The Story of the Kearsarge and Alabama

by A. K. Browne

At a supper in Cherbourg on Saturday night, several officers of the Alabama met sympathizing French friends—the impending fight being the chief topic of conversation. In confidence of an easy victory, they boastingly proclaimed the intention either to sink the Federal or gain another corsair. They rise with promise to meet the following night to renew the festivity as victors, are escorted to the boat, and separate with cheers and wishes for a successful return.

Sunday the 19th comes; a fine day, atmosphere somewhat hazy, little sea, moderate westerly wind.

At 10 A.M. the crew are inspected at quarters and dispersed to attend divine service at 11 o'clock. Seemingly no one thought of the Alabama, for so long awaited and not appearing, speculation as to her probable advent had ceased. At 10.20 the officer of the deck reports a steamer coming from Cherbourg, a frequent occurrence, and consequently creates no excitement. Soon, by the aid of a glass, he descries the enemy, and shouts: "The Alabama!" Instantly all hands are called and the ship cleared for action.

The position of the Kearsarge was off the eastern entrance to the harbor, at a distance of nearly three miles, the Alabama approaching from the western entrance, escorted by the French iron-clad frigate La Couronne, and followed by a fore-and-aft rigged steamer, flying the English yacht flag, the Deerhound. The frigate having convoyed the Alabama outside the limit of French waters, with characteristic neutrality, steamed back into port without delay; the yacht remained in proximity to the scene of action. To avoid a question of jurisdiction, and to prevent an escape of the Alabama to neutral waters in the event of a retreat, the Kearsarge steamed to sea making final preparations, the last being the sanding of decks (sufficiently suggestive of sober thoughts), followed by the enemy, until a distance of about seven miles from the shore was attained, when at 10.50 the Kearsarge wheeled, bringing her head in shore, and presented starboard battery, being one and a quarter miles from her opponent: the Kearsarge advanced rapidly, and at 10.57 received the first broadside of solid shot at a distance of eighteen hundred yards from the Alabama. This broadside cut away a little of the rigging, but the shot chiefly passed over or fell short. With increased speed the Kearsarge advanced, receiving a second and part of a third broadside with similar effect. Arrived within nine hundred yards of the Alabama, the Kearsarge, fearing a fourth broadside with evident raking results, sheered and broke her silence by opening with the starboard battery. Each vessel was now pressed under a full head of steam, each employing the starboard battery, and to obviate passing each other too speedily, and to maintain the bearing of the respective broadsides, the circular method of fighting was necessitated, each steering around a common center, from a quarter to half a mile apart.

The action was now fairly commenced. One of the shot of the first broadsides of the Kearsarge carried away the spanker-gaff of the enemy, and caused his ensign to come down by the run. This incident was received as a favorable omen by the fortunate crew, who cheered vociferously and went with increased confidence to their work. Wild and rapid was the firing of the Alabama, that of the Kearsarge being deliberate, precise, and almost from the commencement productive of death, destruction, and dismay. The Kearsarge gunners had been cautioned against firing without direct aim, advised to elevate or depress the guns with deliberation, and though subjected to an incessant storm of shot and shell, proceeded calmly to their duty, and faithfully complied with the instructions. The effect upon the enemy was readily perceived; nothing restrained the enthusiasm of the crew. Cheer succeeded cheer, caps thrown in the air or overboard, jackets discarded, one encouraging the other, sanguine of victory, shouting as each projectile took effect: "That is a good one;" "that told;" "give her another;" "down boys;" "give her another like the last;" and so on, cheering, exulting, joyous to the end. After exposure to an uninterrupted cannonading for eighteen minutes without casualties, a sixty-eight-pound Blakely shell passed through the starboard bulwarks below main rigging, exploded upon the quarter-deck, and wounded three of the crew of the after-pivot gun. With these exceptions, not an officer or a man of the Kearsarge received the slightest injury. The unfortunates were speedily taken below, and so quietly was the action performed, that at the termination of the fight a large portion of the crew were unaware that any of their comrades were wounded. Two shot entered the ports occupied by the thirty-twos, where several men were stationed, and yet none were hit. A shell exploded in the hammock-netting and set the ship on fire; the alarm calling to fire-quarters was sounded, and persons specially detailed for a like emergency, promptly extinguished the flames, while the remainder of the crew continued at the guns without interruption.

Terrific was the effect of the eleven-inch shell upon the crew of the doomed ship: many were torn asunder by shell direct, or horribly mutilated by splinters. Her decks were covered with blood and the debris of bodies. One gun (after-pivot) had its crew renewed four times, fourteen out of nineteen men being disabled during the action. The carnage around this gun was more frightful than elsewhere; so great was the accumulation of blood and fragments of limbs, that a removal was required before the gun could be worked. A man upon the bowsprit is struck in the abdomen by a shot, staggers aft holding up his entrails, and near the main hatch falls dead. Another is cut in twain, one-half of the body going down the engine hatch, the other half remaining on deck. A poor wretch paralyzed by fear leaves his station and vainly seeks safety by a plea of indisposition; he is ordered to resume his position at the gun, and not obeying, is killed by a pistol shot from the officer commanding the division.

It is truly wonderful that so few casualties should have occurred on board the Kearsarge with so large a percentage to her adversary—the first having fired one hundred and seventy-three shot and shell, and the second nearly double that number. Probably no future similar combat will occasion like results.

The fight continues. The eleven-inch shell tell with astonishing precision; one penetrates a coal bunker, and immediately a dense cloud of coal-dust rises and like a pall hovers over the fated ship. Others strike near the water-line between the main and mizzen masts, explode within board, or passing through burst afar off. Crippled and torn the Alabama moves less quickly and begins to settle by the stern, yet relaxes not her fire, but returns successive broadsides, ever without disastrous effect. Captain Semmes witnesses the dreadful havoc made by the shell, especially by those of the after-pivot gun, and offers a reward for its silence. Soon his battery is turned upon the particular offending gun with endeavor to compel its abandonment; in vain, for its work of destruction goes on. Captain Semmes places sharp-shooters in the quarter boats to pick off the officers; in vain, for none are injured. He views the surrounding devastation—a sinking ship, rudder and propeller disabled, a large portion of the crew killed or wounded, while his adversary is apparently but slightly damaged. He has completed the seventh rotation on the circular tract and is conscious of defeat. He seeks to escape by setting all available sail (foretrysail and two jibs), leaves the circle and heads for the neutral waters of the French coast. The speed of his vessel is lessened; in winding she presents the port battery with only two guns bearing, and exhibits gaping sides. The Alabama is at the mercy of the Kearsarge. Captain Semmes calls his officers aft, briefly states the condition of the two vessels, and orders a surrender to prevent a further loss of life.

The colors are struck and the Kearsarge ceases firing. Two of the junior officers of the Alabama swear they will never surrender to a "damned Yankee," but rather go down in the ship; in a mutinous spirit they rush to the two port guns and open fire upon the Kearsarge. Captain Winslow, amazed at this unwonted 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 go crashing through the bulwarks, carrying death and destruction; the Kearsarge is laid across the bows for raking and in position to employ grape and canister with deadly effect. Over the stern of the Alabama is displayed a white flag, her ensign half-masted, union down; Captain Winslow for the second time orders a cessation of firing.

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 had not the generosity to afford the explanation; he is silent as to the renewal of the fight after his surrender; an act which in christian warfare would, in severe justice, have authorized the Kearsarge to continue firing until the Alabama had disappeared beneath the waters; nay, even to have refused quarter to the survivors.