CAPTURE OF THE FLORIDA IN BAHIA HARBOR. 645 had the Cushing left, under her new | by Rebel captures were 193 vesmasters, than she was missed, and sels; valued, with their cargoes, at two merchant steamers were armed and manned (by volunteers) and started after her. She was soon overhauled, and, having no guns to cope with her armament, the pursuers were about to board, when her captors took to their boats, firing half-adozen shots at her and blowing her up. The Portland boys kept on till they captured first the boats, then the Archer, towed them up to their city in triumph, and lodged Read and his freebooters snugly in prison. The merchant steamer Chesapeake, plying between New York and Portland, was seized' by 16 of her passengers, who, suddenly producing arms, proclaimed themselves Confederates, and demanded her surrender; seizing the captain and putting him in irons, wounding the mate, and killing and throwing overboard one of the engineers. After a time, they set the crew and passengers ashore in a boat, and, putting the steamer on an easterly course, ran her into Sambro harbor, Nova Scotia, where she was seized by the Union gunboat Ella and Anna, taken, with a portion of her crew, to Halifax, and handed over to the civil authorities. The prisoners were here rescued by a mob; but the steamboat was soon, by a judicial decision, restored to her วง $13,455,000. All but 17 of these vessels were burned. But now the Tallahassee, in August, swept along the Atlantic coast of the loyal States, destroying in ten days 33 vessels; while the Chickamauga, in a short cruise, burned vessels valued in all at $500,000. The Florida likewise darted along our coast, doing great damage there and thereafter; finally running into the Brazilian port of Bahia; having just captured and burnt the bark Mondamon off that port. Here she met the U. S. steamer Wachusett, Capt. Collins, and came to anchor, as a precaution, in the midst of the Brazilian fleet and directly under the guns of the principal fort; and here, after ascertaining that he could not provoke her to fight him outside the harbor, Capt. Collins bore down upon her, at 3 ▲. M.,' while part of her crew were ashore; running at her under a full head of steam with intent to crush in her side and sink her; but, not striking her fairly, he only damaged, but did not cripple her. A few small-arm shots were fired on either side, but at random, and without effect. Capt. Collins now demanded her surrender, with which the lieutenant in command-(Capt. Morris, with half his crew, being ashore)—taken completely by surprise and at disadvantagehad no choice but to comply. In an instant, the Florida was boarded from the Wachusett, a hawser made fast to her, and the captor, crowding all steam, put out to sea; making no reply to a challenge from the Brazilian fleet, and unharmed by three shots fired at her from the fort; all which passed over her. The Brazilian naval commander tried to chase; but was not fast enough, and soon desisted. The Wachusett and her prize soon appeared in Hampton roads; where the latter was sunk by a collision a few days afterward. There can be no reasonable doubt that, if the Florida was a fair, honest vessel, her capture was a foul one. Our consul at Bahia, Mr. T. F. Wilson, had seasonably protested against the hospitality accorded to her in that port, but without effect. As he was known to be implicated in the capture, his official recognition as consul was revoked. On a representation of the case by the Brazilian Minister, Gov. Seward, in behalf of President Lincoln, disavowed the acts of Collins and Wilson, dismissed the latter from office, suspended the former from command, and ordered him to answer for his act before a courtmartial. He further announced that the persons captured on board the Florida should be set at liberty. But he took care to place this reparation wholly on the ground of the unlawfulness of any unauthorized exercise of force by this country within a Brazilian harbor-no matter if against a conceded pirate-saying: "The Government disallows your assumption that the insurgents of this country are a lawful naval belligerent; on the contrary, it maintains that the ascription of that character by the Government of Brazil to insurgent citizens of the United States, who have hitherto been, and who still are, destitute of naval forces, ports, and courts, is an act of intervention, in derogation of the law of nations, and unfriendly and wrongful, as it is manifestly injurious, to the United States. "So, also, this Government disallows your assumption that the Florida belonged to the aforementioned insurgents, and maintains, on the contrary, that that vessel, like "Aug. 15. the Alabama, was a pirate, belonging to no that the harboring and supplying of these nation or lawful belligerent, and, therefore, piratical ships and their crews in Brazilian ports were wrongs and injuries for which States, as ample as the reparation which Brazil justly owes reparation to the United she now receives from them. They hope and confidently expect this reciprocity in good time, to restore the harmony and friendship which are so essential to the welfare and safety of the two countries." The Georgia was a Glasgow-built iron steamboat, which had left Greenock, as the Japan, in April, 1863; receiving her armament when off the coast of France, and at once getting to work as a beast of prey. Having