_Another mission--General Banks' expedition--To Galveston--Sunday
the 11th of January--A small mistake--Preparing for action
--The Hatteras--A fight in the dark--Sharp and decisive--Surrender
--Rescue of the crew--Sunk!--Casualties--Out of the hornet's nest._
Contrary to her usual aspirations, the principal wish of the Alabama,
as she started on this fresh cruise, was to reach her destination
without having seen a single vessel. She was now in fact on
a service of a kind altogether different from that which had yet
occupied her. In his address to the crew, upon taking command
off Terceira, Captain Semmes had promised that the first moment
they were in a condition of training and discipline, to enable them
to encounter the enemy, they should have an opportunity of doing
so. That time had come, and laying aside for a short period her
more especial _rôle_ of annihilating as rapidly as possible the enemy's
commerce, the Alabama set steadily out in search of a fight.
The grand expedition of General Banks, which had been the
subject of so much speculation in the United States, and of which
their newspapers had long before duly informed the Confederate
cruiser, seemed to offer the most favourable opportunity possible
for such an enterprise. The expedition would, of course, be accompanied
by one or more armed vessels, but the principal portion
of it would be composed of troop-ships, crowded with the enemy's
soldiers; and should the Alabama but prove victorious in
the fight, these transports would be a prize of more practical importance
than all the grain and all the oil ever carried in a merchantman's
hold.
It was a daring adventure certainly. To steer, with a solitary
light-armed sloop, close upon a coast, blockaded from north to
south, by hundreds of armed vessels, in deliberate quest of a
squadron, not improbably four or five times stronger than herself,
was an act of almost reckless hardihood, fully in keeping with the
rest of the Alabama's career. The event indeed proved the full
danger of the adventure; whilst, at the same time, nothing could
have more clearly showed how utterly groundless were the dastardly
imputations upon the courage and prowess of her crew, poured out daily
from the foul-mouthed organs of the Northern press. There could be no
question of the fighting qualities, or disposition, of the Confederate
cruiser, after such a test as this.
For five days the Alabama kept steadily on her course for Galveston,
where she expected to find the fleet of which she was in
search. At length, on Sunday, the 11th January--her "lucky
day"--the moment so anxiously looked for came.
* * * * *
Our position at noon--writes Captain Semmes--put us just
within thirty miles of Galveston, and I stood on, intending either
just to sight the shipping at a great distance, without being seen
myself, or else to anchor just out of sight until the moon should
rise the following night, which would be about half-past eleven,
and then run in, and attack, as I hoped, "Banks' expedition."
Owing, however, to a little carelessness in the look-out at "masthead,"
we were permitted to approach the ships anchored off the
bar in such plain sight, before they were announced, that we were
discovered, although we tacked immediately and stood off, in the
hopes of eluding the vigilance of the enemy.
There were three ships found lying off the bar--one heavily-sparred
ship, which our look-out took for a sail frigate, but which
afterwards proved to be the Brooklyn steamer, our old friend that
chased us in the Sumter, and two steamers supposed to be propellers.
Very soon one of the steamers was seen to be getting up
steam, and in about an hour and a half afterwards she was reported
to be under weigh, standing out for us.
I lowered the propeller, and directed steam to be got in readiness,
and awaited the approach of the stranger, who overhauled us
very slowly, and seemed to reconnoitre us, as he came along, with
great caution.
All this time we were standing on under topsails away from the
bar, and the stranger was approaching us stern on. I gave my
ship a little motion with the engine occasionally, both to draw the
enemy--for I, of course, supposed him to be such--away from his
consorts, so that in case of a conflict the latter might not hear our
guns, and to prolong the time until dark to enable me to take in
my topsails, and close with him in so short a time that the movement
should not be noticed by him until too late to escape, which
I feared he might attempt, if he saw me turn upon him with the
intention of pursuing him.
Accordingly, soon after dark--the enemy in the meantime
having approached us so near as not to endanger our losing sight
of him--I clewed up, and furled the topsails, beat to quarters, and
doubled suddenly upon the stranger. He came in quite boldly,
and when within hailing distance of us, hailed us, and inquired--
"What ship is that?"
"Her Majesty's ship Petrel. What ship's that?"
To this inquiry there was no reply, and although we repeated
it several times there was no rejoinder.
During the colloquy, I endeavoured to place myself in a raking
position astern of him, which he as carefully avoided by keeping
his broadside to me. From this manoeuvre I knew him pretty
certainly to be an enemy, and having approached to within about
two hundred yards, I directed my First Lieutenant to repeat the
question. "What ship's that?" was accordingly again shouted,
and this time there was a reply.
