_"Man overboard!"--Blowing hard--Three Years--Wearing out--The Cape
again--Seizure of the Tuscaloosa--Towards Europe--War News--What the
Alabama effected--Case of the Rockingham--The last capture--The
Tycoon--Nineteen overhauled--In the Channel--At Cherbourg._
From the middle to the 28th February there was but little excitement on
board the Alabama. On that day the usual routine of life on a man-of-war
was broken by the cry of "Man overboard." The vessel was at once hove
to, but before a boat could be lowered a gallant fellow, Michael Mars,
leapt overboard, and swimming to the rescue of his shipmate, fortunately
succeeded in saving the man's life.
On the third of March they saw the first Cape Pigeon and Albatross, and
on the 4th Captain Semmes writes as follows:--
The gale still continues, though moderating very fast; sea not so
turbulent, though the surf is thundering into it now and then, and
keeping the decks flooded. 'Tis three years to-day since I parted with
my family in Washington, on the day in which Washington's great republic
was humiliated by the inauguration as President of a vulgar democratic
politician, in whom even the great events in which, by a singular
destiny, he has been called to take a part, have not been able to sink
the mountebank. These three years of anxiety, vigilance, exposure, and
excitement, have made me an old man, and sapped my health, rendering
repose necessary, if I would prolong my life. My ship is wearing out,
too, as well as her commander, and will need a general overhauling by
the time I can get her into dock. If my poor services be deemed of any
importance in harassing and weakening the enemy, and thus contributing
to the independence of my beloved South, I shall be amply rewarded.
* * * * *
The Alabama still kept on through gales, with creaking cordage and
jerking tiller ropes, until on the 11th of March the Cape was sighted,
off which they were knocked about until the 20th instant; lying in the
track of vessels bounding before the gale at the rate of ten or twelve
knots an hour, and only able to see them when within a mile of the ship.
Arrived in Table Bay, Captain Semmes received intelligence of the
seizure of the Tuscaloosa, upon which he at once wrote a despatch to
Admiral Walker.[15]
[Footnote 15: For papers relating to the seizure of this vessel, see
Appendix.] The Cape was left on the 25th of March, the vessel's head
being laid towards Europe, and on the 29th the following entry is found
in the journal:--
"I have at length had a little leisure to read the late papers received
at the Cape. The Yankee Government and people, and with them a great
portion of the English press and people, seem to have jumped suddenly to
the conclusion that we are beaten, and that the war must soon end by our
submission! Mr. Lincoln has even gone so far as to prescribe the terms
on which our States may re-enter the rotten "concern"--to wit, by a
reorganization of the States government by one-tenth of the people.
Verily, the delusion of these men in the matter of this war is
unaccountable. No power on earth can subjugate the Southern States,
although some of them have been guilty of the pusillanimity of making
war with the Yankees against their sisters. History will brand them as
traitors and cowards. As for the tone of the English press, I am not
surprised at it. England is too rich to be generous. Our war for her is
a sort of prize-fight, and she is looking on in about the same spirit
with which her people lately viewed the prize fight between King and
Heenan. Hurrah one; well done the other."
* * * * *
From March 29th to April 22d there were no events calling for special
attention, save that on the sixteenth the intelligence was learned from
the master of a French ship that there were no American vessels at the
Chincha Islands, though in July, 1863, there were between seventy and
eighty American sail there. This speaks volumes of the terror the
Alabama had excited.
The night of the 22d of April was employed in giving chase to a strange
sail, which was overhauled at daybreak on the following morning; and the
United States flag having been responded to by a display of the same
colours, the Alabama boarded and took possession of the guano-laden
ship, Rockingham, which was employed as a target, and then set fire to.
The cargo being claimed as the property of neutrals, Captain Semmes
examined the ship's papers and entered the following in his journal:--
CASE OF THE ROCKINGHAM.
"Ship under United States colours and register. Is from Callao, bound to
Cork for orders, and loaded with guano. This guano purports to be
shipped by the Guano Consignment Company to Great Britain. One Joseph A.
Danino, who signs for Danino and Moscosa, certifies that the guano
belongs to the Peruvian Government; and Her Britannic Majesty's Acting
Consul at Lima certifies that the said Joseph A. Danino appeared before
him and 'voluntarily declared' 'that the foregoing signature is of his
own handwriting, and also that the cargo above mentioned is truly and
verily the property of the Peruvian Government.'
"As this is the only certificate of the neutrality of the cargo among
the papers, and as nobody swears to anything in this certificate, there
is no testimony at all. The ship being enemy's property, and the cargo
being presumed to be enemy's property also, from being found on board
the ship, it was incumbent on the neutral parties, if there are any such
in the case, to have documented their property by sworn certificates;
and this rule of law is so well known, that the absence of an oath would
seem to be conclusive as to the fraudulent attempt to cover. Ship and
cargo condemned."
* * * * *
This capture was followed by that of the Tycoon, on the 27th of the same
month; and as no claim of neutrality of cargo was made, the ship was
burned. This, as it afterwards turned out, was the last of the Alabama's
prizes. Nineteen other vessels were overhauled before she reached
Cherbourg, but not one of them sailed under the Stars and Stripes. When
it is remembered that no less than sixty-five American ships had been
taken by the gallant cruiser, it is not much to be wondered at that the
Yankee flag was a _rara avis_ on the high seas.
From the 25th of May to the 10th of June the Alabama was making her way
north, and on the last-named date she was abreast of the Lizard, and was
boarded by a Channel pilot. "I felt," writes Captain Semmes, "great
relief to have him on board, as I was quite knocked up with cold and
fever, and was too ill-qualified physically for exposure to the weather
and watching through the night. And thus, thanks to an all-wise
Providence, we have brought the cruise of the Alabama to a successful
termination."
Little could Captain Semmes have imagined, when he penned these lines,
that the cruising days of his vessel were so soon to end. The vessel
entered Cherbourg on the morning of the 11th. Two days after news was
received that the Kearsarge would shortly arrive there, intelligence
which was confirmed next day by the appearance of that vessel.