Sinking Of The ~ C.S.S. Alabama ~
The Account Of Captain Raphael Semmes ~ C.S.N.
Captain Raphael Semmes
" Sir:~~ I have the honor to inform you, that, in accordance with my intention as previously announced to you, I steamed out of the harbor of Cherbourg between nine and ten o'clock on the morning of the 19th of June, for the purpose of engaging the enemy's steamer Kearsarge, which had been lying off, and on the port, for several days previously. After clearing the harbor, we descried the enemy, with his head off shore, at the distance of about seven miles. We were three quarters of an hour in coming up with him. I had previously pivotted my guns to starboard, and made all preparations for engaging the enemy on that side. When within about a mile and a quarter of the enemy, he suddenly wheeled, and, bringing his head in shore, presented his starboard battery to me. By this time, we were distant about one mile from each other, when I opened on him with solid shot, to which he replied in a few minutes, and the action became active on both sides. The enemy now pressed his ship under a full head of steam, and to prevent our passing each other too speedily, and to keep our respective broadsides bearing, it became necessary to fight in a circle; the two ships steaming around a common centre, and preserving a distance from each other of from three quarters to half a mile. When we got within good shell range, we opened up on him with shell. Some ten or fifteen minutes after the commencement of the action, our spanker~gaff was shot away, and our ensign came down by the run. This was immediately replaced by another at the mizzen~masthead. The firing now became very hot, and the enemy's shot, and shell soon began to tell upon our hull, knocking down, killing, and disabling a number of men, at the same time, in different parts of the ship. Perceiving that our shell, though apparently exploding against the enemy's sides, were doing him but little damage, I returned to solid~shot firing, and from this time onward alternated with shot, and shell.
After the lapse of about one hour and ten minutes, our ship was ascertained to be in a sinking condition, the enemy's shell having exploded in our side, and between decks, opening large apertures through which water rushed with great rapidity. For some few minutes I had hopes of being able to reach the French coast, for which I gave the ship all steam, and set such of the fore~and~~aft sails as were available. The ship filled so rapidly, however, that before we had made much progress, the fires were extinguished in the furnaces, and we were evidently on the point of sinking. I now hauled down my colors, to prevent the further destruction of life, and dispatched a boat to inform the enemy of our condition. Although we were now but 400 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. We now directed all our exertions toward saving the wounded, and such of the boys of the ship as were unable to swim. These were dispatched in my quarter~boats, the only boats remaining to me; the waist~boats having been torn to pieces. Some twenty minutes after my furnace-fires had been extinguished, and when the ship was on the point of settling, every man, in obedience to a previous order which had been given the crew, jumped overboard, and endeavored to save himself. There was no appearance of any boat coming to me from the enemy, until after my ship went down. Fortunately, however, the steam~yacht Deerhound, owned by a gentleman of Lancashire~~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. Accompanying, you will find lists of the killed and wounded, and of those who were picked up by the Deerhound; the remainder, there is reason to hope, were picked up by her enemy and a couple of French Pilot Boats, which were also fortunately near the scene of action. At the end of the engagement, it was discovered by those of our officers who went alongside of the enemy's ship, with the wounded, that her mid~ship section, on both sides, was thoroughly iron~coated; this having been done with chains, constructed for the purpose, placed perpendicularly, form the rail to the water's edge, the whole covered over by a thin outer planking, which gave no indication of the armor beneath. This planking had been ripped off, in every direction, by our shot and shell, the chain broken, and indented in many places, and forced partly into the ship's side. She was effectually guarded, however, in this section, from penetration. The enemy was much damaged, in other parts, but to what extent it is now impossible to say. It is believed he is badly crippled. My officers and men behaved steadily and gallantly, and though they have lost their ship, they have not lost honor. Where all behaved so well, it would be invidious to particularize, but I cannot deny myself the pleasure of saying that Mr. Kell, my first lieutenant, deserves great credit for the fine condition in which the ship went into action, with regard to her battery, magazine and shell~rooms, and that he rendered me great assistance, by his coolness, and judgement, as the fight proceeded. The enemy was heavier than myself, both in ship, battery, and crew; but I did not know until the action was over, that she was also ironclad. Our total loss in killed and wounded, is 30, to wit: 9 killed, and 21 wounded." "My officers and crew formed a great military family, every face of which was familiar to me; and when I looked upon my gory deck, toward the close of the action, and saw so many manly forms stretched upon it, with the glazed eye of death, or agonizing with terrible wounds, I felt as a father feels who has lost his children~~his children who had followed him to the uttermost ends of the earth, in sunshine and storm, and been always true to him." "A remarkable spectacle presented itself on the deck of the sinking ship, after the firing had ceased, and the boats containing the wounded had been shoved off. Under the order, which had been given, "Every man save himself who can!" all occupations had been suspended, and all discipline relaxed. One man was then as good as another. The Kearsarge stood sullenly at a distance, making no motion, that we could see, to send us a boat. The Deerhound and the French Pilot Boats were also at a considerable distance. Meantime, the water was rushing and roaring into the ship's side, through her ghastly death~wound, and she was visibly settling~~lower and lower. There was no panic, no confusion, among the men. Each stood, waiting his doom, with the most perfect calmness. The respect and affection manifested for their officers was toughing in the extreme. Several gathered around me, and seemed anxious for my safety. One tendered me this little office of kindness, and another, Kell was near me, and faithful steward, Bartelli, also, was at my side. Poor Bartelli! He could not swim a stroke~~which I did not know at the time, or I should have saved him in the boats~~and yet he was calm and cheerful; seeming to think that no harm could befall him, so long as he was at my side."
