Persuader,” as the Blakely +rifle had come to be called, induced him to heave to. The boarding officer +found himself on the deck of the Levi Starbuck, a whaler expecting to +spend two and a half years in the Pacific, and consequently supplied with +an abundance of provisions, considerable quantities of which were +transferred to the Alabama. New Bedford papers on board were only four +days old, and contained the latest war news.</p> + +<p>On the morning of November 8th two sails<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span> were in sight, one of them a +very large vessel. Master’s Mate Evans, the oracle of the ship in the +matter of the nationality of vessels, pronounced both of them Yankee. In +this dilemma the chase of the smaller vessel, which had gone on during the +greater part of the night, was abandoned, and attention concentrated upon +the big ship. She made no effort to escape, evidently placing all faith in +the lying United States flag which the Alabama showed her. Her master was +dumbfounded when on nearer approach the stars and stripes dropped to the +deck and were replaced by the colors of the Confederacy.</p> + +<p>The prize was an East India trader, the T. B. Wales, of Boston, homeward +bound from Calcutta, with a cargo consisting principally of jute, linseed +and 1,700 bags of saltpetre, the latter destined for the Northern powder +mills. The ship had been five months on her voyage and her master had +never heard of the Alabama. He had his wife on board and also an ex-United +States consul returning homeward with his family consisting of his wife +and three little daughters.</p> + +<p>The Wales was one of the most useful of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span> Alabama’s captures. She +yielded spars and rigging of the best quality. Her main yard proved to be +of almost the exact length of the one which the cruiser had broken in the +cyclone, and was taken aboard and afterward transferred to the place of +the old one, which had been temporarily repaired. Eight able seamen were +secured from her for the Alabama’s crew, bringing the number up to 110 +within half a score of a full complement.</p> + +<p>Semmes was on his good behavior, and evidently anxious to disprove the +appellation of “pirate” which had been so constantly flung at him of late. +Southern chivalry was at its best in the polite consideration with which +he treated the ladies. Several of the officers were turned out of their +staterooms to make room for them, a proceeding to which they submitted +with apparent good grace. The Wales was burned.</p> + +<p>The Alabama now entered the calm belt about the tropic of Cancer, across +which she proceeded by slow stages and dropped anchor in the harbor of +Fort de France, in the French island of Martinique, on November 18th, 1862.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX.</h2> +<h3>DODGING THE SAN JACINTO.</h3> + +<p class="dropcap"><span class="caps">To</span> his surprise Captain Semmes found the whole town expecting him, +although this was the first port he had entered since leaving Terceira two +months previous. The Agrippina had been in this port a week, and her +master, Captain McQueen, had not been able to resist the temptation to +boast of his connection with the Alabama, and aver that his cargo of coal +was intended for her bunkers. It had, moreover, been whispered about that +the Agrippina had guns and ammunition under the coal, which were intended +for the Confederate cruiser, and also that Captain McQueen had stated that +he expected to receive some further instructions as to his movements from +the British consul, Mr. Lawless. Diplomatic relations between Great +Britain and the United States were very much strained<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> at this time, and +the consul was much incensed because his name had been connected with the +Alabama in this public manner. When cross-questioned by the consul, +McQueen became frightened and denied that his cargo was for the Alabama, +but admitted that he had said that he took a cargo to Terceira for her, +and also that he expected to receive a letter from the owners of the +Agrippina in care of the consul. Mr. Lawless warned him against engaging +in such illegal traffic under the British flag, and having satisfied +himself that the Agrippina’s cargo was really intended for the Confederate +cruiser and that the Alabama might soon be expected in port, he laid the +whole matter before the governor of the island. That official did not seem +at all surprised, took the matter very coolly, and stated that if the +Alabama came in she would receive the ordinary courtesies accorded to +belligerent cruisers in French ports.</p> + +<p>When the Alabama did come in and Captain Semmes became acquainted with the +real state of affairs, Captain McQueen spent a bad quarter of an hour in +his presence, and the same day the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span> Agrippina hastily got up her anchor +and went to sea. Seven days was long enough for McQueen’s chatter to be +wafted many a league even without the aid of the telegraph, and the United +States consul, Mr. John Campbell, had not been idle.</p> + +<p>Captain Semmes applied to the governor for permission to land his +prisoners, consisting of Captain Lincoln and family, of the T. B. Wales, +ex-Consul Fairfield and family, Captain Mellen, of the Levi Starbuck, and +forty-three seamen belonging to the two vessels. No objection being +offered, the prisoners went ashore and sought the friendly offices of the +United States consul to assist them in reaching their own country.</p> + +<p>It was just a year since Captain Semmes, then in command of the Sumter, +had been blockaded in this very port by the United States gunboat +Iroquois, and had adroitly given the latter the slip. Now, in a much +better vessel than the Sumter, he felt able to defy foes like the +Iroquois.</p> + +<p>But a surprise was brewing for him between decks.</p> + +<p>After dark George Forrest swam ashore and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span> bribed a boatman to put him +aboard his vessel again with five gallons of a vile brand of whisky. His +fellow conspirators pulled him and his purchase in through a berth deck +port, and the crew proceeded to hold high carnival. When the watch below +was called the boatswain was knocked down with a belaying pin and an +officer who tried to quell the disturbance was saluted with oaths and +every kind of missile within reach.</p> + +<p>The captain was immediately notified, and ordered a beat to quarters. The +officers appeared armed and charged forward, assisted by the sober portion +of the crew, and after a sharp fight succeeded in securing the worst of +the mutineers. Captain Semmes had the drunken sailors drenched with +buckets of cold water until they begged for mercy. Forrest was identified +by a guard from the shore as the man who bought the liquor, and he was +placed in double irons and under guard.</p> + +<p>Captain Semmes had said to people on shore that the Alabama would go to +sea during the night. But she did not go, and early the next morning the +stars and stripes were floating <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span>outside the harbor at the masthead of the +steam sloop San Jacinto, mounting fourteen guns.</p> + +<p>“We paid no sort of attention to the arrival of this old wagon of a ship,” +writes Semmes in his memoirs. Nevertheless, it must be recorded that he +beat to quarters and kept the Alabama close under the guns of the French +fort in the harbor.<small><a name="f2.1" id="f2.1" href="#f2">[2]</a></small> He might be able to outsail the San Jacinto, but he +knew very well that one or two of her broadsides would be very apt to send +the Alabama to the bottom, in case Captain Ronckendorff should take it +into his head to violate the neutrality of a French port. Moreover, his +crew were hardly in a condition either of mind or body to meet a +determined enemy.</p> + +<p>The captain of the San Jacinto refused to receive a pilot or come to an +anchor, because his vessel would then come within the twenty-four hour +rule, and the Alabama would be permitted that length of time to get out of +reach when she chose to depart, before the San Jacinto, according to +international law governing neutral ports, would be permitted to follow +her. During the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span> day Governor Candé sent a letter to Captain Ronckendorff +warning him that he must either come to anchor and submit to the +twenty-four hour rule, or keep three miles outside the points which formed +the entrance to the harbor. Being well aware that the governor had +correctly stated the law governing the case, Captain Ronckendorff readily +promised acquiescence.</p> + +<p>Public sentiment in Martinique among the white population was almost +unanimously favorable to the South, and while the law was thus enforced to +the letter as against the Federals, practically every white person in the +port stood ready to give Captain Semmes any assistance which might enable +him to escape from his ponderous adversary. The crew of the Alabama spent +the 19th of November in various stages of recovery from the debauch and +fight of the previous night, and repairing and painting occupied the time +of some of them. In the afternoon a French naval officer went on board and +furnished Captain Semmes with an accurate chart of the harbor. Towards +night the captain of the Hampden, an American merchant ship lying in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> +harbor near the Alabama, in company with Captain Mellen, were rowed out to +the San Jacinto, bearing a letter from the United States consul to Captain +Ronckendorff, informing him in regard to the situation ashore. The news of +their departure was not long in reaching the Alabama. Suspecting that some +code of signals was being arranged, Captain Semmes determined to take time +by the forelock. He asked for a government pilot, who was promptly +furnished, and just at dusk the Alabama hoisted anchor and steamed toward +the inner harbor. The evening was cloudy. Darkness came on early, and rain +began to fall. All lights on board were extinguished or covered, and +having passed out of sight of the Hampden, the course was altered and the +Alabama ran out through the most southerly channel.</p> + +<p>When the captain of the Hampden returned to his vessel a little after +eight o’clock he immediately sent up three rockets in the direction in +which the Alabama was supposed to have gone. The San Jacinto at once ran +under a full head of steam to the south side of the harbor,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span> and searched +up and down with her crew at quarters until after midnight. At daybreak +two of her boats were taken on board, one of which had spent the night in +the southern side of the harbor and the other in the northern side. Nobody +had seen anything of the Alabama.</p> + +<p>People on shore solemnly assured the San Jacinto’s officers that the +Alabama had not escaped, but was hiding in some obscure part of the bay, +to await the departure of her enemy. The whole harbor was therefore +explored by the San Jacinto’s boats, establishing the fact that beyond a +doubt the Alabama was gone.</p> + +<p>In a postscript to his report to the navy department Captain <ins class="correction" title="original: Ronckendorf">Ronckendorff</ins> +says: “I could find out nothing of the future movements of the Alabama.” +Nor could anybody else. That was a secret which was kept locked in the +breast of her commander. It was very rarely that the lieutenants in her +own ward room knew where the vessel would be twenty-four hours ahead.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X.</h2> +<h3>CAPTURE OF THE ARIEL.</h3> + +<p class="dropcap"><span class="caps">The</span> next afternoon the Alabama ran down to the solitary little island of +Blanquilla, near the coast of Venezuela, whither the Agrippina had +preceded her. At the anchorage Captain Semmes was somewhat surprised to +find an American whaling schooner. Some boilers had been set up on the +island, and her crew were busily engaged in trying out oil from the +carcass of a whale which had recently been captured. As the Alabama +floated the United States flag, the captain of the whaler rowed out to her +and volunteered to pilot the new comer in, and expressed much satisfaction +that the United States navy department had shown such a commendable +determination to protect commerce in the Carribean Sea. After an +inspection of the <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span>Alabama’s armament, he expressed the opinion that she +was “just the ship to give the pirate Semmes fits.” When he was finally +informed into whose hands he had fallen, his consternation was really +pitiable. Semmes, however, was not disposed to stir up a quarrel with even +so weak a government as that of Venezuela, and magnanimously informed the +young skipper that he should consider the island as a Venezuelan +possession, notwithstanding the slight evidences of occupation, and that +the marine league surrounding the island would be respected as Venezuelan +waters. The Yankee master was detained on board the Alabama during her +stay as a precautionary measure. Some of the junior officers took delight +in tantalizing the enforced guest in the interim. A midshipman asked him +with great earnestness if “the old man” told him that he would not burn +his ship.</p> + +<p>“Why to be sure he did,” was the response.</p> + +<p>And then followed doleful waggings of the head and the comforting remark +that it all looked very much like one of Semmes’ grim jokes.</p> + +<p>In the end the whaler was released and her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span> master warned to get into a +Federal port at the earliest opportunity, and not permit himself to be +caught on the high seas, as he might not fare so well a second time.</p> + +<p>The Alabama spent five days here coaling from the Agrippina. The crew were +allowed shore liberty in quarter watches, but as there were no rum shops +or dance houses on the island, the privilege was not greatly appreciated +by a large part of the rough sailors. Several of the boats were rigged +with sails and the officers went fishing. Gunning for pelicans, plovers, +gulls and sand-snipes was also a favorite pastime. Flocks of flamingoes +waded in the lagoons around the island in search of food, or stood in line +like soldiers on the beach.</p> + +<p>A few settlers from the main land had taken up their residence on the +island, and were cultivating bananas. The sailors helped themselves +bountifully to this fruit, and complaint having been made to Captain +Semmes, he squared the account with ship’s rations.</p> + +<p>A court martial was appointed to consider the case of the incorrigible +George Forrest, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> he was condemned to be put ashore and left on this +island.</p> + +<p>November 26th the Alabama left her anchorage at Blanquilla, and on the +29th was coasting along the shore of Porto Rico. It was the hope of +Captain Semmes that he might capture a treasure steamer on her way north +with gold from California. In the Mona passage a Spanish schooner was +boarded, which contained late Boston papers giving long accounts of the +extensive preparations which were being made for a campaign in Texas, the +conduct of which was to be placed in the hands of General Banks. Captain +Semmes had already heard of this proposed transfer of a northern army to +the Texan coast, and had laid his plans to be in the Gulf of Mexico about +the time it should arrive, which it was expected would be early in +January. In the meantime he had something over a month to devote to other +matters. The Spaniards were told that the Alabama was the United States +steamer Iroquois. A few hours later another sail was sighted, and the +Alabama having drawn nearer, it needed not the skill of Evans to +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span>pronounce her “Yankee.” The stamp of New England was in her tapering +royal and sky-sail masts and her snowy canvas. Newspapers were hastily put +aside and attention concentrated on the chase. Almost within sight of her +destination the bark was overhauled and proved to be the Parker Cooke, of +Boston, bound for San Domingo with provisions. Large quantities of butter, +salt meats, crackers and dried fruits were transferred to the Alabama, and +at dusk the torch was applied to the prize.</p> + +<p>That night the Alabama’s officers had a bad scare, and the men were +ordered to their guns. A large ship of war came suddenly upon them, and as +the cruiser had her propeller up and no steam in her boilers, she would +have been completely at the mercy of so powerful an adversary. The +stranger, however, was evidently not Federal, and passed quickly by +without paying the slightest attention to the Alabama, which was in plain +view. Next day three vessels were boarded, but one showed Dutch papers and +the others Spanish.</p> + +<p>December 2d the Alabama chased and <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span>overhauled a French bark, and her +master’s ignorance of international law came near costing him dearly. He +paid no attention to a blank cartridge, and it was not until a solid shot +was thrown between his masts and at no great distance above his people’s +heads, that he consented to round to. When asked by the boarding officer +why he had not stopped at the first summons, he replied that he was a +Frenchman, and that France was not at war with anybody!</p> + +<p>On the 5th the Union, of Baltimore, was captured, but she had a neutral +cargo, and her captain having given a ransom bond and consented to receive +on board the prisoners from the Parker Cooke, she was suffered to proceed +on her voyage.</p> + +<p>A sharp lookout was now kept for a steamer which it was expected would be +on her way from the Isthmus of Panama to New York with a million dollars +or upward of California gold. This money, if captured, would be lawful +prize, and the portion of it which would go to officers and crew would be +a welcome addition to the pay received from the Confederate government. +The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span> Alabama held her post in the passage between Cuba and San Domingo +from December 3d to December 7th, but no steamer approached from the +south. Many vessels were overhauled, but all were neutrals except the +Union, which ran into the Alabama’s arms without the necessity of a chase. +The 7th was Sunday, and while the Captain was at breakfast and the crew +preparing for the usual Sunday muster, the lookout raised his shout of +“Sail-ho!”</p> + +<p>“Where-away?” demanded the officer of the deck.</p> + +<p>“Broad on the port bow, sir!” was the reply.</p> + +<p>“What does she look like?”</p> + +<p>“She is a large steamer, brig-rigged, sir.”</p> + +<p>Here was a steamer at last, but not in the expected quarter. This one was +south bound, and visions of California gold vanished into air. +Nevertheless, she might prove a good prize.