6o8

CRUISE AND COMBATS OF THE “ALABAMA.”

and mounting a gun-carriage, he made thefollowing address:

“ Officers and Seamen ofthe ‘Alabama’: You haveat length another opportu-nity of meeting the enemy—the first that has been pre-sented to you since you sankthe Hatteras ! In the mean-time you have been all overthe world, and it is not toomuch to say that you havedestroyed, and driven forprotection under neutralflags, one-lialf of the ene-my’s commerce, which at thebeginning of the war coveredevery sea. This is an achieve-ment of which you may wellbe proud, and a gratefulcountry will not be unmind-ful of it. The name of yourship has become a householdword wherever civilizationextends ! Shall that namebe tarnished by defeat'? Thething is impossible! Remem-ber that you are in the Eng-lish Channel, the theater ofso much of the naval gloryof our race, and that theeyes of all Europe are at this moment upon you. The flag that floats over you is that of ayoung Republic , which bids defiance to her enemy’s whenever and wherever found! Show theworld that you know how to uphold it! Go to your quarters.”

In about forty-five minutes we were somewhat over a mile from the Kear-sartje, when she headed for us, presenting her starboard bow. At a distanceof a mile we commenced the action with our 100-pounder pivot-gun from ourstarboard bow. Both ships were now approaching each other at high speed,and soon the action became general with broadside batteries at a distance ofabout five hundred yards. To prevent passing, each ship used a strong porthelm. Thus the action was fought around a common center, gradually draw-ing in the circle. At this range we used shell upon the enemy. Captain-Semmes, standing on the horse-block abreast the mizzen-mast with his glassin hand, observed the effect of our shell. He called to me and said: “ Mr. Kell,use solid shot; our shell strike the enemy’s side and fall into the water.” Wewere not at this time aware of the chain armor of the enemy, and attributedthe failure of our shell to our defective ammunition. \ After using solid shot

\ On the coast of Brazil we had had some target that one of the 100-pound shells had exploded onpractice at one of our prizes. Many of our fuses the quarter-deck, and I counted fifteen marks fromproved defective. Upon visiting the target I found its missiles, which justifies me in asserting that

The above (lotted circles rep-,resent the general direction andposition of the action, a currentsettingdo westward three knotsper’houp

The scaTc of the circles Is eniJarged and does not refer to thescale below, "but thc-gencral dis-tance from, shore Is prese rvedaccording to scale given.

break Wat

Y- A

iFORT;D0 ROMET

QUEROUEVILLE

HENNEVI LLeA RED0UT£

EQUERDREYILLeA. 4 **^

Scale of Miles.

IMPORT DU REOLE

CHART OP THE ACTION OFF CHERBOURG.