destroyed a number of large and valuable merchant ships, she put in at Cherbourg, and afterward at Bourdeaux; whence she slipped over to England, and was sold (as was said) to a Liverpool merchant for £15,000. She now set out for Lisbon, having been chartered, it was given out, by the Portuguese Government; but, when 20 miles from her port of destination, she was stopped" by the U.S. steam-frigate Niagara, Capt. Craven, who made her his prize; returning with her directly to England, and landing her captain and crew at Dover. Her seizure provoked some newspaper discussion, but its rightfulness was not officially questioned. The Alabama had already come to grief. After a long and prosperous cruise in the South Atlantic and Indian oceans, she had returned to European waters, taking refuge in the French port of Cherbourg; when the U. S. gunboat KEARSARGE," which was lying in the Dutch harbor of Flushing, being notified by telegraph, came around at once to look after her. Semmes, however, seems to have been quite ready for the en12 So named after a mountain in New Hampshire. THE ALABAMA SUNK BY THE KEARSARGE. 647 counter; as he dispatched" to Capt. | ners had been trained on board Her Winslow a request that he would not Majesty's ship Excellent in Portsleave, as he (Semmes) purposed to mouth harbor. Several had recently fight him. Winslow was glad to find come on board, as if on purpose to their views so accordant, and was take part in the expected fight. careful to heed Semmes's reasonable, courteous request. The two vessels were very fairly matched their dimensions and armaments being respectively as follows: Length over ali. Length on water-line Beam.. Depth.. ALABAMA. 220 feet. 210 ** 32" 17 KEARSARGE. 2144 feet. 1984 83 66 66 16 400 h.power. 1,030 Horse-power, two engines of 300 each. Tonnage. 1,150 Armament of the Alabama-One 7-inch Blakely rifle, one 8-inch smooth-bore 68-pounder, six 32-pounders. Armament of the Kearsarge-Two 11-inch smoothbore guns, one 30-pounder rifle, four 32-pounders. Firing and steaming on, the combatants described seven circles; the Kearsarge steadily closing, and having diminished, by fully half, the distance at which the Alabama opened fire; when, after a mutual cannonade of an hour, the Kearsarge, at 12 P. M., was just in position to fire grape, and her adversary, having received several 11-inch shells, one of which disabled a gun and killed or wounded 18 men, as another, entering her NOTE.—The Kearsarge used but 5 guns; the Alabama 7. coal-bunkers, and exploding, had The Kearsarge had 162 officers and men; the Alabaina about 150. Having made all imaginable preparations in a friendly port, where he was surrounded by British as well as French sympathizers, Semmeshaving first providently deposited on shore his chest of coin, his 62 captured chronometers, the relics of so many burned merchantmen-at his own chosen time," steamed out of the harbor, followed by his British friend Lancaster in his steam-yacht Deerhound, and made for the Kearsarge, which was quietly expecting but not hurrying him, seven miles outside. When still more than a mile distant, the Alabama gave tongue; firing three broadsides before the Kearsarge opened in reply. Winslow endeavored to close and board: but his cautious adversary sheered off and steamed ahead, firing rapidly and wildly; while the Kearsarge, moving parallel with her, fired slowly and with deliberate aim. The badness of the Alabama's practice was notable from the fact that her British gun 13 June 15, 1864. completely blocked up the engineroom, compelling her to resort to sails, while large holes were torn in her sides, at length attempted to make for the protection of the neutral shore; but she was too far gone to reach it, being badly crippled and rapidly filling with water. Semmes and his crew appear to have had an understanding that she should beat the Kearsarge or sink with all on board; but, when she began to sink in good earnest, he hauled down his flag, and sent a boat to the Kearsarge to accelerate their rescue from the wreck as prisoners. Semmes, in his letter to envoy J. M. Mason, adds: "Although we were now but 400 yards from each other, the enemy fired upon me five times after my colors had been struck. It is charitable to suppose that a ship of war of a Christian nation could not have done this intentionally." Capt. Winslow does not "suppose," but states, as follows: "I saw now that she was at our mercy; and a few more guns, well directed, brought down her flag. I was unable to ascertain "Sunday, June 19, 10₫ A. M. The Alabama had 9 killed and 21 whether it had been hauled down or shot away: but, a white flag having been dis-wounded, including Semmes himself, played over the stern, our fire was reserved. Two minutes had not more than elapsed before she again opened on us with the two guns ont he port side. This drew our fire again; and the Kearsarge was immediately steamed ahead and laid across her bows for raking. The white flag was still flying, and our fire was again reserved. Shortly after this, her boats were seen to be lowering, and an officer in one of them came alongside, and informed us that the ship had surrendered and was fast sinking. In twenty minutes from this time, the Alabama went down: her mainmast, which had been shot, breaking near the head as she sunk, and her bow rising high out of the water as her stern rapidly settled." Lancaster-a