618 THE DUEL BETWEEN THE “ALABAMA" AND “KEARSARGE.”

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CAPTAIN JAMES S. THORNTON, EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF TIIE “KEARSARGE.”FROM A PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN IN 1864.

spanker-gaff of the enemy, and caused his ensignto come down "by the run. This incident was re-garded as a favorable omen by the men, whocheered and went with increased confidence totheir work. The fallen ensign reappeared at themizzen. The Alabama returned to solid shot, andsoon after fired both shot and shell to the end. Thefiring of the Alabama was rapid and wild, gettingbetter near the close ; that of the Kearsarge wasdeliberate, accurate, and almost from the begin-ning productive of dismay, destruction, anddeath. 4 - The Kearsarge gunners had been cau-tioned against firing without direct aim, and hadbeen advised to point the heavy guns below ratherthan above the water-line, and to clear the deck ofthe enemy with the lighter ones. Though subjectedto an incessant storm of shot and shell, they kepttheir stations and obeyed instructions.

The effect upon the enemy was readily perceived,and nothing could restrain the enthusiasm of our

men. Cheer succeeded cheer ; caps were thrownin the air or overboard; jackets were discarded;sanguine of victory, the men were shouting, a seach projectile took effect: “ That is a good one ! ”‘ ‘ Down, boys! ” “ Give her another like the last! ”“Now we have her!’’and so on, cheering andshouting to the end.

After the Kearsarge had been exposed to an un-interrupted cannonade for eighteen minutes, a 68-pounder Blakely shell passed through the starboardbulwarks below the main rigging, exploded uponthe quarter-deck, and wounded three of the crewof the after pivot-gun. With these exceptions, notan officer or man received serious injury. Thethree unfortunate men were speedily taken below,and so quietly was the act done that at the termina-tion of the fight a large number of the men wereunaware that any of their comrades were wounded.Two shots entered the ports occupied by ti 10thirty-twos, where several men were stationed, ou e

4 Captain Semmes in Ms official report says: “Tlie firing now became very hot, and the enemy’s shot andshell soon began to tell upon our hull, knocking down, killing, and disabling a number of men in different partsof the ship.”—J. M: B.