</p> + +<p>“All hands work ship,” called the boatswain, and Lieutenant Kell, seizing +his trumpet, directed the furling of sails and the lowering of the +propeller. The firemen worked like beavers, and in twenty minutes a +sailing vessel had been<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span> transformed into a steamer. At a distance of +three or four miles the United States flag was run up, and the stranger +responded with the same ensign. The rapidity with which the latter +approached showed that she was swift, but it was soon ascertained that she +carried no guns. The Alabama ran down across her path as if to speak her, +but the stranger kept away a little and swept by within a stone’s throw. +The great packet-steamer had all her awnings set, and under these was a +crowd of passengers of both sexes. Groups of soldiers were also seen and +several officers in uniform. Many passengers with opera glasses could be +seen curiously studying the construction and appointments of the false +Union war ship. As the Alabama passed the wake of the packet, she wheeled +in pursuit, ran up the Confederate flag, and fired a blank cartridge. +Instantly the state of amused curiosity on the stranger’s deck gave way to +panic. Ladies ran screaming below, and male passengers were by no means +slow in keeping them company. Great clouds of black smoke poured from the +smoke stacks of the fleeing monster,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span> and her huge walking beam responded +still more rapidly to the strain of her engines. A run of less than a mile +convinced Captain Semmes that the stranger had the speed of him, and that +if he wished to capture her he must resort to heroic measures. The +“Persuader,” was cleared away. The Alabama was yawed a little to enable +the gunner to take accurate aim, and a hundred-pound shell splintered the +foremast of the fugitive ten feet above the deck. Her master declined to +expose his passengers to a second shot, and the stranger’s engines were +stopped, and she soon lay motionless awaiting the approach of her captor.</p> + +<p>The prize proved to be the California mail-steamer Ariel, Captain Jones, +bound to the Isthmus of Panama with five hundred and thirty-two +passengers, mostly women and children, on board, a battallion of one +hundred and forty-five United States marines, and a number of naval +officers, including Commander Sartori, who was on his way to the Pacific +to take command of the United States sailing sloop St. Marys. The boarding +officer reported great consternation<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span> among the passengers. Many of them +were hastily secreting articles of value, and the ladies were inclined to +hysterics, not knowing to what indignities they might be subjected by the +“pirates.” At this juncture Lieutenant Armstrong was ordered to take the +captain’s gig and a boat’s crew rigged out in white duck, and proceed on +board arrayed in his best uniform and brightest smile, and endeavor to +restore a feeling of security. The young lieutenant found the most serious +obstacle to the success of his mission in the person of the commander of +the marines, who strenuously objected to having his men considered as +prisoners of war and put on parole. But the lieutenant had a clinching +argument in the muzzles of the Alabama’s guns, then distant but a few +yards, and the marines finally stacked their arms and took the oath not to +bear arms against the Confederacy until exchanged. $8,000 in United States +treasury notes and $1,500 in silver were found in the safe, which Captain +Jones admitted to be the property of the vessel’s owner, and this was +turned over to Captain Semmes. The boats’ crews behaved very well, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span>and +none of the personal effects of the prisoners were seized.</p> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/image6.jpg" alt="" /></div> +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Second Lieutenant R. F. Armstrong</span></p> +<p> </p><p> </p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span>The captain and engineers of the Ariel were sent on board the Alabama, and +a number of the Alabama’s engineers took possession of the Ariel’s +engines. Lieutenant Armstrong and Midshipman Sinclair, who acted as his +executive officer, were not long in ingratiating themselves with the +ladies, and when they finally left the prize two days later, nearly all +the buttons on their coats had been given away as mementoes. They occupied +respectively the head and foot of the long dining table. When champagne +was brought in they proposed the health of Jefferson Davis, which they +requested should be drunk standing. Their request was complied with amid +considerable merriment, and then the Yankee girls retaliated by proposing +the health of President Lincoln, which was drunk with a storm of hurrahs.</p> + +<p>The next day after the capture of the Ariel the prize crew was hastily +withdrawn from her, bringing away certain small fixtures from the engines, +which rendered them temporarily<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span> useless. The reason for this move was the +appearance of another steamer on the horizon, which it was hoped would +prove to be the treasure steamer for which the Alabama had been waiting +for a week past. Captain Semmes was doomed to another disappointment, +however, for she was neutral. About eight o’clock the next evening, while +in chase of a brig, which was afterward found to be from one of the German +states, a valve casting broke in one of the Alabama’s engines, and the +chief engineer reported that it would take at least twenty-four hours to +repair the damage. Captain Semmes had been extremely loth to release the +Ariel. To get her into a Confederate port was, of course, impossible, and +the Alabama could not possibly accommodate such an immense number of +passengers, even for the short time necessary to run into the nearest +neutral port. He was debating in his own mind whether it might not be +possible to get his prize into Kingston, Jamaica, long enough to get his +prisoners ashore, when the accident happened to the engine, and a boat +sent to board the German brig brought back the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span> information that there was +yellow fever at Kingston. A bond for the value of the prize and her cargo +was therefore exacted from Captain Jones, and the Ariel was suffered to +proceed on her voyage.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI.</h2> +<h3>RECREATION AT ARCAS KEYS.</h3> + +<p class="dropcap"><span class="caps">The</span> Alabama coasted along the secluded north shore of Jamaica for the next +forty-eight hours, while the engine was undergoing repair. It was now the +12th day of December, and Captain Semmes proceeded to carry out his plan +of getting into the Gulf of Mexico without being seen. On the 13th he +writes in his journal:</p> + +<p class="blockquot">Weather fine. Passed the west end of Jamaica about noon. +Ship-cleaning day. Nothing in sight, and I desire to see nothing +(unless it be a homeward bound California Steamer) at present, as it +is important I should make the run I contemplate without being +traced. I should like to touch at the Caymans for fruits and +vegetables for the crew, but forbear on this account.</p> + +<p>And on the 15th he makes this entry:</p> + +<p class="blockquot">Fresh trade; ship running along under topsails. This running down, +down, before the ever constant trade wind, to run up against it by +and by under steam is not pleasant. Still, God willing, I hope to +strike a blow of some importance and make my retreat safely out of +the gulf.</p> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image7.jpg" alt="" /><br />U. S. STEAMSHIP WACHUSETT.</div> + +<p>Have a care, Captain Semmes! Rear Admiral<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span> Wilkes, with the Wachusett and +the Sonoma, is hot on your trail, and his scent is improving. He is only +three days behind the Agrippina at the Grand Cayman, where thrifty Captain +McQueen has touched to do a little trading on his own account.</p> + +<p>December 17th to 19th the Alabama struggled with a three days’ gale about +midway between the westerly end of Cuba and the coast of Honduras. In this +gale the Wachusett burst her boiler tubes and the Sonoma rolled away her +smokestack, but this fortunately did not go overboard, and when the +weather cleared it was put in place again. On the 20th the Alabama’s +lookout sighted the islands near the north-east point of Yucatan, and the +same night Captain Semmes groped his way through the Yucatan Channel by +means of the lead, finding himself next morning in the Gulf of Mexico, +without having seen<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span> a human being by whom the whereabouts of his vessel +could be reported. On the 23d the Agrippina was overhauled, and the two +vessels ran together to the Arcas Keys.</p> + +<p>These little islands are of coral formation, and are three in number, +forming a triangle. The Alabama and her consort found very good anchorage +inside the triangle, with no danger from gales unless they should blow +from the southeast, which Captain Semmes decided would be unlikely at this +time of the year. Here he made his preparations to pounce upon the Banks +transport fleet. The remainder of the coal which had been left in the +Agrippina’s hold at Blanquilla, was now transferred to the Alabama’s +bunkers, and Captain McQueen was directed to proceed to England for +another supply. The next rendezvous was never reached by the Agrippina, +however, and from this time forward Captain Semmes had to supply himself +with coal as best he could. The Alabama was careened and her bottom +scrubbed as well as possible under the circumstances, and various repairs +were made to the sails and about decks.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span>The water was very transparent, and the anchor could be plainly seen at +seven fathoms depth. Fish and turtles were observed swimming about, and +all the wonders of coral architecture were visible below. There was no +vegetation on the islands except sea kale and a few stunted bushes and +cactus. Birds were in abundance, and the whole surface of the island was +covered with their nests, containing eggs and young birds in all stages of +growth. The older birds were very tame and usually refused to leave the +nests until pushed off.</p> + +<p>Two days after the arrival of the Alabama was Christmas day, and the crew +were given shore liberty. Captain Semmes makes this entry in his journal:</p> + +<p class="blockquot">Christmas day, the second Christmas since we left our homes in the +Sumter. Last year we were buffetting the storms of the North Atlantic +near the Azores. Now we are snugly anchored in the Arcas; and how +many eventful periods have passed in the interval. Our poor people +have been terribly pressed in this wicked and ruthless war, and they +have borne privations and sufferings which nothing but an intense +patriotism could have sustained. They will live in history as a +people worthy to be free, and future generations will be astonished +at the folly and fanaticism, want of principle and wickedness, +developed by this war among the Puritan population of the North; and +in this class nine-tenths of the native population of the northern +states may be placed, to such an extent has<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> the “Plymouth Rock” +leaven “leavened the whole loaf.” A people so devoid of Christian +charity, and wanting in so many of the essentials of honesty, cannot +but be abandoned to their own folly by a just and benevolent God. Our +crew is keeping Christmas by a run on shore, which they all seem to +enjoy exceedingly. It is indeed very grateful to the senses to ramble +about over even so confined a space as the Arcas, after tossing about +at sea in a continual state of excitement for months. Yesterday was +the first time I touched the shore since I left Liverpool on the 13th +of August last, and I was only one week in Liverpool after a voyage +of three weeks from the Bahamas, so that I have in fact been but one +week on shore in five months. My thoughts naturally turn on this +quiet Christmas day, in this lonely island, to my dear family. I can +only hope, and trust them to the protection of a merciful Providence. +The only sign of a holiday on board tonight is the usual “splicing of +the main brace,” <i>anglice</i>, giving Jack an extra allowance of grog.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile “Jack’s” thoughts were taking quite a different turn, if reports +are to be trusted. Shore leave with no opportunity for a drunken carousal, +was to him like the play of Hamlet with the principal character altogether +omitted.</p> + +<p>“Liberty on Christmas, the old pirate!” cried one of the crew, kicking up +the carpet of sea kale. “Well, here goes for a quiet life. I can lick any +man in the starboard watch.”</p> + +<p>His challenge was immediately accepted, and the net result was a number of +broken heads and several men nearly incapacitated for duty.</p> + +<p>The largest island contained a salt water lake,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span> which was connected by an +outlet with the sea at high tide, and at other times had a depth of about +two and one-half feet of water. This pond was alive with fish, and on one +occasion a group of junior and petty officers were fishing here in one of +the small boats, when a shark was discovered swimming leisurely along with +a fin exposed and evidently gorged with fish. The chief engineer, Miles J. +Freeman, was bathing, and had waded about a hundred yards from the shore, +when his attention was called to the man eater by the party in the boat. +The shark had no intention of attacking him, but the engineer did not stop +to investigate the state of his sharkship’s appetite, and struck out +lustily for the shore. Not feeling that he was making satisfactory +progress, he got on his feet and tried to wade. The water was just at that +depth where no method of locomotion seems best, and so he floundered +along, sometimes swimming, sometimes trying to run, until he finally +reached the shore and threw himself on the sand utterly exhausted, while +the party in the boat held their sides and screamed with laughter.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span>An Irishman named Michael Mars pushed the boat toward the shark, and +jumping into the water, plunged his sheath knife into the belly of the big +fish. The shark snapped his great jaws and slapped the water with his +tail, but, disregarding all orders to get into the boat and let the shark +alone, Mars kept up the fight until his enemy was vanquished, and the body +was towed ashore in triumph.</p> + +<p>After some days the sojourners discovered that by driving off the birds +from a certain area and breaking all the stale eggs, the nests were soon +supplied with fresh ones by these prolific layers, and a palatable +addition to ship fare was the result.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile Admiral Wilkes was cruising off the westerly end of Cuba, +thinking the Alabama would probably be there, trying to intercept the +homeward bound California steamer. Doubtless she would have been there, +had it not seemed to her commander that a more important duty called him +to the gulf. Admiral Wilkes reasoned that the Agrippina could never have +reached an easterly port against the heavy gale,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span> and decided to look into +the harbor of Mugeres Island in the narrowest part of Yucatan Channel, in +the hope of finding her. Here he discovered a vessel which was at first +thought to be the Alabama, but which proved to be the Virginia, formerly +the Noe-Daquy, which was being fitted up to run the blockade. A Mexican +officer had seized her, on the ground that she was engaged in the slave +trade, and was not disposed to permit her being sent before a prize court +at Key West. The complications arising in the case of this vessel kept +Admiral Wilkes at Mugeres Island until January 18th, except that he made +one trip to Havana for coal. Two days’ sail to the westward would have +brought him to the Arcas Keys, but he had no means of knowing that the +Alabama had passed into the gulf.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII.</h2> +<h3>FIGHT WITH THE HATTERAS.</h3> + +<p class="dropcap"><span class="caps">On</span> the 5th of January, 1863, the Alabama left the Arcas Keys for her +cruise to the northward. Full descriptions of the Banks expedition and its +destination had appeared in the northern newspapers, and Captain Semmes +was well supplied with information as to the character of the transport +fleet and the time when it might be expected to arrive off Galveston. It +was not likely that the transports would be accompanied by a great number +of war vessels, as the Confederacy had no fleet in the gulf, and the +northern papers had reported the Alabama as well on her way to the coast +of Brazil. As there was only twelve feet of water on the bar, most of the +transports would be obliged to anchor outside. A night attack—a quick +dash—firebrands flung from deck to deck—and the fleet might be half<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span> +destroyed before the gunboats could get up steam to pursue.</p> + +<p>Semmes determined to run in by daylight far enough to get the bearings of +the fleet, and then draw off and wait for darkness. He had permitted +enough of his plan to leak through the ward room to the forecastle to put +his people on their mettle, and the entire crew were eager for the fray. +On January 11th the man at the masthead was instructed to keep a lookout +for a large fleet anchored near a lighthouse. His “sail ho! land ho!” came +almost simultaneously, and the captain began to feel certain of his game. +But later questioning brought the answer that there was no fleet of +transports—only five steamers, which looked like vessels of war. Soon +after a shell thrown by one of the steamers was distinctly seen to burst +over the city. It could not be that the Federals would be firing upon a +city which was in their own possession, and Semmes immediately came to the +correct conclusion that Galveston had been recaptured by the Confederates. +That the Banks expedition had been diverted to New Orleans, and would +proceed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span> toward Texas by way of the Red River he could not know, but that +it had not reached Galveston was sufficiently apparent.</p> + +<p>The Alabama’s prow was turned off shore again, and presently the lookout +called down that one of the steamers was in pursuit. Commodore Bell, of +the Federal fleet had discovered the strange actions of the sail in the +offing, and had suspected an intention of running the blockade. The +gunboat Hatteras was therefore signalled to go in chase of the intruder. +The Alabama flew away under sail, but not so fast as to discourage her +pursuer. The propeller was finally let down, and about twenty miles out +she turned to meet the Hatteras. The engines on both vessels stopped at a +distance of about a hundred yards, and the Federal hailed.</p> + +<p>“What ship is that?”