After the lapse of about one hour and ten minutes, our ship was ascertained to be in a sinking condition, the enemy's shell having exploded in our side, and between decks, opening large apertures through which water rushed with great rapidity. For some few minutes I had hopes of being able to reach the French coast, for which I gave the ship all steam, and set such of the fore~and~~aft sails as were available. The ship filled so rapidly, however, that before we had made much progress, the fires were extinguished in the furnaces, and we were evidently on the point of sinking. I now hauled down my colors, to prevent the further destruction of life, and dispatched a boat to inform the enemy of our condition. Although we were now but 400 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. We now directed all our exertions toward saving the wounded, and such of the boys of the ship as were unable to swim. These were dispatched in my quarter~boats, the only boats remaining to me; the waist~boats having been torn to pieces. Some twenty minutes after my furnace-fires had been extinguished, and when the ship was on the point of settling, every man, in obedience to a previous order which had been given the crew, jumped overboard, and endeavored to save himself. There was no appearance of any boat coming to me from the enemy, until after my ship went down. Fortunately, however, the steam~yacht Deerhound, owned by a gentleman of Lancashire~~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. Accompanying, you will find lists of the killed and wounded, and of those who were picked up by the Deerhound; the remainder, there is reason to hope, were picked up by her enemy and a couple of French Pilot Boats, which were also fortunately near the scene of action. At the end of the engagement, it was discovered by those of our officers who went alongside of the enemy's ship, with the wounded, that her mid~ship section, on both sides, was thoroughly iron~coated; this having been done with chains, constructed for the purpose, placed perpendicularly, form the rail to the water's edge, the whole covered over by a thin outer planking, which gave no indication of the armor beneath. This planking had been ripped off, in every direction, by our shot and shell, the chain broken, and indented in many places, and forced partly into the ship's side. She was effectually guarded, however, in this section, from penetration. The enemy was much damaged, in other parts, but to what extent it is now impossible to say. It is believed he is badly crippled. My officers and men behaved steadily and gallantly, and though they have lost their ship, they have not lost honor. Where all behaved so well, it would be invidious to particularize, but I cannot deny myself the pleasure of saying that Mr. Kell, my first lieutenant, deserves great credit for the fine condition in which the ship went into action, with regard to her battery, magazine and shell~rooms, and that he rendered me great assistance, by his coolness, and judgement, as the fight proceeded. The enemy was heavier than myself, both in ship, battery, and crew; but I did not know until the action was over, that she was also ironclad. Our total loss in killed and wounded, is 30, to wit: 9 killed, and 21 wounded." "My officers and crew formed a great military family, every face of which was familiar to me; and when I looked upon my gory deck, toward the close of the action, and saw so many manly forms stretched upon it, with the glazed eye of death, or agonizing with terrible wounds, I felt as a father feels who has lost his children~~his children who had followed him to the uttermost ends of the earth, in sunshine and storm, and been always true to him." "A remarkable spectacle presented itself on the deck of the sinking ship, after the firing had ceased, and the boats containing the wounded had been shoved off. Under the order, which had been given, "Every man save himself who can!" all occupations had been suspended, and all discipline relaxed. One man was then as good as another. The Kearsarge stood sullenly at a distance, making no motion, that we could see, to send us a boat. The Deerhound and the French Pilot Boats were also at a considerable distance. Meantime, the water was rushing and roaring into the ship's side, through her ghastly death~wound, and she was visibly settling~~lower and lower. There was no panic, no confusion, among the men. Each stood, waiting his doom, with the most perfect calmness. The respect and affection manifested for their officers was toughing in the extreme. Several gathered around me, and seemed anxious for my safety. One tendered me this little office of kindness, and another, Kell was near me, and faithful steward, Bartelli, also, was at my side. Poor Bartelli! He could not swim a stroke~~which I did not know at the time, or I should have saved him in the boats~~and yet he was calm and cheerful; seeming to think that no harm could befall him, so long as he was at my side."