We distinctly heard that he was an United States something or
other, but the name we could not make out. I then directed the
First Lieutenant to tell him that this was the Confederate States
steamer Alabama, and to open fire on him immediately, which we
did from our starboard battery. He returned our fire in a minute
or two, and the action was thus commenced.
We continued to run side by side at a distance ranging from
two to five hundred yards, both of us keeping up a rapid fire of
both artillery and rifles, when, after the lapse of thirteen minutes,
the enemy fired two guns from his off, or starboard side, and
showed a light above his deck in token of his being whipped.
At once we ceased firing, and approaching him still nearer,
asked him if he surrendered and needed assistance. To both of
these questions he replied in the affirmative, and we immediately
despatched our quarter boats to him; these, with his own four
boats, were busily employed in transporting the crew on board,
which had only been accomplished when the ship went down.[11]
[Footnote 11: United States Consulate, Kingston,
Jamaica, Jan., 21, 1868.
SIR,--It is my painful duty to inform the Department of the destruction
of the United States steamer Hatteras, recently under my command, by
the rebel steamer Alabama, on the night of the 11th instant, off the coast
of Texas. The circumstances of the disaster are as follows:--
Upon the afternoon of the 11th inst., at 2.30 P.M., while at anchor in
company with the fleet under Commodore Bell, off Galveston, Texas, I
was ordered by signal from the United States flag-ship Brooklyn to chase
a sail to the southward and eastward. I got under weigh immediately,
and steamed with all speed in the direction indicated. After some time,
the strange sail could be seen from the Hatteras, and was ascertained to
be a steamer, which fact I communicated to the flag-ship by signal. I
continued the chase, and rapidly gained upon the suspicious vessel.
Knowing the slow rate of speed of the Hatteras, I at once suspected that
deception was being practised, and hence ordered the ship to be cleared
for action, with everything in readiness for a determined attack and a
vigorous defence.
When within about four miles of the vessel, I observed that she had
ceased to steam, and was lying broadside and awaiting us. It was nearly
seven o'clock, and quite dark; but notwithstanding the obscurity of the
night, I felt assured, from the general character of the vessel and her
manoeuvres, that I should soon encounter the rebel steamer Alabama.
Being able to work but four guns on the side of the Hatteras--two short
32 pounders, one 30 pounder rifled Parrot gun, and one 20 pounder rifled
gun,--I concluded to close with her that my guns might be effective, if
necessary.
I came within easy speaking range--about seventy-five yards--and
upon asking "What steamer is that?" received the answer, "Her Britannic
Majesty's ship Petrel." I replied that I would send a boat aboard,
and immediately gave the order. In the meantime the vessels were
changing positions, the stranger endeavouring to gain a desirable position
for a raking fire. Almost simultaneously with the piping away of the
boat the strange craft again replied, "We are the Confederate steamer
Alabama," which was accompanied with a broadside. I at the same
moment returned the fire. Being well aware of the many vulnerable
points of the Hatteras, I hoped, by closing with the Alabama, to be able
to board her, and thus rid the seas of the piratical craft. I steamed
directly for the Alabama, but she was enabled by her great speed and the
foulness of the bottom of the Hatteras, and consequently her diminished
speed, to thwart my attempt when I had gained a distance of but thirty
yards from her. At this range musket and pistol shots were exchanged.
The firing continued with great vigour on both sides. At length a shell
entered amidships in the hold, setting fire to it, and at the same instant
--as I can hardly divide the time--a shell passed through the sick bay,
exploding in an adjoining compartment, also producing fire. Another
entered the cylinder, filling the engine-room and deck with steam, and
depriving me of my power to manoeuvre the vessel, or to work the pumps,
upon which the reduction of the fire depended.
With the vessel on fire in two places, and beyond human power, a
hopeless wreck upon the waters, with her walking-beam shot away, and
her engine rendered useless, I still maintained an active five, with the
double hope of disabling the Alabama and attracting the attention of the
fleet off Galveston, which was only twenty-eight miles distant.
It was soon reported to me that the shells had entered the Hatteras at
the water-line, tearing off entire sheets of iron, and that the water was
rushing in, utterly defying every attempt to remedy the evil, and that
she was rapidly sinking. Learning the melancholy truth, and observing
that the Alabama was on my port bow, entirely beyond the range of my
guns, doubtless preparing for a raking fire of the deck, I felt I had no
light to sacrifice uselessly, and without any desirable result, the lives
of all under my command.
To prevent the blowing up of the Hatteras from the fire, which was
making much progress, I ordered the magazine to be flooded, and afterwards
a lee gun was fired. The Alabama then asked if assistance was desired,
to which an affirmative answer was given.