</p> + +<p>“This is Her Britannic Majesty’s ship Petrel,” shouted Lieutenant Kell.</p> + +<p>He then demanded the name of the pursuer. The first answer was not clearly +heard. A second summons brought the reply:</p> + +<p>“This is the United States ship—”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span>Again those on the Alabama failed to catch the name, and the people on the +Hatteras seemed to be in a like predicament, for her officer shouted:</p> + +<p>“I don’t understand you.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t understand <i>you</i>,” rejoined Kell.</p> + +<p>After a few moments’ delay the Hatteras hailed again.</p> + +<p>“If you please, I will send a boat on board of you.”</p> + +<p>“Certainly,” was the reply, “we shall be happy to receive your boat.”</p> + +<p>Word was passed to the gunners that the signal to fire would be the word +“Alabama.” The creaking of the tackle as the boat was lowered was +distinctly heard. Meanwhile the Alabama’s engines were started and she was +deftly maneuvered to get her into position for a raking fire. But +Lieutenant Blake, of the Hatteras, was not to be caught napping, and as +the boat cleared her side, the engines of the Hatteras were again started, +giving her headway enough so that she could again present her port +broadside. Seeing that further concealment was useless, Lieutenant<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span> Kell, +at a word from his captain, placed the trumpet to his lips and shouted +with all his lungs:</p> + +<p>“This is the Confederate States steamer Alabama!”</p> + +<p>Almost at the same instant the whole starboard broadside was fired. At +fifty yards there was little chance to miss, and the sharp clang of shot +and shell against the Hatteras’ iron plates added to the din. The fire was +immediately returned by the Hatteras, and both vessels sprang forward at +full speed, leaving Master L. H. Partridge and his boat’s crew making vain +endeavors to regain their own deck.</p> + +<p>Although the Hatteras was built of iron, she was not iron clad. Her plates +had been made merely to resist the sea, not cannon shot, and the terrific +pounding which the Alabama’s guns gave her was effective from the first.</p> + +<p>Her walking beam was shot away, and great gaps appeared in her sides. +Gunners on the Alabama revelled in the chance to revenge the long suffered +newspaper abuse.</p> + +<p>“That’s from ‘the scum of England’!” “That<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span> stops your wind!” “That’s a +British pill for you to swallow!” were some of the expressions hurled at +the Hatteras along with the shot and shell.</p> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/image8.jpg" alt="" /></div> +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">“That’s from the ‘scum of England’!”</span></p> +<p> </p><p> </p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span>Meanwhile the Alabama was not escaping punishment entirely, although none +of her wounds were of a serious nature. One shot through the stern passed +through the lamp room, smashing everything within it. A shell striking a +few feet abaft the foremast, ripped up the deck and lodged in the port +bulwarks without exploding. A shot a few feet forward of the bridge tore +up the deck. Two shells cut the main rigging and dropped into the coal +bunkers, and one of these in exploding made a hole through the side. A +shot demolished one of the boats and went completely through the smoke +stack, making the iron splinters fly like hail. Another shot struck the +muzzle of a 32-pounder gun and caused the truck to run back over a man’s +foot. There was no damage below the water line.</p> + +<p>The Hatteras was on fire in two places, and a shell broke the cylinder of +her engine, thus making it impossible either to handle the vessel<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span> or to +put out the fire. Finding his craft a helpless wreck, Lieutenant Blake +ordered the magazine flooded to prevent an explosion and fired a lee gun +in token of surrender.</p> + +<p>To the inquiry from the Alabama whether he needed assistance Lieutenant +Blake gave an affirmative reply, and the Alabama lowered her boats. But +they were hastily hoisted again when it was reported that a steamer was +coming from Galveston. In this emergency the commander of the Hatteras +ordered her port battery thrown overboard, and this proceeding doubtless +kept her afloat during the few minutes needed for the Alabama’s boats to +be again lowered and reach her side. Every man was taken off, and ten +minutes later she went down bow foremost. The action lasted less than +fifteen minutes.</p> + +<p>Partridge and his boat’s crew drew near as the battle closed, but the +officer having satisfied himself that the Hatteras had been defeated, +ordered his men to pull for Galveston. He was without a compass, but the +night was clear and starlit, and the tired crew succeeded in reaching a +Federal vessel near the city at daybreak.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span>Meanwhile Commodore Bell had heard the noise of the conflict, and had +started out with two of his remaining ships to give assistance to the +Hatteras. An all-night search revealed nothing, and returning next day, he +discovered the tops of the masts of his unlucky consort projecting a few +feet above the water.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span></p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII"></a>CHAPTER XIII.</h2> +<h3>ESCAPE FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO.</h3> + +<p class="dropcap"><span class="caps">To</span> get out of the gulf before the exits could be guarded was now the +all-important thing for the Alabama. Had Captain Semmes known that the +Sonoma was off the north shore of Yucatan, that the Wachusett was at +Mugeres Island still keeping watch over the Virginia, and that the +Santiago de Cuba, another steamer of Admiral Wilkes’ fleet, was cruising +off the west end of Cuba, he might have had some hesitation in steering +for the Yucatan Channel. But, luckily for the Alabama, Admiral Wilkes and +his captains were as ignorant of Captain Semmes’ presence in the gulf as +he was of theirs in the channel. For five days the Alabama battled with +contrary winds, overhauling the Agrippina, which had not yet succeeded in +getting out of the gulf,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span> and on the 16th reached the Yucatan bank, along +which she worked her way until 11:30 o’clock that night, when she slid off +into the channel, and before daylight was beyond the reach of any hostile +glass which might be leveled at her from the Yucatan coast or Mugeres +Island. An observation on the 17th showed the Alabama’s position in the +middle of the channel, where she was slowly making her way southward +against wind and current. Nothing was seen of the Santiago de Cuba. The +next day the R. R. Cuyler, of Admiral Farragut’s squadron, arrived in the +channel in hot pursuit of the Florida, which had just made her escape from +Mobile Bay. The Cuyler and the Santiago de Cuba proceeded together across +the Channel to Mugeres Island in a vain search for the Florida, but by +this time the Alabama was out of the channel and well on her way to +Jamaica. The Florida had run into Havana.</p> + +<p>On the afternoon of January 21st, 1863, the Alabama was off Port Royal, +Jamaica, and anchored in the harbor as it grew dark. If Captain Semmes had +any misgivings as to the reception<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span> which would be accorded him in an +English port, his fears were soon set at rest. He writes:</p> + +<p class="blockquot">We were boarded by a lieutenant from the English flag-ship, +immediately upon anchoring, and the news spread like wildfire through +all Port Royal that the Alabama had arrived, with the officers and +crew of a Federal gunboat, which she had sunk in battle, on board as +prisoners. Night as it was, we were soon swarmed with visitors, come +off to welcome us to the port, and tender their congratulations. The +next morning I called on Commodore Dunlap, who commanded a squadron +of Admiral Milne’s fleet, and was the commanding naval officer +present. This was the first English port I had entered since the +Alabama had been commissioned, and no question whatever as to the +antecedents of my ship was raised. I had, in fact, brought in pretty +substantial credentials that I was a ship of war—130 of the officers +and men of one of the enemy’s sunken ships. * * * I forwarded, +through Commodore Dunlap, an official report of my arrival to the +governor of the island, with a request to be permitted to land my +prisoners, and put some slight repairs upon my ship, both of which +requests were promptly granted.</p> + +<p>With three British men-of-war in the harbor, the Alabama was safe from any +hostile movement even by the most reckless of Federal commanders, and +Captain Semmes accepted the invitation of an English gentleman to visit +his country home, where he took a much needed rest. His officers had their +hands full in his absence. The ship’s bunkers were refilled with coal, a +proceeding which barred the Alabama from again receiving the same courtesy +in any British port for three months. Crowds of curious<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> visitors had to +be entertained, and a constant watch must be kept to prevent liquor from +being smuggled to the men, at least until the arduous labor of coaling +ship was over. When shore leave was finally granted, the majority of the +crew celebrated the occasion as usual by getting uproarously drunk, and +many of them might be seen assisting their late adversaries of the +Hatteras to get into a like condition.</p> + +<p>The Alabama’s paymaster, Clarence R. Yonge, hitherto a trusted officer, +was accused of drunkenness, and also with traitorous intercourse with the +United States consul. Lieutenant Kell had him arrested, and when the +captain returned he was dismissed from the Confederate service.</p> + +<p>Returning to Kingston from his tour of recreation on January 24th, Captain +Semmes found himself the hero of the hour, and felt obliged to comply with +the general request for a speech to the people of the town.</p> + +<p>The task of getting the crew on board the Alabama proved to be a +formidable one. Few could be persuaded to abandon their debauch<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span> by any +persuasion or threat of punishment. Most of them were arrested by the +police and delivered to the Alabama’s officers in all stages of +intoxication. Two of them even attempted to escape after getting on board, +by jumping into a shore boat. Captain Semmes gives the following account +of this occurrence:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>A couple of them, not liking the appearance of things on board, +jumped into a dug-out alongside, and seizing the paddles from the +negroes, shoved off in great haste, and put out for the shore. It was +night, and there was a bright moon lighting up the bay. A cutter was +manned as speedily as possible, and sent in pursuit of the fugitives. +Jack had grog and Moll ahead of him, and irons and a court-martial +behind him, and he paddled like a good fellow. He had gotten a good +start before the cutter was well under way, but still the cutter, +with her long sweeping oars, was rather too much for the dug-out, +especially as there were five oars to two paddles. She gained and +gained, coming nearer and nearer, when presently the officer of the +cutter heard one of the sailors in the dug-out say to the other:</p> + +<p>“I’ll tell you what it is, Bill, there’s too much cargo in this here +d—d craft, and I’m going to lighten ship a little.”</p> + +<p>And at the same instant he saw the two men lay in their paddles, +seize one of the negroes, and pitch him head foremost overboard! They +then seized their paddles again, and away darted the dug-out with +renewed speed.</p> + +<p>Port Royal Bay is a large sheet of water, and is, besides, as every +reader of Marryatt’s incomparable tales knows, full of ravenous +sharks. It would not do, of course, for the cutter to permit the +negro either to drown or to be eaten by the sharks, and so, as she +came up with him, sputtering and floundering for his life, she was +obliged to “back of all” and take him in. The sailor who grabbed at +him first missed him, and the boat shot ahead of him, which rendered +it necessary for her to turn and pull back a short distance<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span> before +she could rescue him. This done, he was flung into the bottom of the +cutter, and the pursuit renewed. By this time the dug-out had gotten +even a better start than she had had at first, and the two fugitive +sailors, encouraged by the prospect of escape, were paddling more +vigorously than ever. Fast flew the dugout, but faster flew the +cutter. Both parties now had their blood up, and a more beautiful and +exciting moonlight race has not often been seen. We had watched it +from the Alabama, until in the gloaming of the night it had passed +out of sight. We had seen the first manœuvre of the halting, and +pulling back of the cutter, but did not know what to make of it. The +cutter began now to come up again with the chase. She had no musket +on board, or in imitation of the Alabama, she might have “hove the +chase to” with a blank cartridge or a ball. When she had gotten +within a few yards of her a second time, in went the paddles again, +and overboard went the other negro! and away went the dugout! A +similar delay on the part of the cutter ensued as before, and a +similar advantage was gained by the dug-out! But all things come to +an end, and so did this race. The cutter finally captured the +dug-out, and brought back Tom Bowse and Bill Bower to their admiring +shipmates on board the Alabama. This was the only violation of +neutrality I was guilty of in Port Royal—chasing and capturing a +neutral craft in neutral waters.</p></div> + +<p>The recalcitrant sailors protested that they had no intention of deserting +the ship or of drowning the negroes; they only wanted to say goodby to +their feminine acquaintances ashore—and so got off with a reprimand and a +night spent in irons.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV"></a>CHAPTER XIV.</h2> +<h3>IN AMBUSH ON THE HIGHWAY.</h3> + +<p class="dropcap"><span class="caps">The</span> next field of the Alabama’s operations was to be the great highway of +commerce off the coast of Brazil, and the mid-Atlantic to the northward. +Hardly a day out from Port Royal she fell in with the Golden Rule, and +made a bonfire of her. This vessel had on board an outfit of masts and +rigging for a United States gun boat, which had been dismantled in a gale. +The flames from the bark were distinctly visible on the islands of Jamaica +and San Domingo. The next night the torch was applied to the Chastelaine +near the Dominican coast. The prisoners from these two vessels were landed +at San Domingo.</p> + +<p>February 2d there was an alarm of fire on board, caused by the +carelessness of one of the petty officers, who had carried a lighted +candle into the spirit room, producing an explosion. No<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span> great damage was +done, however. The Alabama shaped her course northward from San Domingo +and crossed the Tropic of Cancer with a good breeze, a rather unusual +experience. Early on the morning of February 3d the Alabama gave chase to +the schooner Palmetto, but the latter made good use of a favorable breeze, +and was not overhauled until one o’clock in the afternoon. The cargo of +the prize consisted largely of provisions, of which the Alabama +appropriated a goodly supply, and then the torch was applied.</p> + +<p>The Alabama was now working her way eastward on the thirtieth parallel of +latitude, and had got well into the middle of the Atlantic. The Azores, +where she had begun her adventurous career, were only a few degrees to the +north and east. On February 21st a light breeze was blowing from the +southeast when the lookout reported a sail in sight and then another and +then a third and a fourth. The Alabama gave chase to the one first +announced, but she ran away before the wind, and, fearing that the others +would escape, Captain Semmes gave his attention<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> to two which had every +appearance of being Union, and which had been in close company. In order +to distract the cruiser’s attention, the two ships fled in opposite +directions, but, the wind continuing light, the Alabama soon overhauled +the one which sailed eastward; and, putting Master’s Mate Fullam with a +prize crew on board, with orders to follow, gave chase to the other, then +some fifteen miles distant. The cruiser came up with the second ship about +three o’clock p. m. She was the Olive Jane, of New York, homeward bound +from Bordeaux with a cargo of French wines and brandies, sardines, olives +and other delicacies. Her master was ordered on board the Alabama with his +ship’s papers, and soon stood in the presence of Captain Semmes. No +certificates of foreign ownership were found, and the verbal assurance of +the master that the French owner of certain casks of wine had pointed out +his property before the ship sailed, counted for nothing. Fifth Lieutenant +Sinclair was ordered with a boat’s crew to proceed on board the prize and +secure a quantity of the provisions, and then to set fire to her,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span> but on +no account to permit any intoxicants to be brought away. The young +lieutenant assumed the task with many misgivings. To take such a +susceptible boat’s crew into a hold filled with wines and brandies and +forbid them to touch a drop would be to invite a riot. Having reached the +deck of the prize Sinclair took his coxswain aside and explained to him +the nature of the cargo and the scheme which he had in mind. The boat’s +crew were invited to lunch at the cabin table on the viands prepared for +New York’s aristocracy, with sundry bottles of brandy, burgundy and claret +added thereto, and then appealed to not to get their officer into trouble +by becoming intoxicated. The sailors being thus put upon their honor, not +a single cask of wine was broken open nor a bottle conveyed to the +Alabama. As the work of securing the provisions proceeded, numerous +temporary adjournments to the cabin took place, but when the time came for +applying the torch, the crew returned to their ship, feeling a little gay +perhaps, but amply able to clamber up the cruiser’s side without +assistance.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span>The Olive Jane, having been seen to be well on fire, the Alabama made her +way back to the first prize, which, in charge of the prize crew, was doing +her best to follow. This vessel was the Golden Eagle. She had sailed in +ballast from San Francisco, had taken on a cargo of guano on a small +island in the Pacific Ocean, rounded Cape Horn, crossed the equator and +the calm belt, and was just catching the breezes which were expected to +waft her to her destination at Cork, Ireland, when she fell in with the +merciless destroyer, and was condemned to be burned.