virtual ally and swift witness for Semmes-who was close at hand, watching every motion with intense interest, in his log of the fight, dispatched to The Times that evening, when he arrived in his yacht at Cowes, with Semmes and such of his crew as he had snatched from the water and their captors-clearly refutes Semmes's charge. He says: "At 12, a slight intermission was observed in the Alabama's firing; the Alabama making head-sail, and shaping her course for the land, distant about nine miles. "At 12:30, observed the Alabama to be disabled and in a sinking state. We immediately made toward her, and, in passing the Kearsarge, were requested to assist in saving the Alabama's cren. "At 12:50, when within a distance of 200 yards, the Alabama sunk. We then lowered our two boats, and, with the assistance of the Alabama's whale-boat and dingy, succeeded in saving about 40 men, including Capt. Semmes and 13 officers. At 1 P. M., we steered for Southampton." This hero, William Gowin, of Michigan, must not fade from his country's memory. Surgeon J. M. Browne reports that, being struck quite early in the action, by a fragment of shell, which badly shattered his leg near the kneejoint, Gowin refused assistance, concealed the extent of his injury, and dragged himself from the after pivot-gun to the fore-hatch, unwilling to take any one from his station. During the progress of the action, he comforted his suffering comrades by assuring them that "Victory is ours!" Whenever the guns' crews cheered at slightly. Two of the wounded were drowned before they could be res cued. The Kearsarge had three men badly wounded, one of them mortally;" but neither would go below to be treated till the victory was won. The triumph of the Kearsarge is doubtless in part due to the superior effectiveness of her two 11-inch guns, but in good part also to the cool deliberation and excellent aim of her gunners. As to her being iron-clad, this is Semmes's story: "At the end of the engagement, it was discovered, by those of our officers who went alongside the enemy's ship, with the wounded, that her midship section on both sides was thoroughly iron-coated; this having been done with chain constructed for the rail to the water's edge, the whole covthe purpose, placed perpendicularly from ered over by a thin outer planking, which gave no indication of the armor beneath. "This planking had been ripped off in every direction by our shot and shell, the chain broken and indented in many places, and forced partly into the ship's side. She was most effectually guarded, however, in this section, from penetration." Now let us hear Capt. Winslow on this point: "The Alabama had been five days in preparation. She had taken in 350 tons of coal, which brought her down in the water. The Kearsarge had only 120 tons in; but, as an offset to this, her sheet-chains were stored outside, stopped up and down, as an additional preventive and protection to her more empty bunkers." the successful effect of their shot, Gowin waved his hand over his head and joined in the shout. When brought at length to the Surgeon, he appeared with a smile on his face, though suffering acutely from his injury. He said, "It is all right, and I am satisfied; for we are whipping the Alabama;" adding, "I willingly will lose my leg or life, if it is necessary" In the hospital, he was calmly resigned to his fate, repeating again and again his willingness to die, since his ship had won a glorious victory. His country owes a monument to William Gowin. THE OUTER DEFENSES OF MOBILE BAY. The London Daily News says: "The Kearsarge is spoken of as being iron-clad; she was no more iron-clad than the Alabama might have been, had they taken the precaution. She simply had a double row of chains hanging over her sides to protect her machinery. Two shots from the Alabama struck these chains, and fell harmlessly into the water." Of the crew of the Alabama, 65 were picked up by the Kearsarge as prisoners; while Capt. Semmes and his officers and men who were picked up and carried off by Lancaster, with a few picked up by a French vessel in attendance, were also claimed as rightful prisoners of war; but they denied the justice of the claim, and were not surrendered. 649 Mobile-the double entrance to whose The steady increase of our naval force, and our successful combined operations in Pamlico and Albemarle sounds; before Charleston, Savannah, and among the Sea Islands; up the mouths of the Mississippi; along the coasts of Florida; and at the mouth of the Rio Grande, had gradually closed up the harbors of the Confedcracy, until, by the Spring of 1864, their blockade-runners were substantially restricted to a choice of two ports-Wilmington, N. C., and Mobile-where the character of the approaches and the formidable forts that still forbade access by our blockaders to the entrance of their respective harbors, still enabled skillfullypiloted steamers, carefully built in British yards expressly for this service, to steal in and out on moonless, clouded, or foggy nights; not without risk and occasional loss, but with The fleet which Rear-Admiral reasonable impunity. To close these Farragut led" to force its way into the eyes of the Rebellion was now the bay of Mobile was composed of 4 care of the Navy Department; and iron-clads and 14 wooden ships-ofit was resolved to commence with war or gunboats, as follows: 16 Aug. 5, 1864. |