The USS Kearsarge Versus the CSS Alabama

This series has four easy 5 minute installments. This first installment: Beginning The Union Captain’s Report.

Introduction
After the memorable victory of the Monitor over the Merrimac in 1862, there was no naval duel of like importance in the American Civil War until the Confederate steam-sloop Alabama met the United States corvette Kearsarge. The Alabama was built and equipped for the Confederate Government, at Birkenhead, England, under the name (or number) of the 290, May 15, 1862. She was commanded by Captain Raphael Semmes, of the Confederate Navy, and carried an English crew. From the time that Semmes assumed command of her (August, 1862) to the day of her fatal encounter with the Kearsarge, the Alabama inflicted great damage upon United States commerce. In various waters she captured or sank sixty-five merchant-vessels, and before her career was ended United States shipowners saw nearly all their craft driven from the ocean or transferred to the protection of foreign flags.

Then the Alabama, cruising homeward from India, arrived at Cherbourg, where she put in for repairs. Lying off the harbor was the Kearsarge. This vessel was launched at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in 1861. Her commander was Captain ]ohn Ancrum Winslow, who was born in Wilmington, North Carolina, November 19, 1811, and entered the navy in 1827. Semmes might have avoided a fight with the Kearsarge but he was desirous to increase the prestige of the Confederacy and to secure recognition of its independence by European powers.

The story of this famous battle is told by the rival commanders, upon whose reports historians have drawn for their narratives. With these opposing records before him, the reader may view the battle from both sides.

The selections are from:

• The Official Report of John Ancrum Winslow.
• The Official Report of Raphael Semmes.

For works benefiting from the latest research see the “More information” section at the bottom of these pages.

There’s 1.5 installments by John Ancrum Winslow and 2.5 installments by Raphael Semmes.

We begin with John Ancrum Winslow (1811-1873). He was the captain of the USS Kearsarge.

Time: June 19, 1864
Place: English Channel off Cherborg, France

On the morning of June 19, 1864, the day being fine, with a hazy atmosphere, wind moderate from the westward, at ten o’clock was near the buoy which marks the line of shoals to the eastward of Cherbourg, and distant about three miles from the eastern entrance, which bore to the southward and westward. At twenty minutes after ten o’clock the Alabama was descried coming out of the western entrance, accompanied by the Couronne (ironclad). I had, in an interview with the Admiral at Cherbourg, assured him that in the event of an action occurring with the Alabama the position of the ships should be so far off shore that no question could be advanced about the line of jurisdiction. Accordingly, to perfect this object, and with the double purpose of drawing the Alabama so far off shore that, if disabled, she could not return, I directed the ship’s head sea-ward and cleared for action with the battery pivoted to starboard. Having attained a point about seven miles from the shore, the head of the Kearsarge was turned short round, and the ship steered directly for the Alabama; my purpose being to run her down, or, if circumstances did not warrant it, to close in with her. Hardly had the Kearsarge come round before the Alabama sheered, presented her starboard battery, and slowed her engines. On approaching her at long range of about a mile, she opened her full broadside, the shot cutting some of our rigging, and going over and alongside of us.

Immediately I ordered more speed, but in two minutes the Alabama had loaded and again fired another broadside, and followed it with a third, without damaging us except in rigging. We had now arrived within about nine hundred yards of her, and I was apprehensive that another broadside, nearly raking as it was, would prove disastrous. Accordingly, I ordered the Kearsarge sheered, and opened on the Alabama. The position of the vessels was now broadside and broadside, but it was soon apparent that Captain Semmes did not seek close action. I became then fearful lest, after some fighting, he would again make for the shore. To defeat this, I determined to keep full speed on, and, with a port helm, to run under the stern of the Alabama and rake, if he did not prevent it by sheering and keeping his broadside to us. He adopted this mode as a preventive, and, as a consequence, the Alabama was forced, with a full head of steam, into a circular track during the engagement.

The effect of this maneuver was such that at the last of the action, when the Alabama would have made off, she was near five miles from the shore; and had the action continued from the first, in parallel lines, with her head in-shore, the line of jurisdiction would no doubt have been reached.

The firing of the Alabama from the first was rapid and wild; toward the close of the action her firing became better. Our men, who had been cautioned against rapid firing without direct aim, were much more deliberate, and the instructions given to point the heavy guns below rather than above the water-line, and clear the deck with the lighter ones, were fully observed.

I had endeavored with a port helm to close in with the Alabama, but it was not until just before the close of the action that we were in position to use grape. This was avoided, however, by her surrender. The effect of the training of our men was evident, nearly every shot from our guns telling fearfully on the Alabama; and on the seventh rotation on the circular track, she winded, setting fore-trysail and two jibs, with head in-shore.

Her speed was now retarded, and, by winding, her port broad side was presented to us, with only two guns bearing, not having been able, as I learned afterward, to shift over but one. 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 whether it had been hauled down or shot away, but a white flag having been dis played over the stern, followed by two guns fired to leeward, our fire was reserved. Not more than two minutes had elapsed before she again opened on us with the two guns on the 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 received a shot, breaking near the head as she sank, and her bow rising high out of the water as her stern rapidly settled.

Our two boats not disabled were at once lowered, and, as it was apparent the Alabama was settling, this officer was permitted to leave in his boat to afford assistance. An English yacht, the Deerhound, had approached near the Kearsarge at this time, when I hailed and begged the commander to run down to the Alabama, as she was fast sinking, and we had but two boats, and assist in picking up the men. He consented to do so, and steamed toward the Alabama, but the latter sank almost immediately. The Deerhound, however, sent her boats and was actively engaged, aided by several others which had come from shore. These boats were busy in bringing the wounded and others to the Kearsarge, whom we were trying to make as comfortable as possible, when it was reported to me that the Deerhound was moving off. I could not believe that the commander of that vessel could be guilty of so disgraceful an act as taking our prisoners off, and therefore took no means to prevent it, but continued to keep our boats at work rescuing the men in the water. I am sorry to say that I was mistaken. The Deerhound made off with Captain Semmes and others, and also the very officer who had come on board to surrender.

Raphael Semmes begins here.

More information here and here and below.

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