61 4 CRUISE AND COMBATS OF THE “ALABAMA .”
away at once, under a press of steam, for Southampton. Armstrong, oursecond lieutenant, and some of our men who were saved by the French pilot-boats, were taken into Cherbourg . Our loss was 9 killed, 21 wounded, and10 drowned.
It has been charged that an arrangement had been entered into betweenMr. Lancaster and Captain Semmes, previous to our leaving Cherbourg , thatin the event of the Alabama being sunk the Deerhound would come to our res-cue. Captain Semmes and myself met Mr. Lancaster for the first time whenrescued by him, and he related to us the circumstance that was the occasionof his coming out to see the fight. Having his family on board, his intentionwas to attend church with his wife and children, when the gathering of thespectators on the shore attracted their attention, the report having beenwidely circulated that the Alabama was to go out that morning and givebattle to the Kearsurge. The boys were clamorous to see the fight, and aftera family discussion as to the propriety of going out on the Sabbath to witnessa naval combat, Mr. Lancaster agreed to put the question to vote at the break-fast-table, where the youngsters carried their point by a majority. Thusmany of us were indebted for our lives to that inherent trait in the English character, the desire to witness a “ passage at arms.”
That evening we landed in Southampton, and were received by the peoplewith every demonstration of sympathy and kindly feeling. Thrown upontheir shores by the chances of war, we were taken to their hearts and homeswith that generous hospitality which brought to mind with tenderest feeling'our own dear Southern homes in ante-bellum times. To the Rev. F. W-Tremlett, of Belsize Park, London , and his household, I am indebted for apicture of English home life that time cannot efface, and the memory of whichwill be a lasting pleasure till life’s end.
When tlie Kearsarge was at the Azores, a few months before the fight with the Alabama , Midshipman EdwardE. Preble made a mathematically correct drawing of the ship, and from a photograph of thatdrawing the above picture was made. After the fight alterations were made inthe Kearsarge which considerably changed her appearance.—E ditors.