</p> + +<p>The Alabama was now approaching a locality where active operation might be +looked for. Says Captain Semmes:</p> + +<p class="blockquot">We were now in latitude 30° and longitude 40°, and * * * on the +charmed “crossing,” leading to the coast of Brazil. By “crossing” is +meant the point at which the ship’s course crosses a given parallel +of latitude. We must not, for instance, cross the thirtieth parallel, +going southward, until we have reached a certain meridian—say that +of forty degrees west. If we do, the north-east trade wind will pinch +us, and perhaps prevent us from weathering Cape St. Roque. And when +we reach the equator there is another crossing recommended to the +mariner, as being most appropriate to his purpose. Thus it is that +the roads upon the sea have been blazed out, as it were—the blazes +not being exactly cut upon the forest trees, but upon parallels and meridians.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span>The Alabama was now kept exceedingly busy examining flags and papers of +the passers by, to make sure that no Yankee should get past her unawares. +February 27th the Washington fell into the Alabama’s net, but she had a +cargo of guano belonging to the Peruvian government; and her master having +given a ransom bond of $50,000 and taken the Alabama’s prisoners on board, +was suffered to proceed on his voyage. March 1st the Bethia Thayer, with +more Peruvian guano, was also released on bond. The next victim was the +John A. Parks, of Hallowell, Maine, with a cargo of lumber for ports in +Argentine or Uruguay. The cargo was certified in proper form to be English +property, but some tell-tale letters in the mail bag showed that these +certificates had been obtained for the sole purpose of preventing +confiscation in case of capture, and ship and cargo were consigned to the +flames.</p> + +<p>The Alabama now ran southward to the equator. In the vicinity of the line +she was seldom out of sight of vessels, and frequently there were a half +dozen or more within sight at one <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span>time. United States vessels were apt +to avoid the “crossings,” however, and had taken to the fields and back +alleys, as it were. In some cases they sailed hundreds of miles out of +their way in order to keep out of the ordinary track of commerce, where it +was suspected that a Confederate cruiser might be lying in wait.</p> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/image9.jpg" alt="" /></div> +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Havoc in the South Atlantic.</span></p> +<p> </p><p> </p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span>About midnight on March 15th the sky being cloudy, the lookout called, +“Sail ho! close aboard,” and a large ship passed by running on the +opposite tack. The Alabama wheeled to follow, and succeeded in getting +within range just before daybreak. A gunshot induced the chase to heave +to. She proved to be the Punjaub, of Boston, on her way from Calcutta to +London with a cargo of jute and linseed, which was properly certified as +British property. She was released on a ransom bond, and took with her the +last batch of prisoners, consisting of the crew of the John A. Parks. On +the morning of March 23d the Morning Star was captured. She also was on +her way from India to England with a neutral cargo, and not being able to +find any flaw in her papers, Captain Semmes released her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span> on a ransom +bond. On the afternoon of the same day the Kingfisher, a whaling schooner, +of Fairhaven, Massachusetts, was captured and burned. Two days later two +large ships were seen approaching in close company. At the sight of the +Alabama they separated and made more sail, but were both overhauled and +proved to be American. The Charles Hill was bound from Liverpool to +Argentine with salt. The Nora, also laden with salt, was bound from +Liverpool to Calcutta. Probably both cargoes were actually owned by +English citizens, but no proper proof of that fact being found among their +papers, both vessels were condemned. The whole night and most of the +following day were consumed in getting about forty tons of coal out of the +prizes, after which they were burned. Nine men from these two ships +enlisted on the Alabama.</p> + +<p>On April 4th the Alabama chased a fine large ship all day, and, the wind +having failed, sent a boarding crew in a whale boat to her at five o’clock +p. m., although she was still two miles distant. Just before dark the ship +was seen to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span> turn her head toward the Alabama, and in a few hours she was +alongside. The prize was the Louisa Hatch, of Rockland, Maine, with a +cargo of coal, and bound from Cardiff, Wales, to the island of Ceylon. +There was a certificate of foreign ownership among her papers, but not +being sworn to, it was treated as so much waste paper. Coal on the coast +of Brazil was worth seventeen dollars per ton. The Alabama’s supply of +that necessary article was running low, but the Agrippina was expected +soon, and the appointed rendezvous was close at hand. The character of the +Agrippina, however, as a supply ship to the Alabama was becoming pretty +well known, and it was stated that at least one Union captain had +threatened to treat her as a hostile craft, notwithstanding her English +flag. It was therefore quite possible that she might not be able to reach +the place designated by Captain Semmes for the transfer of her cargo. On +the other hand, Captain Semmes knew from experience that to transfer coal +from the Louisa Hatch to the Alabama in the open sea would be a slow and +difficult process in the best weather, and impossible in even a moderate wind.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span>Under the circumstances he determined to take the prize in tow and enter +the port of Fernando de Noronha, an island belonging to Brazil, and used +as a penal colony by that government, and run the risk of official +interference. It was fortunate for the Alabama that the Louisa Hatch was +not destroyed. The Agrippina was several weeks behind the appointed time +In reaching the coast of Brazil. Besides her cargo of coal she had on +board two more guns for the Alabama’s armament. Those guns were never +delivered, and the Alabama went into her final combat with her original +eight guns only.</p> + +<p>Captain Semmes ran boldly into the harbor of Fernando de Noronha in the +afternoon of April 10th, 1863, followed by the Louisa Hatch, and after +dark began taking coal from the prize. The next day he visited the +governor of the island, and found that official disposed to be very +friendly. He took the Confederate captain on a tour of inspection about +the island, and invited him to dine with the aristocracy of the place, +consisting chiefly of gentlemanly forgers and other polite convicts, +together with a few<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span> army officers from the battalion under his command. +To the mind of the gentleman of Southern breeding the climax of +incongruity was reached when he was introduced to the governor’s mulatto +wife. The opinion of Captain Semmes in regard to the black and mixed +inhabitants of Brazil may be gathered from the following excerpt from his +memoirs:</p> + +<p class="blockquot">The effete Portuguese race has been ingrafted upon a stupid, stolid +Indian stock in that country. The freed negro is, besides, the equal +of the white man, and as there seems to be no repugnance on the part +of the white race—so called—to mix with the black race, and with +the Indian, amalgamation will go on in that country, until a mongrel +set of curs will cover the whole land. This might be a suitable field +enough for the New England school-ma’am and carpet-bagger, but no +Southern gentleman should think of mixing his blood or casting his +lot with such a race of people.</p> + +<p>The fiery “Southern gentleman” was, however, able for the time being to +accommodate his feelings to the requirements of diplomacy, and his +sentiments did not prevent him from making himself agreeable to the +handsome mulatto lady and patting the kinky heads of her children. From +this time forward the influence of the governor’s wife was thrown on the +side of an exceedingly liberal interpretation of the law of nations, +wherever the Confederate captain was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span> concerned, that lady little +imagining the storm which was gathering about her husband’s head, as a +result of too much official complaisance.</p> + +<p>The Alabama remained at this island until April 22d. As the anchorage was +nothing but an open roadstead, it was soon found that the swell of the sea +was too great to permit the two vessels to lie side by side without +damage; and resort was had to the tedious operation of transferring the +coal in boats, thus consuming five days. Meanwhile Captain Semmes was +enjoying fat turkeys, fruit and bouquets sent him by the governor and his +wife, or making agreeable visits to the government house and other places +on the island.</p> + +<p>April 15th two vessels were discovered to the southward, and soon after +two whale boats were seen approaching from that direction. Each was in +charge of the captain of one of the vessels in the offing, and they seemed +somewhat apprehensive as to the company into which they had fallen. One of +them hailed the Louisa Hatch and inquired her name and the port she was +from, to which questions correct answers were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span> given by Master’s Mate +Fullam, the prize officer in charge. The other captain broke in by asking +if the steamer in the harbor was not the Alabama.</p> + +<p>“Certainly not,” was the reply, “she is the United States steamer +Iroquois.”</p> + +<p>“Have you any news of the Alabama?”</p> + +<p>“Yes; we have heard of her being in the West Indies, at Jamaica and Costa +Rica.”</p> + +<p>The prize master then engaged them in conversation, with the idea of +detaining them until the Alabama could get up steam, which he felt sure +would be done with all speed. Considerably reassured, the whaling captains +accepted an invitation to go on board the prize, and had approached within +a few yards when the officer in the forward boat uttered a cry of alarm.</p> + +<p>“Give way, men; give way for your lives,” he shouted, and hastily turned +the boat’s head toward the shore.</p> + +<p>To the frantic appeals of the other captain to explain his conduct he +would only point to the mizzen rigging of the ship and ejaculate:</p> + +<p>“There! there!”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span>Closer inspection revealed a small Confederate flag which a puff of wind +had just displayed. The fears of the excited captain were soon realized. +The Alabama steamed out of the anchorage and before dark had fired the +bark Lafayette (the second vessel of this name destroyed) and returned +with the Kate Cory in tow. Captain Semmes says that these two ships were +captured outside the three-mile limit, but the crews of the captured +vessels assert that they were clearly in Brazilian waters. The easy going +governor contented himself with a written statement of Captain Semmes that +the captures were made outside of the marine league. Fullam wrote in his +diary:</p> + +<p class="blockquot">Whilst at Bahia I was shown a letter from the master of one of the +whaling barks to an agent, in which he wrote that he would spare no +money or time to follow to the uttermost ends of the earth, and bring +to justice the man who had so cruelly deceived him. This sentence had +reference to my denial of the Alabama and the substitution of the U. +S. steamer Iroquois for that of C. S. steamer Alabama. The +ingratitude of some people!</p> + +<p>The prisoners were paroled and sent to Pernambuco in a Brazilian schooner. +Captain Semmes waited a week longer for the Agrippina, and then steamed +out into the track of commerce once more.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span></p> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV"></a>CHAPTER XV.</h2> +<h3>ADMIRAL WILKES IS MISTAKEN.</h3> + +<p class="dropcap"><span class="caps">As</span> the Alabama left the anchorage of Fernando de Noronha four whale boats +were successively cast adrift, and the islanders made a grand scramble for +the possession of them. The successful ones became capitalists in the eyes +of their fellows, as the boats were better than any others about the +place. The second night at sea, about two hours after midnight a whaling +bark was sighted, and after an hour’s chase succumbed to a blank +cartridge. She was the Nye, of New Bedford, and had spent thirty-one +months in the Pacific Ocean. She had sent home one or two cargoes of oil, +and was now homeward bound with 425 barrels more. Everything about the +ship was saturated with oil, and she made a magnificent bonfire. The +sailors were chiefly interested in the store of Virginia tobacco which she +brought them.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span>April 26th the Dorcas Prince, of New York, bound for Shanghai with a cargo +of coal, was overhauled. The Alabama had her bunkers full of coal, and +consequently this cargo was given to the flames along with the vessel. The +master of the Dorcas Prince had his wife with him, and one of the +Alabama’s lieutenants was turned out of his stateroom to make room for the +lady. The lookouts were kept busy reporting sails, but Evans gave little +comfort as to nationality.</p> + +<p>“Think she’s English, sir,” was his frequent answer to queries; or “Not +Yankee, sir—think she’s Austrian.”</p> + +<p>Hardly a nation with any shipping at all that was not represented in this +great ocean roadway. Hanoverian and Uruguayan vessels, both of which were +overhauled, were not identified until they showed their flags.</p> + +<p>On Sunday, the third day of May, the Union Jack, of Boston, was chased and +captured. The prize crew having gained her deck, away went the Alabama in +chase of another ship, which was also overhauled in about an hour. She +proved to be the Sea Lark, of New York. The Union<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span> Jack was bound for the +coast of China, and her master was taking his family out to make a +temporary home for them somewhere in the far east so long as his business +should require his presence in that part of the world. Rev. Franklin +Wright, just appointed United States consul at Foo Chow, was also a +passenger. Captain Semmes took possession of the new consul’s official +documents, intending thus to delay his entering upon his new duties. +Before night both prizes were well on fire.</p> + +<p>May 11th Captain Semmes ran into Bahia to land his prisoners. The news of +the Alabama’s exploits had preceded her. Acting under orders from Rio +Janeiro, the president of the province of Pernambuco had recalled the +governor of Fernando de Noronha and commenced legal proceedings against +him. Three war vessels had also been dispatched to the island to prevent +further breaches of international law. While the case of the Alabama was +undergoing investigation matters were further complicated by the arrival +of the Confederate steamer Georgia, which had left British jurisdiction +under<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span> the name of the Japan, and received her armament off Ushant. News +was also received that the Florida had arrived at Pernambuco, so that +there was now quite a Confederate fleet in Brazilian ports. The final +decision of the Brazilian government was to the effect that the Alabama +had violated the neutrality of Brazilian waters, and henceforth should not +be permitted to enter any of the ports of the empire. In the meantime +Captain Semmes had received all the supplies he needed. He put to sea May +21st. Two weeks later the Agrippina arrived at Bahia, and was blockaded +there together with another ship, the Castor, which had supplies for the +Georgia, by the United States gunboat Onward. The Castor had succeeded in +delivering some coal to the Georgia, but owing to the vigorous protest of +the United States Consul, Thomas F. Wilson, who had received information +leading him to believe that there was ammunition and also two large rifled +cannon on board the Castor, the president of the province had forbidden +the two <ins class="correction" title="original: vesels">vessels</ins> to lie alongside of each other, and the Georgia was +obliged to take coal from lighters sent from the shore.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span>The Georgia put to sea April 23d, but the next day the United States war +steamer Mohican arrived, and kept the Castor in port until the arrival of +the Onward. The Onward kept watch over the Castor and the Agrippina until +their masters gave up the contest and sold and discharged their cargoes, +after which they were released from espionage.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p>In the latter part of January the Vanderbilt, a large and swift side-wheel +steamer carrying fifteen guns, was ordered by Secretary Welles to go in +search of the Alabama. The instructions to Lieutenant Baldwin, who was in +command of her, were as follows:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p class="right">Navy Department, January 27, 1863.</p> + +<p>Sir: As soon as the U. S. S. Vanderbilt is ready you will proceed +with her to sea and resume the search for the steamer Alabama, or +290. You will first visit Havana, where you may obtain information to +govern your future movements. You can then visit any of the islands +of the West Indies or any part of the Gulf at which you think you +would be most likely to overtake the Alabama or procure information +of her.</p> + +<p>When you are perfectly satisfied that the Alabama has left the Gulf +or the West Indies and gone to some other locality, you will proceed +along the coast of <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span>Brazil to Fernando de Noronha and Rio de Janeiro, +making enquiry at such places as you may think advisable. From Rio +continue your course to the Cape of Good Hope, thence back to St. +Helena, Cape Verde, the Canaries, Madeira, Lisbon, Western Islands, +and New York.</p> + +<p>If at any point word is obtained of the Alabama, or any other rebel +craft, you will pursue her without regard to these instructions; and +if the Alabama should be captured by any of our vessels, you will +regard these instructions as void, and return at once to New York, +unless you are in pursuit of some other rebel craft.</p> + +<p>The U. S. bark Ino is cruising in the vicinity of St. Helena, and the +U. S. S. Mohican near the Cape Verde. Endeavor to obtain all the +information possible at points where the mail steamers touch, and +communicate with the department as opportunity offers.</p> + +<p>I am respectfully, etc.,</p> + +<p><span style="margin-left: 12em;">GIDEON WELLES.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 14em;">Secretary of the Navy.</span></p> + +<p>Acting Lieutenant Chas. H. Baldwin,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Commanding U. S. S. Vanderbilt, Hampton Roads.