THE HISTORY OF THE ALABAMA.

BY ROSSITER JOHNSON.

HILE the Army of the Potomac was putting itself in fighting trim after its change of base, a decisive battle of the war took place 4,000 miles. away. A vessel known in the builders' yard as the "290,” and afterward famous as the Alabama, had been built for the Confederate government in 1862, at Birkenhead, opposite Liverpool. She was of wood, a fast sailer, having both steam and canvas, 220 feet long, and rated at 1,040 tons. She was thoroughly fitted in every respect, and cost £47,500, or somewhat less than a quarter of a million dollars. The American Minister at London notified the British government that such a ship was being built in an English yard, in violation of the neutrality laws, and demanded that she be prevented from leaving the Mersey. Either through design or stupidity the government moved too slowly, and the cruiser escaped to sea. She went to Fayal, in the Azores, and there took on board her guns and coal, sent out to her in a merchant ship from London. Her commander was Raphael Semmes, who had served in the United States navy. Her crew were mainly Englishmen. For nearly two years she roamed the seas, traversing the Atlantic and Indian Oceans and the Gulf of Mexico, and captured sixty-five American merchantmen, most of which were burned. Their crews were sent away on passing vessels, or put ashore at convenient ports. Several war vessels were sent out in search of the Alabama; but they were at constant disadvantage from the rule that when two hostile vessels are in a neutral port, the first that leaves must have been gone twenty-four hours before the other is permitted to follow. In French, and especially in British, ports, the Alabama was always welcome, and enjoyed every possible facility, because she was destroying American commerce.

In June, 1864, she was in the harbor of Cherbourg, France. The United States man-of-war Kearsarge, commanded by John A. Winslow, found her there, and lay off the port, watching

for her. By not going into the harbor, Winslow escaped the twenty-four-hour rule. Semmes sent a note to Winslow, asking him not to go away, as he was coming out to fight; but no such challenge was called for, as the Kearsarge had come for that purpose, and was patiently waiting her prey. She was almost exactly the size of the Alabama, and the armaments. were so nearly alike as to make a very fair match. But her crew were altogether superior in gun-practice, and she had protected her boilers by chains, "stoppered" up and down the side amidships, as had been done in the fights at New Orleans and elsewhere. Sunday morning, June 19, the Alabama steamed out of the harbor amid the plaudits of thousands of English and Frenchmen, who had not a doubt that she was going to certain victory. The Kearsarge steamed away, and drew her off a distance of seven or eight miles from the coast. Winslow then turned and closed with his enemy. The two vessels steamed around on opposite sides of a circle half a mile in diameter, firing their starboard guns. One of the crew of the Alabama says, "there was but little swell on, and nothing to prevent accurate gun-practice." Yet the practice on that vessel was very bad; she began firing first, discharged her guns rapidly, and produced little or no effect, though a dozen of her shots struck her, antagonist. But when the Kearsarge began firing there was war in earnest. Her guns were handled with great skill, and every shot told. One of them cut the mizzenmast so that it fell. Another exploded a shell among the crew of the Alabama's pivot gun, killing half of them and dismounting the piece. Others rolled in at the port-holes and swept away the gunners; and several pierced the hull below the water line, making the ship tremble from stem to stern, and letting in floods of water. The vessels had described seven circles, and the Alabama's decks were strewn with the dead, when at the end of an hour she was found to be sinking, and her colors were struck. The Kearsarge lowered boats to take off the crew; but suddenly the stern settled, the bow was thrown up into the air, and down went the Alabama to the bottom of the British Channel, carrying an unknown number of her crew. An English yacht picked up Semmes and about forty of his men, and steamed away to Southampton with them; others were rescued by the boats of the Kearsarge, and still others were drowned.

Eight years afterward, an international court of arbitration decreed that the British government must pay the United States $15,500,000 for damages done to American commerce by the Alabama and two or three similar cruisers, because they were built in English yards and escaped to sea through the negligence of that government. The sentence was very light; for that sum falls far short of the damage wrought to us and the corresponding gain to the English carrying trade.

Incidents of Ģeneral Lee, Jackson,

AND

GENERAL WILSON'S FAMOUS HORSE, "SLASHER.” By Maj. R. H. BIGGER, Hendersonville, N. C.

VERY

one in General "Certainly," said Jackson, and Early's command knew rode on with his hat close "Slasher." They will rec- down over his eyes, and his ollect with what nimbleness long, ungainly legs dangling and cat-like treads he carried limberly at his horse's side. his master, Col. Daniel Wil- The boys used to say that son of the 6th La., through "Slasher" could jump over a all the difficult passes and church. ways. Colonel Wilson was six feet four in his stockings and weighed three hundred pounds; according to the estimate of his regiment he would pull down a full thousand. It happened on a certain Sunday as Colonel Wilson was taking "Slasher" at a lively pace along a smooth Virginia road that he met General Stonewall Jackson on his way to "preaching." After passing the usual compliments of the day, General Jackson said, If it were not Sunday, colonel, and if you were disposed to sell Slasher,' what would be your price for him?" Colonel Wilson replied, "Well, general, if it were not Sunday, I might answer your question; but being Sunday, you will allow me to postpone the answer to some future day of the week."

"Slasher" was standing on one occasion hitched near the tent of Colonel Wilson, with his muscles, sinewy proportions and sleek side showing to great advantage in a bright morning sun, when General Lee approached Colonel Wilson and passing salute said: "Colonel, in this world they say there is nothing perfect, but will you have the kindness. to point out the defects in your horse?" "Yes, general, they are very broad and distressing, and they are the cause of the dejected manner which you have observed in me of late. When I ride Slasher' at the head of the regiment through villages and towns, everybody cries out, 'Oh, what a magnificent horse!' They never say, 'What a handsome, noble looking officer.""

**OLD* ABE,**

THE VETERAN WAR EAGLE OF WISCONSIN.

The Gallant Bird that Braved Many a Battle with the 8th Wisconsin Regt.

By W. C. KING, Springfield, Mass.

HO of our readers has

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not heard of 'Old

Abe," the famous war eagle, who so nobly did so much in the late war, in cheering on our brave boys to victory?

"Old Abe" was a native of Lake Superior, and when quite young was taken from his nest, in July, 1861, by a little wild Indian boy by the name of O-ge-mah-we-ge-zhig, whose habitation was in the wilds of upper Wisconsin.

The Indian children gave him the name of "Mee-Kezeen-ce" (Little Eagle). In the fall of the same year a farmer induced the little Indians to part with their pet in exchange for a bushel of corn. The bird had been in his new home but a short time when he declared war with all the domestic ani

mals about the place, and the farmer was obliged to coop "Abe" in order to preserve peace.

While deliberating as to what disposition to make of the unwelcome family accession the