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was compelled to surrender, sinking within a few minutes.

After this the Alabama roved the sea destroying American merchant vessels. On June 11, 1864, she anchored in the harbor of Cherbourg, France, with 37 prisoners aboard captured from American merchant vessels. Captain Semmes intended to dock his ship for much-needed repairs but the American minister to France protested to the minister of foreign affairs who gave instructions through the minister of marine that the Alabama must make the necessary repairs at the usual places of commercial accommodation. The moment the Alabama appeared the American minister telegraphed to Captain J. A. Winslow, of the Kearsarge, then at Flushing, who immediately made for Cherbourg. He did not enter the harbor but steamed by the breakwater from end to end without anchoring, which conduct Semmes rightly construed as an equivalent to a challenge to combat. The Kearsarge was somewhat smaller than the Alabama and carried only 7 guns to the 8 of the Alabama, but she had a crew of 163 men as against the 149 of the Confederate vessel. The machinery of the Kearsarge, however, was protected by a chain armor covered with oneinch deal boards, but as that part of the ship was struck only twice, the armor was not an important factor in determining the result of the fight. The metal of the Kearsarge was much heavier than that of the Alabama.

The French government had warned Winslow that the combat between the two ships must not take place within French jurisdiction. Accordingly on the morning of the 9th, when the Alabama was seen coming out of the harbor, Winslow steamed out to sea, clearing for action as he ran, with the Alabama in pursuit. When about 7 miles from the French coast the Kearsarge turned short about and steered directly for the Alabama with the intention of running her down or at least of closing in with her. As soon as the Kearsarge came around, however, the Alabama sheered, presenting her starboard battery and at a distance of about a mile opened her full broadside on the Kearsarge. Broadsides were fired in rapid succession without injuring the Union vessel. The Kearsarge did not reply until within 900 yards of the Alabama, when, apprehensive that another broadside might prove disastrous, Winslow sheered his vessel and opened on the Alabama. Fearing that the Alabama would make for shore, Winslow determined to run under the Alabama's stern and rake her but the latter vessel prevented this by sheering and keeping her broadside to the Kearsarge, thus forcing the fight on a circular track, each ship with a strong port helm steaming around a common centre. The firing of the Alabama was at first rapid and wild, though it improved toward the close of the action; that of the Kearsarge was deliberate, accurate and

almost from the beginning very destructive. The effect upon the Alabama was soon perceptible. The Kearsarge concentrated her fire and poured in her 11-inch shells with deadly effect. One penetrated the

Alabama's coal bunker and a dense cloud of coal dust arose. Others struck near the water line between the main and mizzen masts and on exploding created fearful havoc. Crippled and torn, the Alabama began to move less quickly and to settle by the stern, but did not slacken her fire. Six times the vessels circled around each other, the Alabama doing little damage to the Kearsarge, only one of her shells having exploded upon the decks and wounding three of the crew. Captain Semmes witnessed the havoc made by the Union shells, especially by those of the after-pivot gun of the Kearsarge, and ineffectually attempted to disable it. The seventh rotation had been completed when the Alabama sought to escape but the Kearsarge pursued, keeping on a line nearer the shore, and with a few welldirected shots hastened the sinking. In a few minutes the colors of the Alabama were struck and the Kearsarge ceased firing. In the excitement two of the port guns of the Alabama were fired after the flag was down and Winslow, amazed at this extraordinary conduct, ordered another broadside to be fired. Again the shot and shell went crushing through the sides of the Alabama which continued to settle by the stern.

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A white flag was then shown over the stern of the Alabama and her ensign was half masted Union down whereupon Winslow for the second time gave orders to cease firing.* Boats were then sent from the Alabama to inform Winslow that Semmes had surrendered and that the Alabama was fast sinking. As quickly as possible Winslow lowered his boats to rescue the Confederate crew but before they had rendered any aid the Alabama had gone to the bottom. Meanwhile the English yacht Deer Hound, which had steamed from the harbor to witness the battle, had begun to pick up the drowning men, rescuing Semmes and about 40 of his officers and men, who were immediately taken back to England. Some French pilot boats also participated in the work of rescue and carried their contingent to France so that Winslow had but a scanty show of prisoners. The wounded survivors saved by the boats of the Kearsarge and the French pilot boats numbered 70 men including 5 officers; all except 4 officers were paroled and the wounded were sent to the French hospitals. The destruction of the Alabama, however, had little effect in lightening the general gloom in the United States, since it was universally regarded as of little moment in terminating the war.f

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While these naval actions were taking place off the coast of France other operations were being conducted by the Union naval forces against Mobile. The city was protected by a series of redoubts, batteries and intrenchments covering the approaches by land from above while the shallow waters of the bay rendered defence easy from below. Mobile Bay is separated from the Gulf of Mexico by Mobile Point east and Dauphin Island west, about three miles apart, the ship channel closely skirting Mobile Point. The latter was defended by Fort Morgan and Dauphin Island by Fort Gaines. In August of 1864 Fort Gaines had 30 guns and Fort Morgan over 40 guns, besides a mortar battery of 7 heavy guns in front. Between these two forts stretched a line of piles and torpedoes, though a narrow channel was left for blockade-runners, marked off by a red buoy. Within the harbor was the Confederacy's most powerful ram, the Tennessee, and three small unarmed paddle-wheel gunboats. The only way for Farragut and his fleet to go into the harbor was between the guns of Morgan and Gaines, but there was not much to be feared from the latter since it was more than two miles from the channel.

