presumed, was asked in a spirit of chivalry, for the Kearsarge, comparatively uninjured, .with hut three wounded, and a full head of steam, was in condition to engage a second enemy. Instead of remaining at a distance of about four hundred yards from the Alabama, and from this position sending two boats, the other boats being injured, the Kearsarge by steaming close to the settling ship, and in the midst of the defeated, could have captured all — Semmes, officers, and men. Captain Semmes says: “There was no appearance of any boat coming to me from the enemy after the ship went down. Fortunately, however, the steam-yacht Deerhound, owned by a gentleman of Lancashire, England, Mr. John Lancaster, who was himself on board, steamed up in the midst of my drowning men, and rescued a number of both officers and men from the water. I was fortunate enough myself thus to escape to the shelter of the neutral flag, together with about forty others, all told. About this time the Kearsarge sent one, and then, tardily, another boat.”
This imputation of inhumanity is contradicted by Mr. Lancaster's assertion that he was requested to do what he could to save “the poor fellows who were struggling in the water for their lives.”
The Deerhound edged to the leeward and steamed rapidly away. An officer approached Captain Winslow and reported the presence of Captain Semmes and many officers on board the English yacht. Believing the information authentic, as it was obtained from the prisoners, he suggested the expediency of firing a shot to bring her to, and asked permission. Captain Winslow declined, saying “it was impossible; the yacht was simply coming round.” Meanwhile the Deerhound increased the distance from the Kearsarge; another officer spoke to him in similar language, but with more positiveness. Captain Winslow replied that no Englishman who carried the flag of the Royal Yacht Squadron could so act. The Deerhound continued her
ported: “The fact is, that when we passed the Kearsarge the captain cried out, ‘ For God’s sake, do what you can to save them ’; and that was my warrant for interfering in any way for the aid and succor of his enemies.” The Deerhound was built by the Lairds at the same time and in the same yard with the Alabama. Throughout the action she kept about a mile to the windward of the contestants. Afterbeing hailed she steamed toward the Alabama, which sank almost immediately after. This was at 12:24. The Alabama sank in forty-five fathoms of water, at a distance of about four and a half miles from the breakwater, off the west entrance. She was severely hulled between the main and mizzen masts, and settled by the stern; the main-mast, pierced by a shot at the very last, broke off near the head and went over the side, the bow lifted high from the water, and then came the end. Suddenly assuming a perpendicular position, caused by the falling aft of the battery and stores, straight as a plumb-line, stern first, she went down, the jib-boom being the last to appear above water. Thus sank the terror of merchantmen, riddled through and through, and as she disappeared to her last resting-place there was no cheer; all was silent.
The yacht lowered her two boats, rescued Captain Semmes (wounded in the hand by broken iron rigging), First Lieutenant Kell, twelve officers, and twenty-six men, leaving the rest of the survivors to the two boats of the Kearsarge. Apparently aware that the forty persons he had rescued would be claimed, Mr. Lancaster steamed away as fast as he eould, direct for Southampton, without waitingfor suchsurgieal assistance as the Kearsarge might render. Captain Winslow permitted the yacht to secure his prisoners, anticipating their subsequent surrender. Again his confidence was misplaced, and he afterward wrote: “It was my mistake at the moment that I could not recognize an enemy who, under the garb of a friend, was affording assistance.” The aid of the yacht, it is
THE SINKING OP THE “ALABAMA.”
THE BOAT PROM THE “ALABAMA” ANNOUNCING THE SURRENDER AND ASKING FOR ASSISTANCE.
The picture shows shot-marks in the thin deal covering of the chain armor amidships.
and the Alabama continued to settle by the stern. The Kearsarge was laid across her bows for raking, and in position to use grape and canister.
A •white flag was then shown over the stern of the Alabama and her ensign was half-masted, union down. Captain Winslow for the second time gave orders to cease firing. Thus ended the fight, after a duration of one hour and two minutes. Captain Semmes, in his report, says : “ Although we were now but four hundred yards from each other, the enemy fired upon me five times after my colors had been struck. It is charitable to suppose that a ship-of-war of a Christian nation could not have done this intentionally.” He is silent as to the renewal by the Alabama of the fight after his surrender •— an act which, in Christian warfare, would have justified the Kearsarge in continuing the fire until the Alabama had sunk beneath the waters.
Boats were now loweredfrom the Alabama. Her master’s-mate, Fullam, anEnglishman, came alongside the Kearsarge with a few of the wounded, reported the disabled and sinking condition of his ship, and asked for assistance. Captain Winslow inquired, “Does Captain Semmes surrender his ship?” “Yes,” was the reply. Fullam then solicited permission to return with his boat and crew to assist in rescuing the drowning, pledging his word of honor that when this was done he would come on board and surrender. Captain Winslow granted the request. With less generosity he could have detained the officer and men, supplied their places in the boat from his ship’s company, secured more prisoners and afforded equal aid to the distressed. The generosity was abused, as the sequel shows. Fullam pulled to the midst of the drowning, rescued several officers, went to the yacht, Deerhound, and east his boat adrift, leaving a number of men struggling in the water.
It was now seen that the Alabama was settling fast. The wounded, and the boys who could not swim, were sent away in the quarter-boats, the waist-boats having been destroyed. Captain Semmes dropped his sword into the sea and jumped overboard with the remaining officers and men.
Coming under the stern of the Kearsarge from the windward, the Deerhound was hailed, and her commander requested by Captain Winslow to run down and assist in picking up the men of the sinking ship. Or, as her owner, Mr. John Lancaster, re-
less quickly and began to settle by the stern, yet did not slacken her fire, but returned successive broadsides without disastrous result to us.
Captain Semmes witnessed the havoc made by the shells, especially by those of our after pivot-gun, and offered a reward to any one who would silence it. Soon his battery was turned upon this particular offending gun. It was in vain, for the work of destruction went on. We had completed the seventh rotation on the circular track and had begun the eighth, when the Alabama, now settling, sought to escape by setting all available sail (fore-trysail and two jibs), left the circle amid a shower of shot and shell, and headed for the French waters ; but to no purpose. In winding, the Alabama presented the port battery, with only two guns bearing, and showedgaping sides,through which the waterwashed. The Keg/rsarge:pursued, keeping on a line nearer the shore, and with a few well-directed shots hastened the sinking. Then the Alabama was at our mercy. Her colors were struck, and the Kearsarge ceased firing. I was told by our prisoners that two of the junior officers swore they would never surrender, and in a mutinous spirit rushed to the two port guns and opened fire upon the Kearsarge. [See page 266.] Captain Winslow, amazed at this extraordinary conduct of an enemy who had hauled down his flag in token of surrender, exclaimed, “ He is playing us a trick; give him another broadside.” Again the shot and shell went crashing through her sides,
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