BY JOHN M. BEOWNE, SURGEON OP THE “ KEARSARGE.”
If'
^^N Sunday, the 12th
of June, 1864, theKearsarge, CaptainJohn A. Winslow,was lying at anchorin the Scheldt, offFlushing, Holland.The cornet suddenly ap-peared at the fore, and a*7 ■’ ‘ i gun was fired. These were un-
i expected signals that compelled absent
officers and men to return to the ship.Steam was raised, and as soon as we were off,and all hands called, Captain Winslow gave theWelcome news of a telegram from Mr. Dayton,our minister to France, announcing that the Ala-bama had arrived the day previous at Cherbourg;lienee the urgency of departure, the probabilityof an encounter, and the expectation of hercapture or destruction. The crew responded withcheers. The succeeding day witnessed the arrivalof the Kearsarge at Dover for dispatches, and theday after (Tuesday) her appearance off Cherbourg,where we saw the Confederate flag flying withinthe breakwater. As we approached, officers andmen gathered in groups on deck, and looked in-tently at the “daring rover” that had been ablefor two years to escape numerous foes and to in-flict immense damage on our commerce. She wasa beautiful specimen of naval architecture. Thesurgeon went on shore and obtained pratique (per-mission to visit the port) for boats. Owing to theneutrality limitation, which would not allow us toremain in the harbor longer than twenty-four hours,it was inexpedient to enter the port. We placeda vigilant watch by turns at each of the harborentrances, and continued it to the moment of the
engagement.
On Wednesday Captain Winslow paid an officialvisit to the French admiral commanding the mari-time district, and to the United States commercialagent, bringing on his return the unanticipatednews that Captain Semmes had declared his inten-tion to fight. At first the assertion was barelycredited, the policy of the Alabama beingregardedas opposed to a conflict, and to escape ratherthan to be exposed to injury, perhaps destruc-tion ; but the doubters were half convinced whenthe so-called challenge was known to read asfollows:
“ C. S. S. ‘ Ai.abama,’ Cherbourg, June 14tli, 1864.
“ To A. Bonfils, Esq., Cherbourg. Sir : I hear thatyou were informed by the U. S. Consul that the Kear-sarge was to come to this port solely for the prisonerslanded by me, and that she was to depart in twenty-four hours. I desire you to say to the IT. S. Consulthat my intention is to fight the Kearsarge as soonas I can mate the necessary arrangements. I hopethese will not detain me more than until to-morrow even-ing, or after the morrow morning at furthest. I beg sheWill not depart before I am ready to go out.
“ I have the honor to be, very respectfully,
“Tour obedient servant,
“ K. Semmes, Captain.
This communication was sent by Mr. Bonfils,the Confederate States Commercial Agent, to Mr.Liais, the United States Commercial Agent, with arequest that the latter would furnish a copy to Cap-tain Winslow for his guidance. There was no otherchallenge to combat. The letter that passed be-tween the commercial agents was the challengeabout which so much has been said. CaptainSemmes informed Captain Winslow through Mr.Bonfils of his intention to fight; Captain Winslowinformed Captain Semmes through Mr. Liais thathe came to Cherbourg to fight, and had no intentionof leaving. He made no other reply.
Captain Winslow assembled the officers and dis-cussed the expected battle. It was probable thetwo ships would engage on parallel lines, and theAlabama would seek neutral waters in event of de-feat ; hence the necessity of beginning the actionseveral miles from the breakwater. It was de-termined not to surrender, but to fight until thelast, and, if need be, to go down with colors flying.Why Captain Semmes should imperil his ship wasnot understood, since he would risk all and exposethe cause of which he was a selected champion to aneedless disaster, while the Kearsarge, if taken ordestroyed, could be replaced. It was thereforeconcluded that he would fight because he thoughthe would be the victor.
Preparations were made for battle, with no re-laxation of the watch. Thursday passed ; Fridaycame ; the Kearsarge waited with ports down, gunspivoted to starboard, the whole battery loaded, andshell, grape, and canister ready to use in any modeof attack or defense; yet no Alabama appeared.French pilots came on board and told of unusualarrangements made by the enemy, such as thehurried taking of coals, the transmission of valu-able articles to the shore, such as captured chro-nometers, specie, and the bills of ransomed vessels;and the sharpening of swords, cutlasses, and board-ing-pikes. It was reported that Captain Semmeshad been advised not to give battle ; that he repliedhe would prove to the world that his ship was not aprivateer, intended only for attack upon merchantvessels, but a true man-of-war; further, that he hadconsulted French officers, who all asserted that inhis situation they would fight. Certain newspapersdeclared that he ought to improve the opportunityafforded by the presence of the enemy to show thathis ship was not a “corsair,” to prey upon defense-less merchantmen, but a real ship-of-war, able andwilling to fight the “ Federal” waiting outside theharbor. It was said the Alabama was swift, witha superior crew, and it was known that the ship,guns, and ammunition were of English make.
A surprise by night was suggested, and precau-tionary means were taken; everything was wellplanned and ready for action, but still no Alabama came. Meanwhile the Kearsarge was cruising toand fro off the breakwater. A message wasbrought from Mr. Dayton, our minister to Paris , byhis son, who with difficulty had obtained permis-
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