</span></p></div> + +<p>It will be noticed that the route thus mapped out for the Vanderbilt +corresponded very closely to the one actually taken by the Alabama. The +next day the secretary was informed of the Alabama’s fight with the +Hatteras, and the Florida’s escape from Mobile, and telegraphed Lieutenant +Baldwin as follows:</p> + +<p class="blockquot">* * * proceed with all possible dispatch to Havana, and there be +governed by circumstances, but do not leave the West Indies as long +as the Florida or Alabama are there.</p> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image10.jpg" alt="" /><br /><i>United States Steamer Vanderbilt.</i></div> + +<p>Acting Rear Admiral Wilkes, commanding<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span> the West India squadron, had come +very near plunging his country into a foreign war in November, 1861. He +then held the rank of Captain, and was in command of the San Jacinto. He +overhauled the British steamer Trent at sea and forcibly removed from her +the Confederate commissioners Mason and Slidell. This act would have been +perfectly justifiable if the Trent had been attempting to run the +blockade, but as she was bound from the neutral port of Havana to an +English port, there was no excuse for the seizure, and the act was +disavowed and the prisoners released by order of President Lincoln. +Nevertheless, Captain Wilkes was advanced to the rank of commodore, and in +September, 1862, made an acting rear admiral and assigned to the command +of the West India fleet, consisting of the Wachusett, Dacotah, Cimarron, +Sonoma, Tioga, Octorara and Santiago de Cuba. Almost from the time of +taking<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span> command he had been sending frequent requests to Secretary Welles +for more and better vessels. He felt sure that the Alabama might soon be +captured if his requests were complied with. He complained bitterly +because the Dacotah had been sent on an independent cruise, and because +the San Jacinto, although cruising in the West Indies, was not placed +under his command. He was inclined to make use of any stragglers from +other squadrons which came within his reach. The R. R. Cuyler and the +Oneida, of Admiral Farragut’s squadron, after chasing the Florida out of +Mobile, got within the sphere of Admiral Wilkes’ influence, and the former +did not get back to her station for six weeks. The Oneida did not get back +at all while Wilkes retained his command. When the Vanderbilt reached the +West Indies Wilkes took possession of her and retained her as his flag +ship until the 13th of June. He persisted in the belief that the main +object of the Alabama and the Florida would be the capture of the +California treasure steamers, although those steamers had long since been +furnished with an armed convoy. When<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span> the news of the Alabama’s +depredations on the coast of Brazil reached the United States and the +shipping interests began to clamor for protection in that quarter, +Secretary Welles at first replied that the Vanderbilt had already gone +thither. When later reports showed that she was still retained by Wilkes, +the secretary’s stock of patience was exhausted, and he relieved Wilkes of +his command.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span></p> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI"></a>CHAPTER XVI.</h2> +<h3>STREWING THE SEA WITH VALUABLES.</h3> + +<p class="dropcap"><span class="caps">The</span> Alabama had now made some fifty captures, and American vessels were +taking circuitous routes in order to avoid her. In some cases they had +been sold to British owners, and doubtless there were many pretended sales +for the purpose of obtaining the protection of the neutral flag. Several +vessels were overhauled off the Brazilian coast by the Alabama, where a +real or pretended transfer to neutral owners had been made. The papers +being regular in each case, Captain Semmes had no alternative but to +release them. But woe to any ship or cargo in whose papers any technical +flaw could be made to justify him in disregarding them!</p> + +<p>In the afternoon of May 25th the Alabama’s lookout reported a sail in +sight and the cruiser had hardly made ready to pursue before another<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span> sail +was descried. On nearer approach both were pronounced Yankee, but the +Alabama was not able to overhaul them until after sunset. The first ship +boarded was the S. Gildersleeve, of New York, with a cargo of coal. The +cargo was from London, and was probably owned there, but no proper +certificate of that fact being found, ship and cargo were condemned to the +flames. The other vessel was the bark Justina, of Baltimore, with a +neutral cargo, properly certified. The Justina was released on ransom bond +and the crew of the S. Gildersleeve transferred to her. The sea was very +rough, and the transfer of the prisoners after dark was no easy task. The +light having gone out on one of the boats, it came very near being run +down by the Alabama while changing position. At eleven o’clock that night +the Gildersleeve was ready for the torch.</p> + +<p>The next night about 8:30 the Alabama began a chase by moonlight which +lasted all night. With very careful handling the cruiser was able to gain +slightly on the chase, which was also well handled and carrying a press of +sail. After daylight the next morning the chase<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span> obeyed the signal of a +blank cartridge and proved to be—a Dutch vessel!</p> + +<p>Forty-eight hours later another night chase yielded better results. The +vessel overhauled this time was the Jabez Snow, of Rockport, Maine, with a +cargo of coal, and bound from Cardiff, Wales, to Uruguay. A certificate of +neutral ownership of the cargo was produced by the master, but not being +sworn to, no attention was paid to it, and the ship was burned.</p> + +<p>June 2d at half past three o’clock in the morning the Alabama passed a +large ship on the opposite tack. The cruiser made sail in pursuit. At +daylight the fugitive was still six or seven miles distant, and refused to +obey the Alabama’s gun. At 10:30 the cruiser had crept up within four +miles, and a shot from the “Persuader” brought the chase to a stop. This +prize was the Amazonian, of Boston, also bound for the coast of Uruguay. +The cargo was an assorted one, and there were two claims of neutral +property; but Captain Semmes picked flaws in both of them, and the ship +was condemned to be burned. In searching for some boxes of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span> soap and +candles which were needed on the Alabama, the ocean was strewn with boxes +and bales, many of them containing articles of high value. Pianos, cases +of fine shoes, and the like, were dumped like so much rubbish until the +coveted soap was brought to light. Having secured what was deemed +necessary, the ship was set on fire. The next day an English brigantine +was boarded, and by presenting her master with a chronometer, of which +there were now a great number on the cruiser, taken from prizes, and a +considerable quantity of provisions, Captain Semmes persuaded him to take +the Alabama’s prisoners, about forty in number, to Rio Janeiro.</p> + +<p>June 5th just before daylight the fine clipper ship Talisman ran within +gunshot of the Alabama before discovering her presence. She was bound from +New York to the coast of China, and had on board four brass twelve-pounder +cannon and ammunition for them. Two of these cannon were transferred to +the Alabama, with the ammunition and some provisions, and the vessel was +then burned.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span>During the next two weeks no less than three “Yankee” ships were fallen in +with, which had been sold to British owners, and an American cargo was +found bound for New York in a Bremen ship. The Confederate commander was +exultant over these multiplying proofs of the terror which his arms had +inspired.</p> + +<p>The 20th of June brought a new departure in the Alabama’s career. On that +day the bark Conrad, of Philadelphia, homeward bound from Buenos Ayres +with a cargo of wool, was captured. There were declarations of English +ownership, but Captain Semmes pronounced them fraudulent. Instead of +burning this prize, however, he determined to fit her out to assist in the +work of destroying American commerce. A crew of fifteen men was sent on +board under command of Lieutenant Low, with Midshipman William H. Sinclair +as his first officer. The two twelve pounders taken from the Talisman were +transferred to her, with a supply of rifles and revolvers, and the vessel +was rechristened the Confederate States bark Tuscaloosa.</p> + +<p>The Alabama was now south of the tropic<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span> of Capricorn and on her way to +the Cape of Good Hope. Captain Semmes still hoped to find the Agrippina on +the South African coast, but after spending some days on the voyage, the +ship’s bread was discovered to be nearly destroyed by weevil, and it +became necessary to put back to Rio Janeiro for a fresh supply. On the +first day of July the Alabama was again nearing the locality where she had +parted from the Tuscaloosa. After overhauling no less than eleven neutral +ships during the day, chase was given to the twelfth at eleven o’clock +p. m. As the day broke the chase developed into a fine tall ship with +tapering spars and white canvas. At the summons of a blank cartridge, she +showed the United States flag, but her master refused to heave to, and was +evidently determined not to permit his ship to be captured until the last +resource of seamanship had failed. It was not until the cruiser had crept +near enough to throw a shell screaming across her bow, that she shortened +sail. The prize proved to be the Anna F. Schmidt, bound from Boston to San +Francisco with a valuable assorted cargo. If<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span> she had been fitted out as a +supply ship for the Alabama she could hardly have met the needs of the +hour better. An abundance of bread put an end to the need of another visit +to unfriendly Brazil. Trousers and shoes for the sailors, and plenty of +warm underclothing, so much needed in the colder region which the cruiser +was now approaching, were dug up out of the hold. The whole day was +consumed in the looting. Great quantities of crockery and glassware, +lamps, clocks, sewing machines, patent medicines and so on, were flung +overboard in order that the needed articles might be found, and at night +the match was applied to what remained.</p> + +<p>As the cruiser stood away from the blazing ship at 9 p. m. she fired a bow +gun to bring to a large ship speeding northward. The stranger answered +also with a gun. Aha! a man-of-war. But why this haste? Why carry royals +in such a gale, unless safety depends upon it. The stranger must be a +“Yankee” gun boat and one afraid to meet us, judging from the heels he +shows. Or perhaps a valuable merchant ship playing man-of-war in order to +deceive. So<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span> reasoned Captain Semmes, and pressed on both steam and sail +to overhaul the fleeing stranger. At midnight the Alabama was near enough +to hail.</p> + +<p>“What ship is that?” shouted Lieutenant Kell through his trumpet.</p> + +<p>“This is her Brittanic Majesty’s ship Diomede,” was the reply. And so +vanished alike the captain’s hope of a rich prize and the sailors’ +thoughts of a battle. As ships of war are not expected to obey a summons +to heave to and show papers, the Diomede flew away on her course, and the +Alabama shortened sail and banked her fires.</p> + +<p>July 6th the Express, of Boston, bound for Antwerp, with a cargo of guano, +said to be the property of the government of Peru, was captured. Captain +Semmes found flaws in the certificate of neutral ownership, and the vessel +was burned.</p> + +<p>July 29th the Alabama reached the coast of South Africa and anchored at +Saldanha Bay, an excellent but secluded harbor about ninety miles north of +Cape Town. Here the Alabama was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span> repaired and painted and word sent to the +governor of the colony that the neutrality laws would be carefully +respected. The first loss of life since the beginning of the cruise +occurred August 3d, when one of the engineers accidentally shot himself +while returning from a hunting expedition. Three days later, finding that +there were no Union cruisers about the colony, and the Agrippina not +having put in an appearance, the Alabama proceeded to Cape Town. On the +way she spoke the Tuscaloosa, and Lieutenant Low reported that he had +captured the Santee, which ship, having a neutral cargo, he had released +on bond.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span></p> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII"></a>CHAPTER XVII.</h2> +<h3>HIDE AND SEEK WITH THE VANDERBILT.</h3> + +<p class="dropcap"><span class="caps">The</span> fame of the Alabama had preceded her, and her reception at the capital +of the colony was an ovation. One of the Cape Town newspapers thus +describes her arrival:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>On the 27th of July no little excitement was caused in Cape Town on +the arrival of the coasting schooner Rover from Walwich Bay, with the +news that the Confederate steamer Alabama had actually made her +appearance about twenty-five miles off Green Point. * * * Nothing +further was heard, and it was thought by some that she had proceeded +on to the eastward; but on the afternoon of August 4 public +excitement was again aroused on the arrival of the schooner Atlas, +Capt. Boyce, from Saldanha Bay, with the intelligence that the +Alabama was lying snugly at anchor in that bay repairing. * * * +Captain Boyce also informed us that he had boarded the steamer and +was told by her commander that it was his intention to visit both +Table Bay and Simons Bay, and that he would be up almost as soon as +the Atlas. This bit of news put every one on the <i>qui vive</i>, and the +eagerly looked for arrival was the sole subject of talk. Tuesday +passed, but the Alabama had not made her appearance yet.</p> + +<p>About noon on the following day (Wednesday) an American bark was +signalled as standing into Table Bay from the southwest. Almost +immediately after a bark-rigged steamer was made down as standing in +from the northeast.</p> + +<p>The stoop of the Exchange and the space around<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span> the signalman’s +office behind the Custom House, and all other places from which the +signals could be made out, were soon crowded; and when the name of +the steamer was made known, the excitement passed all bounds. The +news spread through Cape Town like wild fire:</p> + +<p>“The Alabama is outside the bay, in chase of an American bark!”</p> + +<p>Trading was forgotten—the busiest rushed out of their offices and +shops; every cab on the stand loaded regardless of municipal +regulations, and vanished up the Kloof road or down Somerset road. +Horsemen galloped about the street, and then spurred their steeds +right up the Lion’s rump. Men, women and children were seized as with +frenzy, and rushed about here, there and everywhere, asking and +telling the most contradictory and unheard of things.</p> + +<p>“They were firing at each other!—at close quarters!—the smoke and +roar of the battle could be quite distinctly heard from the +breakwater!”</p> + +<p>And the shore from that point round to Camp’s bay was, in an +incredibly short space of time, lined with no inconsiderable portion +of the madly excited citizens of Cape Town. * * * The fine bark Sea +Bride, having run the gauntlet of the Confederate fleet on the +Atlantic, had deemed her voyage to be approaching a happy end, and, +with full sail set, a favoring breeze and the star-spangled banner at +her peak, she sped onward like a thing of life and beauty, in full +view of the port to which she was bound. Dimly in the north she +descried a steamer standing likewise for the bay, and congratulated +herself on her good luck in arriving just in time to receive the +latest American news of Vicksburg or the Rappahanock by the English +mail. Fast as the bark went, the steamer sped faster still, and in a +very unaccountable manner seemed to be bearing down upon the Yankee. +In less than half an hour the suspicious craft had fairly overhauled +her, and, with the dreadful Confederate flag run up at the peak, left +little doubt that the Sea Bride was to become the prey of the +redoubtable cruiser, the Alabama. But still, as it appeared to us who +witnessed the whole scene from Green Point shore, the Northerner +determined to strain every nerve to escape his foe and reach the +neutral waters within the charmed league from shore.</p> + +<p>The demand from the steamer to heave to was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span> answered by a defiant +pressing on of every stitch of canvas, and a still more jaunty +display of the stars and stripes at the mizzen. The chase was then +continued for a few seconds longer; but at no time was the issue of +it uncertain. The Alabama seemed to cut the waters with prodigious +speed, and a blank charge from one of her big guns brought the Sea +Bride to a full stop. The Confederate, puffing off her steam in +enormous volumes, moved gently round her fated victim, and seemed to +gaze upon her with the complacent satisfaction a cat might show after +the seizure of a tempting mouse, or a hawk which in swift descent had +pounced on its unsuspecting prey. A boat was sent to go on board the +bark—a few minutes longer and it was impossible to judge what was +happening; until at last the stars and stripes were struck, and the +Northern bark Sea Bride was manifestly proclaimed a Confederate +prize.</p></div> + +<p>When the Alabama anchored in the bay, she was surrounded by boats, the +occupants all eager to view ship, officers and crew; and the Confederates +found themselves the heroes of the hour. The history of their captures and +the battle with the Hatteras had to be related over and over again, with +various grades of embellishment, according to the veracity or imagination +of the narrator. The newspaper account continues:</p> + +<p class="blockquot">Next day the excitement in town was if possible still greater. The +day was to all intents and purposes a general holiday. The weather +was favorable, charming; the bay was as smooth and sparkling as a +sheet of glass, and every man, woman and child in Cape Town seemed to +have made up their minds to get on board the Alabama in some; way or +other. * * * The Alabama took in and discharged a living freight at +the rate of about sixty in the minute from eight o’clock in the +morning till four or five in the afternoon. * * * The boatmen +quarreled, roared and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span> swore, as their eager living cargoes tumbled +in and out of large boats into little ones, utterly reckless of their +lives in their mad haste to get into the ship. The ladies’ crinolines +blocked the ladders and gangways. * * * The great center of +attraction was Captain Semmes. “Where is he?” “Might we just have a +look at him?” “Do let us down,” “Do make a little room,” begged and +prayed ladies and gentlemen all day long at the head of the companion +ladder leading down to the cabin.