Smith, The Battle between the Kearsarge and the Alabama, in Magazine of History, vol. v., pp. 1-26 (1907); W. H. Bedlam, The Kearsarge and Alabama (1892); Maclay, History of the Navy, vol. ii., pp. 562-573; J. M. Ellicott, Life of John A. Winslow (1902); Albert M. Goodrich, The Cruise and Captures of the Alabama; Confederate Military History, vol. xii., pp. 100-102.

On August 4 General Gordon Granger landed with some 5,000 troops at Dauphin Island to invest Fort Gaines and on the same evening the Tecumseh, the last of the eagerlyexpected ironclads, reported to Farragut outside the harbor. Farragut's fleet then comprised the wooden sloops of war Hartford (flag ship), Brooklyn, Richmond, Lackawanna, Monongahela, Ossipee and Oneida which formed the outer order of battle, and the monitors Tecumseh, Manhattan, Winnebago and Chickasaw which formed the inshore column. At 5:30 o'clock on the morning of the 5th the advance began, the Brooklyn, under Captain James Alden, leading the way, with a smaller mate lashed to the portside to insure passage through if the starboard vessel's vessel's machinery should be disabled. Farragut would have led in the Hartford but the Brooklyn had machinery for picking up torpedoes. The leading vessels crossed the bar at 6:10, the line of battle was rapidly formed, and at 7:05 the firing began. The instructions were to keep east of the red buoy, but intent upon attacking the Tennessee, Commander T. A. M. Craven of the Tecumseh pushed rapidly forward, went west of the red buoy and was sunk by a torpedo. The Brooklyn was about 300 yards behind the Tecumseh and, fearing a like disaster, stopped. Farragut, however, thought that there was more danger in delaying under the guns of Morgan than from the torpedoes, and accordingly

moved to the westward of the Brooklyn and passed safely through the line of torpedoes. By this time the battle had become general, the Union ironclads and wooden ships all volleying together. While the ships were moving by, the fire of Fort Morgan was somewhat subdued, but when the leading vessels were out of range the Confederate guns resumed their work and inflicted much damage on the Union vessels, the Oneida being disabled by a shot through her boiler, though she was carried safely away by her consort, the Galena.

Meanwhile the Hartford had become hotly engaged with the Confederate fleet. The three smaller Confederate gunboats maintained a grilling fire upon her as they retreated up the bay, speedily disabled one of her bow guns and killed and wounded many of her crew. The Tennessee started in pursuit of the Hartford, but as she was not easily handled and as the Hartford was far superior in speed, the Tennessee abandoned the pursuit and turned her attention to the rest of the fleet. Farragut then sent the Metacomet after the smaller Confederate gunboats and this vessel drove the Gaines and Morgan to the shelter of the fort where the former was burned, and engaged and captured the Selma. The Tennessee meanwhile had engaged in a running fight with the rest of the fleet. first aimed at the Brooklyn, next engaged the Richmond without injuring either, passed by the Lackawanna, col

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lided with the Monongahela, fired a destructive broadside into the Kennebec and threw two shots into the Ossipee below the spar deck. The Tennessee had now reached the end of the line where lay the crippled Oneida, and after giving her a raking shot turned her head northward and made directly for the Hartford. Orders were immediately given for the whole fleet to attack the ram, not only with. guns but bows-on also. The Monongahela was the first to strike her, but lost her iron prow and cutwater by the blow and received a damaging shot in return. The Monongahela fired a broadside, but her shot rattled harmlessly off the iron sides of the Tennessee. The Lackawanna next struck the Tennessee, but did far more damage to herself than to the ram, though one of her 9-inch shot smashed one of the Tennessee's port shutters. The Lackawanna drew off to ram again while the Hartford at full speed struck the Tennessee a glancing blow and poured in a harmless broadside. In their eagerness to run down the Confederate ram the Union ships fouled each other, the Lackawanna striking the Hartford and nearly sinking her. By this time the monitors had approached and had begun their work. The Manhattan threw a 15inch shot at the Tennessee which pierced the armor of the ram but did not penetrate the wood. The Chickasaw got under the stern of the Tennessee and pounded her with four 11inch guns. By this time the tiller

rendered. In this fight the Union fleet lost 52 killed, 170 wounded and 113 drowned in the Tecumseh. The Confederates lost 10 killed, 16 wounded and 280 prisoners, besides the casualties in the fort.*

Maclay, History of the Navy, vol. ii., pp. 445504; Nicolay and Hay, Life of Lincoln, vol. ix., pp. 230-238, and biographies of Farragut by Barnes, Loyall Farragut, Headley, Mahan, and Spears. See also J. E. Homans, Our Three Admirals; L. P. Brockett, Our Great Captains; Confederate Military History, vol. xii., pp. 86-90.

7th the fort and its garrison of 818 officers and men surrendered. Fort Morgan, however, held out and some two weeks were spent in preparing for its reduction. Granger transferred his troops from Dauphin Island to the rear of the fort, erected several powerful batteries, and on the morning of August 22, in coöperation with Farragut's fleet, opened fire. The bombardment was steadily maintained