with a broadside. I at the same
moment returned the fire. Being well aware of the many vulnerable
points of the Hatteras, I hoped, by closing with the Alabama, to be able
to board her, and thus rid the seas of the piratical craft. I steamed
directly for the Alabama, but she was enabled by her great speed and the
foulness of the bottom of the Hatteras, and consequently her diminished
speed, to thwart my attempt when I had gained a distance of but thirty
yards from her. At this range musket and pistol shots were exchanged.
The firing continued with great vigour on both sides. At length a shell
entered amidships in the hold, setting fire to it, and at the same instant
--as I can hardly divide the time--a shell passed through the sick bay,
exploding in an adjoining compartment, also producing fire. Another
entered the cylinder, filling the engine-room and deck with steam, and
depriving me of my power to manoeuvre the vessel, or to work the pumps,
upon which the reduction of the fire depended.

With the vessel on fire in two places, and beyond human power, a
hopeless wreck upon the waters, with her walking-beam shot away, and
her engine rendered useless, I still maintained an active five, with the
double hope of disabling the Alabama and attracting the attention of the
fleet off Galveston, which was only twenty-eight miles distant.

It was soon reported to me that the shells had entered the Hatteras at
the water-line, tearing off entire sheets of iron, and that the water was
rushing in, utterly defying every attempt to remedy the evil, and that
she was rapidly sinking. Learning the melancholy truth, and observing
that the Alabama was on my port bow, entirely beyond the range of my
guns, doubtless preparing for a raking fire of the deck, I felt I had no
light to sacrifice uselessly, and without any desirable result, the lives
of all under my command.

To prevent the blowing up of the Hatteras from the fire, which was
making much progress, I ordered the magazine to be flooded, and afterwards
a lee gun was fired. The Alabama then asked if assistance was desired,
to which an affirmative answer was given.

The Hatteras was then going down, and in order to save the lives of my
officers and men, I caused the armament on the port side to be thrown
overboard. Had I not done so, I am confident the vessel would have
gone down with many brave hearts and valuable lives. After considerable
delay, caused by the report that a steamer was