</p> + +<p>Captain Semmes seems to have borne his honors with a becoming grace, and +to have made a good impression upon his army of visitors. Bartelli, the +captain’s steward, acted as master of ceremonies, and refused to admit any +one until his or her card had first been sent in, and he had very +diplomatic ways of getting rid of people who did not impress him as being +of the proper social standing. Invitations to make visits on shore were +showered upon the officers and some of them were accepted. Quires of paper +were consumed in autographs, and the officers posed for their photographs +on deck.</p> + +<p>The Alabama remained here and at Simons Bay until August 15th under +various pretexts of needed repairs. The United States consul made the +claim that the Sea Bride had been captured within the marine league, and +also that while in charge of the prize crew she had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span> approached within a +mile and a half of the shore. On the 8th the Tuscaloosa came into Simons +Bay, and the consul protested that her proper name was the Conrad, that +she had never been condemned in an admiralty court, that her original +cargo of wool was still on board, and that the mere fact that two brass +guns and a dozen men had been transferred to her decks could not deprive +her of the character of a prize, which it would be unlawful to bring into +a British port. Governor Wodehouse decided both of these cases in favor of +the Confederates, but having reported the facts to the British government, +his action in the case of the Tuscaloosa was disapproved. Accordingly, +when that vessel again appeared in port he caused her to be seized. This +proceeding was also disapproved at London, on the ground that having once +found an asylum in a British port, she had a right to expect similar +treatment in the future. This diplomatic controversy was many months in +progress, and before a final decision was arrived at there were no +Confederate officers at the Cape to whom she could be delivered. After the +war she was transferred to her original owners.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span>August 9th the Alabama steamed out from Cape Town, bound for Simons Bay. +As she passed out of the harbor two American ships were sighted by the +signalman on shore. But they were warned of their danger by some boats, +and, the weather being foggy, they got inside the marine league without +being seen by the Confederates. The same day the Alabama captured the bark +Martha Wenzel near the entrance to False Bay, but, having taken his +bearings, Captain Semmes decided that the capture had been made in British +waters, and accordingly released her, much to the joy of her commander, +who had expected to witness her destruction.</p> + +<p>August 28th the Alabama arrived at Angra Pequeña Bay, on the west coast of +Africa, more than a hundred miles north of the northern boundary of the +Cape Colony, whither the Tuscaloosa and Sea Bride had preceded her. The +harbor was good, but the country was a rainless, sandy, rock-bound desert, +without so much as a shrub or a blade of grass; and no nation had as yet +set up any claim to it.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span>At last Captain Semmes had found a port into which he could take a prize. +The few naked and half starved Hottentots who appeared made no +remonstrance against the violation of neutrality.</p> + +<p>The Sea Bride and her cargo were sold to a Cape Town merchant for about +one-third of their value, he to take the risk arising from the fact that +she had never been condemned in a prize court, and the money was paid and +possession given him at this secluded place. Here also was deposited the +wool from the Tuscaloosa, to be picked up by another speculator, who was +to ship it to Europe and credit the Confederate government with two-thirds +of the proceeds. Two months later the Vanderbilt visited Angra Pequeña and +captured there the British bark Saxon, having a large part of the wool on +board, and sent her to a prize court in the United States.</p> + +<p>The United States consul at Cape Town, having heard of the Alabama’s +little mark down sales, protested against the vending of any of the goods +within the colony by the purchasers.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span> After much delay and difficulty the +cargo of the Sea Bride was peddled out in Madagascar and elsewhere, and +the vessel herself turned adrift—for a consideration—with the +understanding that certain persons should pick her up as a derelict.</p> + +<p>When the Alabama returned to Simons Town, she found the Vanderbilt had +been there, and had, moreover, taken in all the coal which was to be had +in the place. The Vanderbilt was an enormous consumer of coal, a fact +which interfered considerably with her movements in a quarter of the world +where coal was so high in price and so uncertain in supply. Lieutenant +Baldwin had fairly turned the tide of popular opinion in his favor by his +magnanimous conduct in the case of a Dutch bark, which the Vanderbilt +found in a disabled state a hundred miles from the shore, and which she +towed safely into a harbor. Lieutenant Baldwin declined to accept any part +of the salvage which he might have claimed, and although he was delayed +some twenty-four hours in his chase of Confederate cruisers by the +incident, the improved feeling toward the United States government in +South<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span> Africa was of much greater value. The three months rule was so far +relaxed that the Vanderbilt coaled three times in British ports within +three months, instead of only once, as the rule prescribed. Permission to +coal a fourth time was, however, denied.</p> + +<p>Not being able to procure any coal at Simons Bay, Captain Semmes had a +supply sent around from Cape Town in a merchant vessel. Meanwhile the crew +were permitted to have shore liberty, and nearly the entire number, +including the petty officers, proceeded to get as drunk as possible. A +week was spent in getting the unruly fellows on board and coaling ship. On +September 24th, finding himself still fourteen hands short, Captain Semmes +shipped eleven new ones at Simons Bay, although this was in direct +violation of the British neutrality act. The Vanderbilt was reported not +far outside the bay, but the Alabama succeeded in avoiding her, and +steamed out to sea the same night in the teeth of a southeast gale.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span></p> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII"></a>CHAPTER XVIII.</h2> +<h3>PALSIED COMMERCE IN THE FAR EAST.</h3> + +<p class="dropcap"><span class="caps">Running</span> southward to the fortieth parallel, the Alabama availed herself of +both a trade wind and a current setting eastward. The following month was +spent in the eastward trip, which, aside from storms and bad weather, was +uneventful. In the latter part of October she approached the East Indies. +Passing vessels reported the United States war sloop Wyoming, a vessel of +about the same grade as the Alabama, as guarding the Strait of Sunda. The +Confederate cruiser hung round the entrance of the strait for two weeks, +and then ran through without encountering the Wyoming, which had gone to +Batavia for a fresh supply of coal. On November<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span> 6th, just before entering +the strait, the Alabama gave chase to and captured the United States bark +Amanda, laden with sugar and hemp. There was an attempt to cover the cargo +with British consular certificates, but these not being sworn to, the +vessel was burned. At the other end of the strait the fine clipper Winged +Racer was encountered and met a like fate. Here the Alabama obtained a +much needed supply of pigs, chickens and fresh vegetables from a fleet of +Malay bum boats, and proceeded on her way.</p> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image11.jpg" alt="" /><br /><i>United States Steamer Wyoming.</i></div> + +<p>November 11th the magnificent clipper Contest led the Alabama a desperate +chase in the Sea of Java, and although the latter was under both sail and +steam, came very near escaping. Captain Semmes ordered some of the forward +guns trundled aft and the crew assembled on the quarter deck, by which +means the bow of the cruiser was lifted higher in the water; and, the wind +dying down, the Alabama got near enough to reach the chase with her guns +and compel her to heave to. Her master brought his papers on board the +Alabama, which showed both ship and cargo to be American. The beautiful +vessel,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span> the pride of master and crew, was consigned to the flames. Her +mate was placed in irons after he had knocked down an officer of the +Alabama and offered to fight any “pirate” on board.</p> + +<p>The American shipping trade in the East Indies was paralyzed. Few United +States vessels ventured to put to sea, and fewer still could get +profitable cargoes. At Manila, at Singapore, at Bangkok, and wherever a +snug harbor was offered, American ships were lying idly at the docks. The +Wyoming had no better success in pursuit of the Alabama than the +Vanderbilt, and never once sighted the pestiferous Confederate.</p> + +<p>Nine days were spent by the Alabama at Pulo Condore, a small island in the +China Sea, then recently seized by the French, making some needed repairs, +and giving the men rest and shore liberty without the possibility of their +getting drunk or running away. The officers were delighted with the novel +opportunity of hunting among the strange animals of this region. One +killed an immense vampire bat, and another brought back a lizard over five +feet long. The pugilistic seamen had their propensities gratified,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span> it is +said, by a fight with large baboons, in which the less human combatants +put the invaders to flight. The baboons threw stones and clubs with great +force, and some of the men were badly bitten.</p> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/image12.jpg" alt="" /></div> +<p class="center">REPELLING A CONFEDERATE INVASION.</p> +<p> </p><p> </p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span>Captain Semmes put in practice a plan similar to that which he usually +adopted in avoiding Federal cruisers. He computed the number of days which +would be required for the last ship spoken to carry the news of his +presence at Condore to Singapore, and the time the Wyoming would be likely +to take in proceeding from Singapore to Condore. The day before the +possible arrival of the Wyoming he sailed out of the harbor, and proceeded +by a circuitous route—to Singapore!</p> + +<p>December 24th a bark was overhauled in the Strait of Malacca, which had +every appearance of being American built, but which flew the English flag +and had an English register. The boarding officer, Master’s Mate Fullam, +reported that the name “Martaban” on the stern was freshly painted and the +flag perfectly new. The speech of Captain Pike proclaimed him a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</a></span> native of +New England, but he claimed the protection of the British flag and stoutly +refused to go on board the Alabama to exhibit his papers to the +Confederate commander. Under the circumstances Captain Semmes determined +to take upon himself for once the duties of boarding officer, and visited +the merchant ship in person.</p> + +<p>The master of the bark was now subjected to a sharp cross-examination and +his papers given a rigid reinspection, at the conclusion of which Captain +Semmes announced that the vessel would be burned. Subsequent admissions of +Captain Pike and his crew established the fact that the ship was the Texan +Star, that the pretended sale to English parties was a sham to prevent her +destruction, and that the name on the stern had been changed since the +vessel left port.</p> + +<p>Two days later in the same strait the torch was applied to the Sonora and +the Highlander, two large ships discovered at anchor near each other.</p> + +<p>The Alabama ran westward across the Bay of Bengal and rounded the Island +of Ceylon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span> without sighting an American ship. An English vessel was spoken +having on board a number of Mohammedan passengers. They had heard in +Singapore that the Alabama had a number of black giants chained up in the +hold, which were let loose upon the Yankees in time of battle. They did +not doubt the truth of the story, but they desired to ask Mr. Fullam +whether it was a fact that these giants were fed on Yankee sailors. Fullam +assured them with the utmost gravity that this diet had been tried, but +that the Yankees were so lean and tough that the giants refused to eat +them.</p> + +<p>January 14th, 1864, the Emma Jane was captured off the west coast of +India, and committed to the flames. A British commercial agent sent this +report of the affair to his government:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>The ship sailed from Bombay on the 6th instant under English charter +to proceed to Moulmein to load a cargo of teak for London, and on the +14th instant at 10 a. m., saw a sail ahead steering for them. At +noon, light airs and calm, latitude 8° 6′ north, longitude 76° 10′ +east, the stranger hoisted the United States flag, which flag was +also run up to the mizzen peak by the Emma Jane; at 1 p. m. the bark +fired a gun across the bows of the ship, when Captain Jordan hove his +ship to with the main yard to the mast, believing the bark to be the +Wyoming, U. S. N. Sent an armed boat’s crew on board, and ordered the +ship’s papers to be produced. Asked where the ship was <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span>from and +where bound for. On being furnished with these particulars, Captain +Jordan was informed that his ship was a prize to the Alabama; they +ordered the flag to be hauled down, which was also done on board the +Alabama, she hoisting in its place the Confederate one. Captain +Jordan was ordered on board the Alabama, and, on going on deck, +Captain Semmes, after examining his papers, said that he must burn +his ship; he questioned him closely as to his accounts, and the sums +of money remitted to England, but there was no money on board.</p></div> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/image13.jpg" alt="" /></div> +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">In the East Indies.</span></p> +<p> </p><p> </p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span>Captain Jordan was then ordered on board his own ship again, with an +allowance of half an hour to put up some clothes, with the intimation +that the concealment of any valuables, money, watches, &c., by +himself, wife or crew, would be useless, as their effects and persons +would be searched as soon as they came on board. Mrs. Jordan +concealed her <ins class="correction" title="original: hiusband's">husband’s</ins> and chief officer’s watches in the bosom of +her dress, with about thirty rupees in silver.</p> + +<p>The captain’s chronometer, sextants, nautical instruments and books +were appropriated by Captain Semmes, and, after hoisting out the +provisions and live stock, they broke up the cabin furniture and +piled it in the cabin, making another pile down the fore hatchway +smeared with tar; they then set fire to the ship, and left her with +all her sails set to sky sails. At 5:30 p. m. they arrived on board +the Alabama, when the captain and crew were subjected to a personal +search. Mrs. Jordan escaped this indignity, but her clothes, together +with the others, were all turned out on deck and minutely +scrutinized. At 6 p. m. the ship was enveloped in flame to the trucks +fore and aft.</p> + +<p>From this time Captain Semmes and his officers behaved toward the +captives with civility, and on Sunday, the 17th, ran under the land +at Anjengo and landed them there, with a cask of pork and bag of +bread to carry them to Cochin, Captain Semmes presenting Mrs. Jordan +with a little canister of what was shortly before her own biscuits.</p></div> + +<p>The Alabama stopped a week at the island of Johanna, off the coast of +Africa, near the north end of Madagascar. The population consisted of +negroes, with an admixture of Hindoos and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span> Arabs. The sultan sent off his +grand vizier to welcome the visitors, with an apology for not coming +himself, being busily engaged in erecting a sugar mill—a refreshing +instance of royal industry. Most of the inhabitants wore the scantiest +clothing, and yet nearly all could read and write, and the Mohammedan +religion seemed to be universally accepted. They had heard of the war in +America, and debated upon its merits among themselves. A jet black negro +asked Captain Semmes whether he was fighting for the North or the South.</p> + +<p>“For the South,” was the answer.</p> + +<p>Quick as thought came the reply with a frown of disapproval:</p> + +<p>“Then you belong to the side which upholds slavery.”</p> + +<p>Through the stormy region about the Cape of Good Hope the Alabama passed +once more, and cruised there ten days without sighting a single American +vessel. As she left the harbor of Cape Town March 25th, however, she met +the United States steamer Quang Tung coming in. Fortunately for the +latter, she was already<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span> within the marine league; otherwise the +experience of the Sea Bride would have been repeated.</p> + +<p>April 22d, off the coast of Brazil the Rockingham was captured. This +vessel was used as a target and then burned. April 27th the torch was +applied for the last time to the Tycoon, of New York. Nineteen other +vessels were overhauled between the coast of Brazil and that of France, +but none of them were American.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></span></p> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX"></a>CHAPTER XIX.</h2> +<h3>A NEW ADVERSARY.</h3> + +<p class="dropcap"><span class="caps">June</span> 11th, 1864, the Alabama entered the port of Cherbourg, France, and +Captain Semmes made application for leave to place his vessel in a dock +for the purpose of replacing the copper sheathing, which was working loose +and retarding the speed of the vessel. The boilers also required to be +replaced or repaired. But the only docks at Cherbourg were those belonging +to the government, and as the port admiral felt some reluctance in regard +to admitting a belligerant vessel to a government dock, the matter was +referred to the emperor (Napoleon III).