The Hatteras was then going down, and in order to save the lives of my
officers and men, I caused the armament on the port side to be thrown
overboard. Had I not done so, I am confident the vessel would have
gone down with many brave hearts and valuable lives. After considerable
delay, caused by the report that a steamer was seen coming from
Galveston, the Alabama sent us assistance; and I have the pleasure of
informing the Department that every living being was conveyed safely
from the Hatteras to the Alabama.
Two minutes after leaving the Hatteras, she went down, bow first,
with her pennant at the masthead, with all her muskets and stores of
every description, the enemy not being able, owing to her rapid sinking,
to obtain a single weapon.
The battery upon the Alabama brought into action against the Hatteras
numbered nine guns, consisting of six long 32 pounders, one
100 pounder, one 68 pounder, and one 24 pounder rifled gun. The great
superiority of the Alabama, with her powerful battery, and her machinery
under the water-line, must be at once recognized by the Department, who
are familiar with the construction of the Hatteras, and her total unfitness
for a conflict with a regular built vessel of war.
The distance between the Hatteras and the Alabama during the action
varied from twenty-five to one hundred yards. Nearly fifty shots were
fired from the Hatteras, and I presume a greater number from the Alabama.
I desire to refer to the efficient and active manner in which
Acting-master Porter, executive officer, performed his duty. The conduct
of the Assistant-surgeon, Edward S. Matthews, both during the action
and afterwards, in attending to the wounded, demands my unqualified
commendation. I would also bring to the favourable notice of the Department
Acting-master's mate McGrath, temporarily performing duty as gunner.
Owing to the darkness of the night and the peculiar construction of the
Hatteras, I am only able to refer to the conduct of those officers who came
under my especial attention; but from the character of the contest, and
the amount of damage done to the Alabama, I have personally no reason
to believe that any officer failed in his duty.
To the men of the Hatteras I cannot give too much praise. Their
enthusiasm and bravery were of the highest order.
I enclose the report of Assistant-surgeon E.S. Matthews, by which you
will observe that five men were wounded and two killed. The missing, it
is hoped, reached the fleet at Galveston.
I shall communicate to the Department, in a separate report, the movements
of myself and my command from the time of our transfer to the
Alabama until the departure of the earliest mail from this place to the
United States.
I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
H.C. BLAKE,
Lieutenant Commanding.
Hon. Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy, Washington.
For a further account of this action from the journal of one of the
junior officers, see Appendix.]
The prize proved to be the United States gunboat Hatteras,
Lieut.-Commanding H.C. Blake, which officer came on board after his crew
had been transported, and delivered up his sword. I said to him:--
"I am glad to see you on board the Alabama, and we will endeavour to
make your time as comfortable as possible."
The Hatteras had the following armament, viz.:--32 pounders of 27 cwt.,
4; 30 pounders, rifled, 2; 20 pounders, rifled, 1; 12 pounders,
howitzer, 1: total, 8.
The armament of the Alabama was:--32 pounders of 52 cwt., 6; 100
pounders, rifled, 1; 24 pounders, rifled, 1; 8-inch shell gun, 1: total,
9.
A great disparity in weight of metal in our power; but we equalized this
to a considerable extent by the fair fight which we showed the enemy in
approaching him so very close as to render his small guns almost as
efficient as larger ones.
The tonnage of the Hatteras was eleven hundred tons; material, iron,
with watertight compartments; age, eighteen months. Her crew numbered a
hundred and eight men, and eighteen officers; our own numbering a
hundred and eleven men, and twenty-six officers.
The casualties on both sides were slight. On board the enemy two were
missing (firemen), supposed to have been killed in the fire-room, and
three wounded, one of them severely, and two slightly. On board
ourselves, only two slightly wounded.
After the action had been over an hour or more, and whilst I was
steaming off on my course, it was reported to me that a boat of the
enemy, containing an acting master and five men, which had been lowered
before we opened fire upon him, to board "Her Majesty's steamer Petrel,"
had escaped. As the sea was smooth and the wind blowing gently towards
the shore, distant only about nineteen miles, this boat probably reached
the shore in safety in five or six hours. The night was clear and
starlit, and it would have no difficulty in shaping its course. But for
these circumstances, I should have turned back to look for it, hopeless
as this task must have proved in the dark. The weather continued
moderate all night, and the wind to blow on shore.
It was ascertained that Galveston had been retaken by us, and that the
Brooklyn and four of the enemy's steam-sloops were off the port,
awaiting a reinforcement of three other ships from New Orleans to
cannonade the place. So there was no "Banks' expedition," with its
transports, heavily laden with troops, &c., to be attacked, and but for
the bad look-out of our man at the masthead, we should have got instead
into a hornet's nest.