it won't do to fight at long range; and Capt. Semmes
determines to close in on his more powerful antagonist, and even try
to carry her by boarding, as in the glorious days of Paul Jones. But
the wary Winslow of the "Kearsarge" will have none of that; and he
keeps his ship at a good distance, all the time pouring great shot
into the sides of the "Alabama." Now the two vessels begin circling
around each other in mighty circles, each trying to get in a raking
position. The men on the "Alabama" began to find that their gunpowder
was bad and caky; while at the same moment one of the officers saw two
big solid shot strike the "Kearsarge" amidships, and fall back into
the water, revealing the heretofore unsuspected armor. This was
discouraging. Then came a big shot that knocked over the pivot-gun,
and killed half its crew. One sailor saw a shot come in a port, glide
along the gun, and strike the man at the breach full in the breast,
killing him instantly.

The "Kearsarge," too, was receiving some pretty heavy blows, but her
iron armor protected her vulnerable parts. One shell lodged in her
sternpost, but failed to explode. Had it burst, the "Kearsarge's"
fighting would have been over.

After an hour the officers of the "Alabama" began coming to Capt.
Semmes with grave faces, and reporting serious accidents. At last the
first lieutenant reported the ship sinking, and the order was given to
strike the flag. She was sinking rapidly, and the time had come for
every man to save himself. The "Kearsarge" was shamefully slow in
getting out her boats; and finally when the "Alabama," throwing her
bow high in the air, went down with a rush, she carried most of her
wounded with her, and left the living struggling in the water. Capt.
Semmes was picked up by a boat from the yacht "Deerhound," and was
carried in that craft to England away from capture. For so escaping,
he has been harshly criticised by many people; but there seems to be
no valid reason why he should refuse the opportunity so offered him.
Certain it is, that, had he not reached the "Deerhound," he would have
been drowned; for none of the boats of the "Kearsarge" were near him
when he was struggling in the water.

So ended the career of the "Alabama." Her life had been a short one,
and her career not the most glorious imaginable; but she had fulfilled
the purpose for which she was intended. She had captured sixty-four
merchant-vessels, kept a large number of men-of-war bus