nsign
was quickly hoisted at the mizzen. Captain Winslow instructed his
gunners to make every shot count. This was wise, for its effects became
speedily apparent. The _Kearsarge_ fired 173 shots, nearly all of which
landed, while of the 370 of the _Alabama_, only 28 hit the _Kearsarge_.
One of these, a 68-pounder shell, exploded on the quarter-deck, wounding
three men, one mortally. Another shell, bursting in the hammock
nettings, started a fire, which was speedily extinguished. A third
buried itself in the sternpost, but fortunately did not explode. The
damage done by the remaining shots was trifling.

One of the _Kearsarge's_ 11-inch shells entered the port of the
_Alabama's_ 8-inch gun, tore off a part of the piece, and killed several
of the crew. A second shell entered the same port, killed one man and
wounded several, and soon a third similar shot penetrated the same
opening. Before the action closed, it was necessary to re-form the crew
of the after pivot gun four times. These terrific missiles were aimed
slightly below the water-line of the _Alabama_, with a view of sinking
her.

About an hour had passed and seven complete revolutions had been
described by the ships, and the eighth had just begun, when it became
apparent that the _Alabama_ was sinking. She headed for neutral waters,
now only two miles distant, but a few well-planted shots stopped her,
and she displayed the white flag. Her race was run, and Captain Winslow
immediately ceased firing and lowered his only two serviceable boats,
which were hurried to the aid of the drowning men. A few minutes later
the bow of the _Alabama_ rose high in air, and then the noted cruiser
plunged downward, stern foremost, and disappeared forever in the bottom
of the ocean.

Cruising in the neighborhood of the fight was the English yacht
_Deerhound_, which now joined in rescuing the crew of the _Alabama_ at
the request of Captain Winslow. She was in duty bound to deliver the men
she saved to Winslow as prisoners of war, but, instead of doing so, she
watched her chance, and, under full steam, made for Southampton,
carrying forty-two, among whom were Captain Semmes and fourteen
officers. Semmes had flung his sword into the sea and leaped overboard
as the _Alabama_ was going down. His vessel had nine killed, ten
drowned, and twenty-one wounded, while on the _Kearsarge_ of the three
wounded only one died. A demand was made upon the English government for
the surrender of th