Then,
on Sunday morning, June 19, as the crew of the Kearsarge was at divine
service, the officer of the deck reported a steamer at the harbor-mouth.
A moment later, the lookout shouted, "She's coming, and heading straight
for us!" Captain Winslow, putting aside his prayer-book, seized the
trumpet, ordered the decks cleared for action, and put his ship about
and bore down on the Alabama.
The two vessels were remarkably well-matched, but the engagement was
decisive evidence of the superior qualities of northern marksmanship. It
was, in fact, an exhibition of that magnificent gunnery which was so
evident in the war of 1812, and which was to be shown again in the war
with Spain. Nearly all of the 173 shots fired by the Kearsarge took
effect, while of the 370 fired by the Alabama, only 28 reached their
target. As a result, at the end of an hour and a half, the Alabama was
sinking, while the Kearsarge was practically uninjured and had lost only
three men. Hauling down her flag, the Alabama tried to run in shore, but
suddenly, settling by the stern, lifted her bow high in the air and
plunged to the bottom of the sea. So ended the career of the Alabama.
Winslow received the usual rewards of promotion and the thanks of
Congress, and passed the remainder of his life unadventurously in the
navy service.
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