_Sunday, 24th August--Fairly afloat--Taking command--The white
ensign--Mission of the Alabama--The Modern Tar--At the pumps--Blowing
hard--A fruitless chase--Short-handed--The Ocmulgee_.
Sunday seemed destined from the very first to be a notable day in the
annals of the new Confederate cruiser.
The morning of Sunday, the 24th August, found her afloat ready for sea;
the delicate operation of transhipping stores in an open roadstead
safely accomplished, a supply of coal on board sufficient for some weeks
of average steaming, and six of her guns mounted and ready to cast loose
for action at a moment's notice. The early hours of the morning were
occupied in washing down the decks which were covered thickly with coal,
and making matters above board as shipshape as under the circumstances
could be managed. By noon this was finished, and all was ready for sea.
A brief space was then devoted to the no less necessary operation of
dining, and at noon steam was got up, the anchor weighed, and "No. 290"
stood out to sea, the Bahama still keeping her company.
For about four or five miles the two vessels kept silently upon their
course, until well beyond all possibility of dispute as to the too
well-remembered maritime league of neutrality. Then as four bells
sounded from the forecastle the crew were summoned aft, all heads were
bared, and stepping in full uniform on to the quarter-deck, Captain
Semmes proceeded in a voice clear and firm, but not altogether free from
emotion, to read aloud to the assembled ships his commission from the
President as Commander of the Confederate States Steam Sloop, ALABAMA.
As he proceeded, the English flag which had been carried by the vessel
during her days of incognito, was slowly lowered to the deck, and three
little black balls might be seen wriggling their way swiftly but
cautiously to the mastheads and mizen peak of the Alabama. Boom! goes
the starboard forecastle gun as the reading is ended. The three black
balls are "broken out," the long pendant uncurls itself at the main, the
red cross of St. George flutters at the fore, and the pure white ensign
of the Confederacy, with its starry blue cross upon the red ground of
the corner, floats gracefully from the peak, as the little band breaks
into the dashing strains of "Dixie," and three ringing cheers peal out
over the sparkling sea.
So far all had gone well and hopefully, and the enthusiasm of the moment
had brought a flush to the cheek and a dimness to the eye of many a
weather-beaten tar among the little crew. But enthusiasm is fleeting in
these practical days, and the sound of the last cheer had scarcely died
away upon the summer breeze ere the scene changed, and the true
nineteenth century spirit resumed its sway. The ceremony of hoisting the
flag and taking command completed, Captain Semmes called all hands aft
upon the quarter-deck, and addressed them as he had previously
addressed the crew of the Bahama, inviting them to ship with him in the
Alabama for the cruise.
The address is described by those who listened to it as most spirited
and effective. It frankly avowed that the principal object of the
Alabama was to cripple the commerce of the enemy. But this would not be
her only aim. Prudence was essential, and he was not to fight a
fifty-gun ship, but when the opportunity offered of engaging on anything
like equal terms, the Alabama would be prompt enough to accept the
combat. "Let me once see you," he said, in conclusion, "proficient in
the use of your weapons, and trust me for very soon giving you an
opportunity to show the world of what metal you are made."
The address was greeted with an unanimous burst of cheers, and then came
the anxious moment. "It may be supposed," writes Captain Semmes, in
recording the events of that memorable day, "that I was very nervous
about the success of this operation, as the management of the ship at
sea absolutely depended upon it." And of this fact the men were at least
as fully aware as himself. Nor had they any scruples as to availing
themselves most fully of the advantages of their situation. "The modern
sailor," continues Captain Semmes, "has greatly changed in character. He
now stickles for pay like a sharper, and seems to have lost his
recklessness and love of adventure." However this latter proposition may
be, the truth of the former was most amply proved on the day in
question. Jack niggled and haggled, and insisted pertinaciously on the
terms he felt his would-be Captain's necessity enabled him to command;
and in the end Captain Semmes was fain to consent to the exorbitant
rates of £4 10s. a month for seamen, £5 and £6 for petty officers, and
£7 for firemen! "I was glad," he writes, "to get them even upon these
terms, as I was afraid a large bounty in addition would be demanded of
me."