</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p>Sunday, June 12th, was a quiet day in the Netherlands. The shipping in the +Scheldt was lying quietly at anchor, and Sabbath stillness <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span>had settled +down upon the docks and the town. The idlers of Flushing, who were gazing +with some curiosity at the United States screw sloop Kearsarge, suddenly +became aware of some unusual stir upon her decks. Presently a signal flag +appeared at the fore, and the boom of a gun waked the river echoes. This +was notice to absent officers and seamen that work was at hand, and that +there was to be no more loitering in Holland.</p> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<div class="bbox" style="width: 600px; height: 384px;"><img src="images/image14.jpg" alt="" /></div> +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">United States Steamer Kearsarge.</span></p> +<p> </p><p> </p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</a></span>The absentees hurried on board, and as soon as there was a sufficient head +of steam the vessel turned her prow toward the North Sea. The crew were +assembled, and Captain Winslow told them of a telegram from Mr. Dayton, +the United States minister at Paris, containing the information that the +Alabama had run into Cherbourg, and requesting him to run down to that +place immediately. The announcement was received with cheers, and every +one was in high spirits at the prospect of a battle with the famous +cruiser.</p> + +<p>Captain Semmes was warned of the approach of the Kearsarge in ample time +to enable him to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</a></span> get away, but he made no attempt to do so, and it soon +became evident that he intended to fight. Commodore Barron, of the +Confederate navy, was in France at this time, impatiently awaiting the +completion of the two iron clads then building at Bordeaux, of which he +expected to have the command. Captain Semmes communicated to him his +desire to engage the Kearsarge, and was advised that he might use his own +judgment in the matter.</p> + +<p>European partisans of the South could paint the career of the Alabama in +the most glowing colors. Captain Semmes was the “gallant,” “noble,” +“chivalrous,” “heroic” commander, and officers and crew shared in the +honors heaped upon him. But there were not wanting, either in Great +Britain or in France, those who were disposed to echo the cry of “pirate!” +which went up from the press of New York and Boston. The claim was made +that the Alabama waged warfare exclusively upon defenceless merchantmen, +and therefore was not entitled to be considered as a vessel of war. Her +defenders could only point to that solitary thirteen-minute fight with +the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</a></span> Hatteras. A Scotch paper called attention to the fact that although +Captain Semmes had “destroyed property to the value of between £3,000,000 +and £4,000,000, he has never once attacked or come in the way of a vessel +of his own calibre, except under false colors, and with a lie in the mouth +of his officials.”</p> + +<p>There is no doubt that the Confederate captain chafed under criticisms of +this character. On the other hand, American shipping had been all but +driven from the ocean, and if the Alabama was to refrain from battles with +armed vessels, her usefulness, except as a mere patrol, was at an end. +And, again, if the Alabama waited to refit she might have to fight a whole +fleet in order to get to sea.</p> + +<p>June 14th the Kearsarge steamed into Cherbourg through the east entrance +and sent a boat on shore, but kept on and went out at the west entrance +without anchoring. This was construed by some as an act of defiance, but +the real reason was to avoid coming within the provisions of the +twenty-four hour rule. Captain Semmes changed his request for a dock +permit<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</a></span> to an order for coal, and sent the following note to Mr. Bonfils, +the Confederate commercial agent at Cherbourg:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p class="right">C. S. S. Alabama, Cherbourg, June 14, 1864.</p> + +<p>To A. Bonfils, Esq., Cherbourg.</p> + +<p>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, 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 furthest. I beg she will not depart before I am ready to +go out. I have the honor to be very respectfully, your obedient +servant,</p> + +<p><span style="margin-left: 12em;">R. SEMMES,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 14em;">Captain.</span></p></div> + +<p>This is the “challenge,” in regard to which there was so much subsequent +discussion. A copy thereof having been transmitted to Captain Winslow, he +replied through the U. S. consul that he came to Cherbourg to fight, and +had no intention of leaving.</p> + +<p>The Kearsarge was built in Maine in the early part of the war, and cost +about $275,000. The two vessels were very evenly matched in size and +armament. The following table shows the measurements:</p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="5" summary="table"> +<tr><td> </td><td align="center"><i>Kearsarge.</i></td><td><span class="spacer"> </span></td><td align="center"><i>Alabama.</i></td></tr> +<tr><td>Length of keel</td><td align="center"><span style="margin-left: .75em;">198½</span></td><td> </td><td align="center"><span style="margin-left: -.5em;">210</span></td></tr> +<tr><td>Length over all</td><td align="center">232</td><td> </td><td align="center"><span style="margin-left: -.5em;">220</span></td></tr> +<tr><td>Beam</td><td align="center"><span style="margin-left: .5em;">33</span></td><td> </td><td align="center">32</td></tr> +<tr><td>Depth</td><td align="center"><span style="margin-left: 1.25em;">16½</span></td><td> </td><td align="center">17</td></tr> +<tr><td>Engines (two in each) horse power</td><td align="center">400</td><td> </td><td align="center"><span style="margin-left: -.5em;">300</span></td></tr> +<tr><td>Tonnage</td><td align="center"><span style="margin-left: -.5em;">1031</span></td><td> </td><td align="center"><span style="margin-left: -1em;">1040</span></td></tr></table> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</a></span>The Alabama carried eight guns: the hundred-pounder rifled Blakely pivoted +forward; the eight-inch gun pivoted abaft the mainmast, and six +32-pounders in broadside. The Kearsarge carried seven guns: two +eleven-inch smooth bore pivoted guns; one 28-pounder rifle, and four +32-pounders. The officers and men on the Kearsarge numbered one hundred +and sixty-three; those on the Alabama about one hundred and fifty.</p> + +<p>On Monday the Kearsarge ran into Dover for dispatches, and on Tuesday +appeared off Cherbourg. Permission was obtained for boats to visit the +shore, but the ship did not anchor in the harbor. The officers of the +Kearsarge were very skeptical as to the desire of Captain Semmes for a +battle, and a strict watch was kept at both entrances of the harbor, lest +he should give them the slip, as he had the San Jacinto. The possibility +of a night attack was also discussed, and preparations made for repelling +it in case it should be suddenly thrust upon them.</p> + +<p>More than a year previous while at the Azores the spare chain cable had +been hung up<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</a></span> and down upon the sides of the vessel as an additional +protection to the engines when the coal bunkers were not full, and the +whole enclosed by a covering of inch deal boards. This was done upon the +suggestion of the executive officer, James S. Thornton, who had seen this +device used by Admiral Farragut when running past the forts on the +Mississippi to reach New Orleans. Captain Semmes says he knew nothing +about this chain armor. If he did know about it, he evidently underrated +its effectiveness.</p> + +<p>The ports of the Kearsarge were let down, guns pivoted to starboard, and +the entire battery loaded and made ready for instant service. Thursday, +Friday and Saturday passed, but the Alabama failed to show herself outside +the breakwater. Communication with the shore had been forbidden, and the +only intelligence of events in the harbor other than what could be made +out with the glass, came through the French pilots, who reported that the +Alabama was taking in a large supply of coal, sending chronometers, specie +and other valuables on shore, and that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</a></span> swords, boarding pikes and +cutlasses were being sharpened.</p> + +<p>A message from Minister Dayton was brought off by his son, who with +difficulty obtained permission from the French admiral of the district to +visit the Kearsarge. He told Captain Winslow that it was his opinion that +Captain Semmes would not fight, but admitted that the general opinion in +Cherbourg was contrary to his own. On returning to the shore, Mr. Dayton +was informed by the admiral that Captain Semmes would go out to the attack +the next morning, and he spent a considerable part of the night +endeavoring to communicate this intelligence to Captain Winslow, but the +vigilance of the Cherbourg police prevented him from accomplishing his +object. He stayed in Cherbourg the next day, witnessed the battle from a +convenient height, and telegraphed the result to his father in Paris.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the coaling of the Alabama was completed. Some of the officers +were given a banquet by admiring friends in the town on Saturday night, +and the party broke up with a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</a></span> promise to meet again in a similar way to +celebrate the victory which none seemed to doubt would soon be theirs.</p> + +<p>Sunday morning came. The weather was fine, the air slightly hazy and a +light westerly breeze rippled the harbor. Sunday was esteemed the +Alabama’s lucky day. On Sunday Captain Semmes had assumed the command of +her and the Confederate ensign first appeared at her mast head. On Sunday +many of her most important captures had been made. On Sunday she halted +the mighty Ariel, and on Sunday she sunk the Hatteras. It was inevitable +that there should grow up between decks a belief that any important +enterprise begun on Sunday had the best chance of success. As a factor in +the coming contest, a feeling in the minds of the men who were to do the +fighting that a lucky day had been pitched upon for the battle, was not to +be despised. And so on Sunday, June 19th, 1864, the Alabama sallied forth +to meet the Kearsarge. The French iron clad frigate Couronne accompanied +her to the three-mile limit in order to make sure that no fighting<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</a></span> should +take place in French waters. A private English steam yacht, the Deerhound, +followed in the wake of the Couronne and took a position affording a good +view of the battle, and several French pilot boats did likewise. The +taller buildings, the rigging of vessels, the fortifications, and the +heights above the town, were lined with people, many of whom had come from +the interior and even from Paris to view the extraordinary spectacle. It +is said that more than fifteen thousand people had gathered for this +purpose. The great majority sympathised with the Alabama, but there was +quite a contingent of Union adherents, among whom were the captains of the +Tycoon and the Rockingham, with their families and crews, eager that +vengeance at last might fall upon the destroyer.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</a></span></p> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XX" id="CHAPTER_XX"></a>CHAPTER XX.</h2> +<h3>BATTLE WITH THE KEARSARGE.</h3> + +<p class="dropcap"><span class="caps">On</span> board the Kearsarge the long wait had bred doubts of the martial temper +of Captain Semmes, and aside from the preparations already made affairs +had largely dropped back into the ordinary routine. Soon after ten o’clock +the officer of the deck reported a steamer approaching from the city, but +this was a frequent occurrence, and no attention was paid to the +announcement.</p> + +<p>The bell was tolling for religious services when loud shouts apprised the +crew that the long-looked-for Alabama was in sight. Captain Winslow +hastily laid aside his prayer book and seized his trumpet. The fires were +piled high with coal and the prow was turned straight out to sea. The +fight must be to the death, and the vanquished was not to be permitted to +crawl<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</a></span> within the protection of the marine league. Moreover, the French +government had expressed a desire that the battle should take place at +least six or seven miles from the coast. Ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-five +minutes passed. The Alabama kept straight on, and the Kearsarge continued +her apparent flight.</p> + +<p>Finally, at 10:50, when six or seven miles from shore, the Kearsarge +wheeled and bore down upon her adversary. At a distance of a little over a +mile the Alabama began the fight with her Blakely rifle, and at 10:57 she +opened fire with her entire starboard broadside, which cut some of the +Kearsarge’s rigging but did no material damage. The latter crowded on all +steam to get within closer range, but in two minutes a second broadside +came hurtling about her. This was quickly followed by a third, and then, +deeming the danger from a raking fire too great longer to allow the ship +to present her bow to the enemy, Captain Winslow directed his vessel +sheared, and fired his starboard battery. He then made an attempt to run +under the Alabama’s stern, which she frustrated by shearing,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</a></span> and thus the +two ships were forced into a circular track round a common center, and the +battle went on for an hour, the distance between them varying from a half +to a quarter of a mile. During that time the vessels described seven +complete circles.</p> + +<p>At 11:15 a sixty-eight pounder shell came through the bulwarks of the +Kearsarge, exploding on the quarter deck and badly wounding three of the +crew of the after pivot gun. Two shots entered the ports of the thirty-two +pounders, but injured no one. A shell exploded in the hammock nettings and +set fire to the ship, but those detailed for fire service extinguished it +in a short time, and so thorough was the discipline that the cannonade was +not even interrupted.</p> + +<p>A hundred-pounder shell from the Alabama’s Blakely pivot gun entered near +the stern and lodged in the stern-post. The vessel trembled from bowsprit +to rudder at the shock. The shell failed to explode, however. Had it done +so, the effect must have been serious and might have changed the result of +the battle. A thirty-two pounder shell entered forward and lodged under<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</a></span> +the forward pivot gun, tilting it out of range, but did not explode. A +rifle shell struck the smoke stack, broke through, and exploded inside, +tearing a ragged hole three feet in diameter Only two of the boats escaped +damage.</p> + +<p>As the battle progressed, it became evident that the terrible pounding of +the two eleven-inch Dahlgrens was having a disastrous effect on the +Alabama. The Kearsarge gunners had been instructed to aim the heavy guns +somewhat below rather than above the water line, and leave the deck +fighting to the lighter weapons. As the awful missiles opened great gaps +in the enemy’s side or bored her through and through, the deck of the +Kearsarge rang with cheers. A seaman named William Gowin, with a badly +shattered leg, dragged himself to the forward hatch, refusing to permit +his comrades to leave their gun in order to assist him. Here he fainted, +but reviving after being lowered to the care of the surgeon, waved his +hand and joined feebly in the cheers which reached him from the deck.</p> + +<p>“It is all right,” he told the surgeon; “I am satisfied, for we are +whipping the Alabama.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</a></span>The situation on the Alabama was indeed getting serious. It is evident +that Captain Semmes entered the fight expecting to win. On leaving the +harbor the crew were called aft, and, mounting a gun carriage, he +addressed them as follows:</p> + +<p class="blockquot">Officers and seamen of the Alabama: You have at length another +opportunity of meeting the enemy—the first that has been presented +to you since you sunk the Hatteras. In the meantime you have been all +over the world, and it is not too much to say that you have destroyed +and driven for protection under neutral flags one-half of the enemy’s +commerce, which, at the beginning of the war, covered every sea. This +is an achievement of which you may well be proud; and a grateful +country will not be unmindful of it. The name of your ship has become +a household word wherever civilization extends. Shall that name be +tarnished by defeat? The thing is impossible! Remember that you are +in the English Channel, the theatre of so much of the naval glory of +our race, and that the eyes of all Europe are at this moment upon +you. The flag that floats over you is that of a young Republic, who +bids defiance to her enemies, whenever and wherever found. Show the +world that you know how to uphold it. Go to your quarters.</p> + +<p>As before stated, the “Persuader” began to speak at long range-more than a +mile. But it was no peaceful merchantman that she had now to accost; no +fleeing Ariel, vomiting black smoke in a vain effort to get beyond her +range—no white winged Starlight or Sea Bride, piling sail on sail to +reach the shelter of a neutral <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</a></span>harbor. The Kearsarge only raced toward +her with still greater speed. At the third summons the Kearsarge yawed +gracefully to port, and out of those frowning Dahlgrens blazed her answer. +The Alabama staggered at the blow, and her creaking yards shook like +branches in a tornado. Glass in hand, Captain Semmes stood upon the +horseblack abreast the mizzen mast.</p> + +<p>“Try solid shot,” he shouted; “our shell strike her side and fall into the +water.”</p> + +<p>A little later shells were tried again, and then shot and shell were +alternated during the remainder of the battle. But no plan seemed to check +the awful regularity of the Kearsarge’s after pivot gun. Captain Semmes +offered a reward for the silencing of this gun, and at one time his entire +battery was turned upon it, but although three of its men were wounded as +stated, its fire was not interrupted.</p> + +<p>“What is the matter with the Blakely gun?” was asked; “we don’t seem to be +doing her any harm.”</p> + +<p>At one time the after pivot gun of the Alabama, commanded by Lieutenant +Wilson, had <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</a></span>been run out to be fired, when a shell came through the +port, mowing down the men and piling up a gastly mass of human flesh. One +of the thirty-two pounders had to be abandoned in order to fill up the +crew of the gun. The deck was red with blood, and much effort was +necessarily expended in getting the wounded below.</p> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<div class="bbox" style="width: 600px; height: 374px;"><img src="images/image15.jpg" alt="" /></div> +<p class="center">“<span class="smcap">Out of Those Frowning Dahlgrens Blazed Her Answer.