The transports arrived at Boyd’s Point a little after daylight on Tuesday morning, the 29th, and in a short time men, horses, artillery and supplies were on shore. On the next day the enemy were encountered in force on the Grahamsville road, at a place called Honey Hill. The batteries of the rebels were intrenched in the woods, and great bravery was evinced by the naval brigade and by colored troops in several charges which were made, in which they suffered severe loss. The musketry fire was terrific. For seven hours the din was kept up, almost drowning the artillery discharges. The position of the rebels at Honey Hill proved too strong to be carried by General Foster’s command, and the Federals were compelled to retire. The total casualties of the Union force numbered eight hundred and ten.
REBEL PRIVATEERS—THE ALABAMA, THE FLORIDA, AND THE SHENANDOAH.
On the 19th of June, 1864, the steamship Alabama, a rebel privateer, built, equipped, and manned in Great Britain, but commanded by a Confederate officer, was brought to bay in the harbor of Cherbourg, France, by the United States sloop-of-war Kearsarge, Captain Winslow. For nearly two years the Alabama had been roaming the seas unmolested, avoiding a conflict with United States vessels of war on numerous occasions where opportunities were offered to meet an antagonist on equal terms, but committing serious depredations among merchant vessels, destroying property of the value of nearly ten millions of dollars. For these acts her commander, Captain Semmes, was feted and lauded by leading English journals and merchants as a hero. The Alabama was launched, armed and delivered to her Confederate commander in British waters, with the full knowledge of the government authorities, and in face of the protest of Mr. Adams, the American Minister at the Court of St. James. Her crew were nearly to a man British subjects, recruited in British ports, and her gunners were trained in Her Majesty’s practice-ship Excellent. Her battery consisted of eight guns—one one-hundred-pounder rifle, one sixty-eight-pounder rifle, and six thirty-two-pounders. She was rated as a third-class sloop-of-war, and was considered a model of beauty and speed. Her commander and crew were received with warm welcome and flattering honors at numerous British and French ports, and every facility afforded the vessel for supplies and repairs. Great anxiety was felt and expressed among naval officers of England and France, that Captain Semmes should avail himself of one of the many opportunities afforded of meeting a Federal cruiser of equal power in fair and honorable combat. This test of skill and courage was carefully avoided by the Confederate commander, till on the date above named, after submitting to a blockade of five days in the harbor of Cherbourg by the United States sloop-of-war Kearsage, a vessel of equal armament and tonnage, Captain Semmes, seeing there was no escape, reluctantly assented to the combat.
The battery of the Kearsarge consisted of seven guns—two eleven-inch Dahlgrens, throwing shell or shot of one hundred and thirty-eight pounds, four thirty-two-pounders, and one twenty-eight-pounder rifle.
The conflict took place within sight of the harbor of Cherbourg, and was witnessed by thousands of the inhabitants. At twenty minutes past ten A. M., Sunday, June 19, the Alabama was discovered standing out, accompanied by a French iron-clad steamer. When the Alabama was descried the Kearsarge was about three miles from the entrance of the harbor, and to avoid any question as to the line of jurisdiction, as well as to draw the Alabama off shore, so that if disabled she could not flee in for protection, the Kearsarge stood to seaward until she had attained the distance of about seven miles from the shore. At fifty minutes past ten she came quick about and approached the Alabama, and at fifty-seven minutes past ten the Alabama commenced the action with her starboard broadside at one thousand yards’ range. At eleven the fire was returned by the Kearsarge, and the vessels came fairly into action at about nine hundred yards’ distance.
Captain Winslow says it was soon apparent that Semmes did not seek close action, and fears were entertained that after some fighting he would make for the shore. To defeat this Captain Winslow determined to keep full steam on, run under the stern of the Alabama, and rake; but the Alabama, by sheering and keeping her broadside to the Kearsarge, was forced with a full head of steam into a circular track.
On the seventh rotation the Alabama headed for the shore, disabled and at the mercy of the Kearsarge. A few well directed shots brought down her flag, a white one was displayed, and the fire of the Kearsarge was reserved. In about two minutes the Alabama again opened fire. The Kearsarge replied, steamed ahead and laid across the bows of the Alabama for raking. The fire of the Kearsarge being again reserved, boats were lowered and an officer in one of them came alongside at ten minutes past twelve o’clock and surrendered the Alabama. Six officers and sixty-four men were brought on board the Kearsarge. At ten minutes past three o’clock the Kearsarge let go her anchor in seven fathoms water.
In an engagement of one hour and ten minutes, the great superiority of the American vessel and gunnery was evinced, and the British corsair struck her colors while in a sinking condition, and went down in the waves of the British channel. The crew of the Alabama had suffered serious loss in the combat, and the wounded were engulfed with the vessel, while some eighty or ninety of the survivors, among whom was Captain Semmes, were left struggling in the waves.
The Alabama was accompanied from Cherbourg by an English private yacht, the Deerhound, owned and sailed by Mr. John Lancaster, a warm friend and sympathizer with Semmes. When the Alabama lowered her flag the boats of the Kearsarge were immediately put out to save the survivors, and Captain Winslow signalled to the yacht and two French pilot boats to assist in this work of humanity. Lancaster picked up Semmes and several others of the officers and crew, and, regardless of the neutrality of his country, steamed off to Cowes, and set them at liberty. One hundred and fifteen of the crew reached the shores of England and France.
The Alabama is reported to have discharged three hundred and seventy or more shot and shell in this engagement, but inflicted no serious damage on the Kearsarge. Thirteen or fourteen took effect in and about the hull, and sixteen or seventeen about the masts and rigging.