Very curious was the contrast afforded by this scene with the enthusiasm
that had preceded, and the gallant, dashing, reckless career that
followed it. These men who thus stood out for the last sixpence they
could hope to wring from their employer's necessity, were the same who
subsequently dashed blindfold into the action with the Hatteras, and
later yet, steamed quietly out of a safe harbour with a disabled ship,
to meet an enemy in perfect trim and of superior force, and as their
shattered vessel sank beneath their feet, crowded round the very captain
with whom the hard bargain had been driven, imploring him not to yield.
Finally, the bargaining resulted in the shipping of a crew, all told, of
eighty men; a larger number, perhaps, than Captain Semmes had himself
anticipated, but still not so many by at least twenty-five as were
required for properly manning and fighting the vessel. With these,
however, the Captain was fain to be content, trusting to volunteers from
future prizes to complete his complement. A hard evening's work followed
in preparing allotments of pay to be sent home to the sailors' wives,
and also in paying their advance wages, and sending small drafts for
them to agents in Liverpool. It was not till 11 P.M. that this task was
completed, and then Captains Bullock and Butcher took a final farewell
of the ship, and returned on board the Bahama, which with the remainder
of the two crews steamed away for Liverpool, and the Confederate cruiser
was left alone upon the wide ocean, and had fairly started on her
adventurous career.
No sooner had the two steamers parted company than sail was made on
board the Alabama. The fires were let down, fore and main topsails were
set, the ship's head turned to the N.E., and by midnight Captain Semmes
was able to leave the deck, and thoroughly worn out with the day's
excitement and exertions, turn in to an uneasy berth in search of a few
hours' repose.
Of this, however, there was not much to be obtained. The Alabama was no
sooner under way than the wind began to freshen, and soon increased to a
moderate gale. This was accompanied by one of those ugly seaways so
common in the North Atlantic, and the vessel rolled and tumbled in a
manner sufficiently trying, without the addition of the manifold
discomforts inseparably attendant on a first start. These, too, were, as
may well be supposed, not a little aggravated by the hurried manner in
which the transhipment of stores from the Agrippina and Bahama had
perforce been conducted. Everything, in fact, was in the wildest
confusion. The ship herself was dirty and unsettled, and her decks below
lumbered in all directions with all manner of incongruous articles. No
one was berthed or messed, nothing arranged or secured. Spare
shot-boxes, sea-chests, and heavy articles of baggage or cabin furniture
were fetching away to the destruction of crockery and other brittle
ware, and the no small danger of limbs. While to crown all, the upper
works of the vessel which had been caulked in the damp atmosphere of an
English winter, had opened out under the hot sun of the Azores through
every seam, and the eternal clank, clank of the pumps, which it was
fondly hoped had been heard for the last time when the poor, worn-out
little Sumter had been laid up, played throughout the long night a
dismal accompaniment to the creaking of the labouring vessel, and the
wild howling of an Atlantic gale.
So passed the Alabama's first night at sea. The next day the gale still
continued, and hindered not a little the energetic exertions of the
First Lieutenant, who, whilst Captain Semmes endeavoured, by snatching a
few hours' sleep, to quiet his worn-out nerves, took his turn in the
endeavour to bring something of order out of the apparently hopeless
chaos, and gradually reduce the vessel to the trim and orderly condition
proper to a well-commanded man-of-war. On the Tuesday the gale abated,
though there were still the remains of a heavy sea. Topsails and
gallantsails were set, and the propeller, which had hitherto been merely
disconnected, and left to revolve, was hoisted up out of the water.
Several days now passed in setting matters to rights, passing spare shot
below, laying the racers for the pivot guns; overhauling and stowing the
magazines; securing furniture, baggage, and other loose articles that
had hitherto pretty well "taken charge" of the deck below; and otherwise
making things somewhat snug and shipshape, and preparing the vessel for
self-defence in case of need.