</span>”</p> +<p> </p><p> </p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</a></span>Water rushed into the Alabama through gaping holes in her sides, and she +was visibly lower in the water. There was no concealing the fact that the +vessel could not float any great length of time. Captain Semmes made one +last attempt to reach the coast—or at least that saving marine league, +whose shelter he had denied to so many of his victims. As the vessels were +making their seventh circle the foretrysail and two jibs were ordered set. +The seaman who executed the order was struck while on the jib boom by a +shell or solid shot and disembowelled. Nevertheless, he succeeded in +struggling to the spar deck, and ran shrieking to the port gangway, where +he fell dead. The guns were pivoted to port, and the battle recommenced, +with the Alabama’s head turned toward the shore.</p> + +<p> </p><p> <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/image16.jpg" alt="" /></div> +<p class="center"><i>Chart of Battle off Cherbourg.</i></p> +<p> </p><p> </p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</a></span>The effort was a vain one. Again the shells plowed through the Alabama’s +hull, and the chief engineer came on deck to say that the water had put +out his fires. Lieutenant Kell ran below and soon satisfied himself that +the vessel could not float ten minutes. The flag was ordered hauled down +and a white flag displayed over the stern. But the gunners were unable to +realize that they were whipped. Semmes and Kell were immediately +surrounded by excited seamen protesting against surrender. Even a +statement of the condition of things below decks failed to convince all of +them of the futility of further fighting. It is said that two of the +junior officers, swearing that they would never surrender, rushed to the +two port guns and reopened fire on the Kearsarge. At this point there is a +flat contradiction in the statements of eye witnesses. Lieutenant Kell +denies that there was any firing of the Alabama’s guns after the colors +had been hauled down, and that her discipline would not have permitted it. +Semmes and Kell both aver that the Kearsarge fired five shots into them +after their flag had been hauled down.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</a></span>When the firing had ceased Master’s Mate Fullam was sent to the Kearsarge +with a boat’s crew and a few of the wounded in the dingey (the only boat +entirely unharmed) to say that the Alabama was sinking and to ask for +assistance in transferring the wounded. He told Captain Winslow that +Captain Semmes had surrendered. But during the interval the Alabama was +rapidly filling, and the wounded and boys who could not swim were hastily +placed in two of the quarter boats, which were only partially injured, and +sent to the Kearsarge in command of F. L. Galt, surgeon of the Alabama, +and at that time also acting as paymaster.</p> + +<p>The order was then given for every man to jump overboard with a spar and +save himself as best he could. The sea was quite smooth, and the active +young officers and men found no difficulty in keeping afloat. Captain +Semmes had on a life preserver, and Lieutenant Kell supported himself on a +grating. Assistant Surgeon Llewelyn, an Englishman, had tied some empty +shell boxes around his waist, and although these prevented his body from +sinking, he was unable<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</a></span> to keep his head above water, never having learned +to swim. One of the men swam to him a little later and found him dead.</p> + +<p>The Alabama settled at the stern. The water entering the berth deck ports +forced the air upward, and the huge hulk sighed like a living creature +hunted to its death. The shattered mainmast broke and fell. The great guns +and everything movable came thundering aft, increasing the weight at the +stern, and, throwing her bow high in the air, she made her final plunge. +The end of the jib boom was the last to disappear beneath the waters, and +the career of the famous cruiser was ended forever.</p> + +<p>The Deerhound having approached at the close of the battle, Captain +Winslow hailed her and requested her owner, Mr. John Lancaster, to run +down and assist in saving the survivors, which he hastened to do. Steaming +in among the men struggling in the water, the boats of the Deerhound were +dispatched to their assistance, and ropes were also thrown to them from +the decks. Master’s Mate Fullam asked permission of Captain Winslow to +take his boat and assist<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</a></span> in the rescue, which was granted. Two French +pilot boats also appeared on the scene and assisted in the work. One of +these pilot boats took the men saved by it on board the Kearsarge, but the +other, having rescued Second Lieutenant Armstrong and a number of seamen, +went ashore. Those taken to the Kearsarge, including the wounded, numbered +seventy, among whom were several subordinate officers and Third Lieutenant +Joseph D. Wilson. Captain Semmes had been slightly wounded in the arm and +was pulled into one of the Deerhound’s boats in a thoroughly exhausted +condition. Lieutenant Kell was rescued by the same boat. Fifth Lieutenant +Sinclair and a sailor, having been picked up by one of the Kearsarge’s +boats, quietly dropped overboard and reached one of the Deerhound’s boats +in safety. The Deerhound, having picked up about forty officers and men, +steamed rapidly away and landed them on the coast of England at +Southampton.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</a></span></p> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXI" id="CHAPTER_XXI"></a>CHAPTER XXI.</h2> +<h3>CONCLUSION.</h3> + +<p class="dropcap"><span class="caps">Although</span> the deal covering of the chain armor on the Kearsarge was ripped +off in many places and some of the links themselves broken, a close +inspection showed that no shot which struck them would have been likely to +reach a vital part, had they been absent. The only really dangerous shot +which reached the Kearsarge was the shell in the stern-post. Captain +Semmes rails at his opponent for adopting unusual methods for the safety +of his vessel. He says:</p> + +<p class="blockquot">Notwithstanding my enemy went out chivalrously armored to encounter a +ship whose wooden sides were entirely without protection, I should +have beaten him in the first thirty minutes of the engagement, but +for the defect of my ammunition, which had been two years on board, +and become much deteriorated by cruising in a variety of climates. I +had directed my men to fire low, telling them that it was better to +fire too low than too high, as the ricochet in the former case—the +water being smooth—would remedy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</a></span> the defect of their aim, whereas it +was of no importance to cripple the masts and spars of a steamer. By +Captain Winslow’s own account, the Kearsarge was struck twenty-eight +times; but his ship being armored, of course my shot and shell, +except in so far as fragments of the latter may have damaged his +spars and rigging, fell harmless into the sea. The Alabama was not +mortally wounded, as the reader has seen, until after the Kearsarge +had been firing at her an hour and ten minutes. In the meantime, in +spite of the armor of the Kearsarge, I had mortally wounded that ship +in the first thirty minutes of the engagement. I say “mortally +wounded her,” because the wound would have proved mortal, but for the +defect of my ammunition above spoken of. I lodged a rifled percussion +shell near her stern post—where there were no chains—which failed +to explode because of the defect of the cap. If the cap had performed +its duty, and exploded the shell, I should have been called upon to +save Captain Winslow’s crew from drowning, instead of his being +called upon to save mine. On so slight an incident—the defect of a +percussion cap—did the battle hinge. The enemy were very proud of +this shell. It was the only trophy they ever got of the Alabama! We +fought her until she would no longer swim, and then we gave her to +the waves. This shell, thus imbedded in the hull of the ship, was +carefully cut out along with some of the timber, and sent to the Navy +Department in Washington, to be exhibited to admiring Yankees. It +should call up the blush of shame to the cheek of every northern man +who looks upon it. It should remind him of his ship going into action +with concealed armor; it should remind him that his ship fired into a +beaten antagonist five times, after her colors had been struck and +when she was sinking; and it should remind him of the drowning of +helpless men, struggling in the water for their lives! Perhaps this +latter spectacle was something for a Yankee to gloat upon. The +Alabama had been a scourge and a terror to them for two years. She +had seized their property! Yankee property! Curse upon the “pirates,” +let them drown!</p> + +<p>There is scarcely a doubt that Captain Semmes owed his life to the +forbearance of Captain<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</a></span> Winslow. Had he been captured during the heat of +the war, a military court would doubtless have ordered his execution. The +commander of the Kearsarge was several times warned by his officers that +Semmes and many of his people were on board the Deerhound and likely to +escape, but he said the yacht was “simply coming round,” and took no steps +to prevent her departure.<small><a name="f3.1" id="f3.1" href="#f3">[3]</a></small></p> + +<p>At 3:10 p. m. the Kearsarge again dropped anchor in Cherbourg harbor. The +wounded of both vessels were transferred to the French Marine hospital, +where the brave seaman, William Gowin, died. The prisoners, with the +exception of four officers, were paroled and sent on shore before sunset, +a proceeding which Secretary Welles promptly disavowed, as he was resolved +to commit no act which could be <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</a></span>construed into an acknowledgement that +the Alabama was a regular vessel of war. Lieutenant Wilson was, however, +released on parole a few weeks later.</p> + +<p>The news of the destruction of the Alabama was received with the greatest +demonstrations of delight throughout the North and among her friends +abroad. Captain Semmes was roundly denounced for making his escape after +his vessel had been surrendered. Mr. John Lancaster was likewise assailed +for his part in the affair, and stories told by the prisoners to the +effect that the Deerhound had been acting as a sort of tender to the +Alabama were readily believed in the United States. Other preposterous +inventions, one of which assumes to describe a visit of Captain Semmes to +the Kearsarge in disguise before the battle, have not even yet ceased to +circulate. The ready pen of Captain Semmes and those of his journalistic +friends in England were busily impaling Captain Winslow for two offenses: +First, he was guilty of armoring his ship and concealing the fact that he +had done so; and,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</a></span> secondly, he had fired upon the Alabama after her +colors had been struck.</p> + +<p>On the first point it may be said that the existence of the chain armor on +the Kearsarge was pretty well known in ports where she had touched, and it +would be strange indeed if Captain Semmes should have allowed this fact to +escape his notice. Moreover, we have the direct statement of Lieutenant +Sinclair, of the Alabama, that Semmes knew all about the chain armor +before the battle.<small><a name="f4.1" id="f4.1" href="#f4">[4]</a></small></p> + +<p>As to the second point, it was stated by prisoners from the Alabama that +the unauthorized firing by junior officers of the Alabama after her flag +had been hauled down had provoked the fire complained of. Lieutenant +Sinclair admits the clamorous protests of the gunners against surrender. +Taken with the positive testimony of the officers of the Kearsarge that +such firing actually took place, these statements would appear to be +tolerably conclusive.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding the loss of his ship, Captain Semmes was treated as a +hero. He was petted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</a></span> and féted by the London clubs, and the Junior United +Service Club presented him with a magnificent sword, artistically engraved +with naval and Confederate symbols, to take the place of the sword which +he had cast into the sea. Reports flew broadcast that he would very soon +be in command of a larger and more powerful “Alabama.” English youths and +school boys wrote to him by the score, imploring permission to serve under +him in his new ship. But the Confederate government took a different view +of the matter. Moreover Captain Semmes’ health had been impaired by his +three years of arduous service. Although at this time the Confederates had +strong hopes of getting to sea one or more iron clads, Semmes was not +named for the command, and received instructions to return to the southern +states.</p> + +<p>Not caring to take the chances of running the blockade, which had by this +time become well nigh impenetrable, Captain Semmes took passage for Havana +and thence to the mouth of the Rio Grande, from which point he made his +way overland through Texas and Louisiana, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</a></span> arrived in Richmond in +January, 1865. Here, in consideration of his services to the Confederate +cause, he was raised to the rank of rear admiral and ordered to take +command of the James River fleet. When General Lee evacuated Richmond +Admiral Semmes set fire to his fleet, seized a railroad train, and +transferred his command to Danville. His forces became a part of the army +of General Joseph E. Johnston, and were paroled with the rest when that +army surrendered to General Sherman.</p> + +<p>December 15th, 1865, Semmes was arrested at his home in Mobile, Alabama, +and taken to Washington, where he was confined for several months, while +the propriety of trying him by court martial was undergoing consideration. +No name connected with the Rebellion was more thoroughly detested along +the seaboard than that of Raphael Semmes. He was accused of cruelty to his +prisoners, and many believed that he often sunk vessels with all on board. +His conduct at Cherbourg was considered to be contrary to the rules of +war, first in the alleged firing after the vessel had been surrendered, +and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</a></span> secondly in escaping and throwing his sword into the sea. Mr. John A. +Bolles, the solicitor general, made careful investigation of the charges +on behalf of the United States government, and came to the conclusion that +prosecution would not be warranted in time of peace, especially +considering the fact that greater offenders were escaping prosecution. +Captain Semmes’ cruelty to prisoners seems to have consisted chiefly of +confining many of them in irons, an occasional display of his fiery +temper, and certain outbursts of profanity. What the prisoners complained +of most was the burning of their ships. But all southern ports being +closed by the blockade, this is manifestly the only disposition he could +make of them. Escaping after surrendering his ship was doubtless contrary +to the usages of war, but considering the fact that he was likely to be +treated as a pirate, rather than as a prisoner of war, he could hardly be +expected to act differently.</p> + +<p>The question of the liability of the English government for the escape of +the Alabama, the Florida, the Shenandoah, the Sallie, the Boston,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</a></span> and six +other vessels which were converted into Confederate war vessels, was +referred to a Tribunal of Arbitration, which assembled at Geneva, +Switzerland, December 15th, 1871. One member of the Tribunal was appointed +by the president of the United States, one by the queen of England, and +one each by the king of Italy, the president of Switzerland, and the +emperor of Brazil. This court gave judgment against Great Britain for the +value of all the ships and cargoes destroyed by the five vessels named, +amounting in all with interest to $15,500,000. The losses inflicted by the +Alabama, according to claims presented by the losers amounted to +$6,547,609.86.</p> + +<p>The Kearsarge was repaired at Cherbourg, and continued in the United +States service throughout the war. Long after other vessels would have +been broken up as too old for service she continued to receive repairs, +once amounting almost to rebuilding. January 30th, 1894, she sailed from +Port au Prince, Hayti, for Bluefields, Nicaragua. On the evening of +Friday, February 2d, she struck on Roncador Reef<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[Pg 216]</a></span> in the Carribean Sea. +The ship had to be lightened, and accordingly the guns were thrown +overboard. She held together during the night, however, and the crew +remained on board. The next morning a line was run ashore, and all hands +were safely landed on the island, from which place one of the boats was +sent to Colon for assistance. A steamer was dispatched to take off the +shipwrecked mariners. Every person having been rescued, officers and crew +watched the wave-lashed hulk slowly disappear from view, and the wreck of +the old Kearsarge was left to the mercy of the sea.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><b>Footnotes:</b></p> + +<p><a name="f1" id="f1" href="#f1.1">[1]</a> “Aid thyself and God will aid thee.”</p> + +<p><a name="f2" id="f2" href="#f2.1">[2]</a> Report of Consul Lawless to the British foreign office.</p> + +<p><a name="f3" id="f3" href="#f3.1">[3]</a> In reviewing an autobiography of Sir George F. Bowen, at one time +governor of New Zealand, the London Spectator says (vol. 65, p. 20): “The +visit of the United States ship Kearsarge at this time brought to light a +bit of history which Sir George Bowen has done well to preserve. The +Captain informed his host that after the Alabama was sunk, its commander, +Semmes, was seen floating in the sea with the help of a life-belt. He +could easily have been captured, but it was thought better to let him be +saved by a passing British vessel, since, if taken to America, he would +probably have been hanged, and the officers of the Kearsarge wished to +save a gallant enemy from such a fate.”</p> + +<p><a name="f4" id="f4" href="#f4.1">[4]</a> Two years on the Alabama, p. 263.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 50%;" /> +<p><strong>Transcriber’s Notes:</strong></p> + +<p>Punctuation has been corrected without note.</p> + +<p>Other than the corrections noted by hover information, inconsistencies in +spelling and hyphenation have been retained from the original.</p> + +<p>The original text does not contain a Table of Contents. The Table of +Contents included near the beginnning of this file was created by the +transcriber as an aid for the reader.</p> + + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Cruise and Captures of the Alabama, by +Albert M. 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