By Friday, August 29th, these preparations were nearly completed, and in
the early morning of that day the cry of "Sail, ho!" was heard for the
first time from the look-out at the fore-topgallant crosstrees of the
Alabama. The ship was at once kept away towards her, and after a long
chase, approached at near nightfall to within five or six miles of the
strange sail. The vessel proved to be a brig, and on nearing her Spanish
colours were shown by the Alabama. The brig made no response, and the
cruiser proceeded to fire a blank cartridge, as an intimation of her
character. Still the stranger kept doggedly upon her way, without
response, and it became a question whether ulterior measures should be
taken. After careful examination, however, of all those various
indications by which a sailor can judge of the nationality of a vessel,
almost as effectively as from a sight of her colours, it was decided
that she was, at all events, not an American; and Captain Semmes,
being-anxious to haul by the wind, and make his way with all speed to
the westward, the chase was abandoned, and the Alabama proceeded again
upon her course.
The next day, Saturday, August 30th, saw the preparations for the
battery complete, and the pivot guns finally mounted, and ready for
action. The men were now allotted to the various stations, and mustered
at quarters, when it was found, that by telling off half a dozen of the
junior officers to complete the crew of the rifled gun, there were just
hands enough to fight the ship. This was satisfactory; and altogether
the five hard days' work since quitting Terceira had resulted in
something more like success in the way of order, comfort, and
efficiency, than it had at first sight appeared possible to anticipate.
Sunday, August 31st, was a welcome day of rest to all on board; the only
break being a brief run off after a brig to leeward, which on being
challenged with French colours, proved to be a Portuguese. During the
day the Alabama made good running to the westward, under topsails, with
a fresh breeze well on her starboard quarter; and at midnight made all
snug, and brought by the wind on the port tack. The next day was passed
for the most part in quietly lying to under topsails, with her head to
the southward and eastward, whilst the crew were employed in finishing
the fittings of the battery, and scraping the deck and bulwarks clear of
some of the accumulated dirt, till 3 P.M., when she filled away again,
and started upon a N.W. course.
By Tuesday, Sept. 5th, the Alabama had run into the thirty-eighth
parallel, and the temperature was sensibly altering. Up to this period
no prize had been captured, the few vessels overhauled having all been
under a neutral flag. On this day, however, whilst in chase of a brig,
whose extraordinary swiftness enabled her fairly to show the Alabama a
clean pair of heels, a vessel was descried in the offing, and the
Confederate bore up and made towards her. On approaching she was found
to be lying-to, with her foretopsail laid to the mast, and on a somewhat
nearer inspection, proved evidently to be a whaler.
English colours were hoisted on board the Alabama, and a cheer was with
difficulty suppressed as the Stars and Stripes rose in answer to the
stranger's deck. Arrived within boarding distance, a boat was at once
sent on board the prize, the Alabama's red ensign giving place to the
Confederate flag as the boarding officer gained her deck. She proved to
be the Ocmulgee, of Edgartown, her captain, by name Abraham Osborn,
being a thorough specimen of the genuine Yankee. She was, of course,
taken possession of, her crew brought on board the Alabama and placed in
irons, and a quantity of rigging, of which the latter was much in need,
together with some beef, pork, and other small stores, transferred to
the captor. A light was then hoisted at her peak; her helm lashed hard
a-lee; the prize crew re-transferred to their own ship, and the Ocmulgee
left to her own devices, the Alabama lying by her during the night.
The next morning another sail hove in sight, so the prize was fired, and
the Alabama again started off in chase, having taken from the prize
thirty-six prisoners besides the stores, rigging, &c., before alluded
to. The new chase proved to be a Frenchman, bound to Marseilles; and
this fact having been ascertained, the Alabama was kept away N. 1/2 W.,
and in two hours afterwards was in sight of the island of Flores.