g defiantly in the breeze. Had Captain
Winslow followed, he would have been compelled by law to remain
twenty-four hours after the departure of the _Alabama_, so he took a
station outside, determined that the cruiser should not escape him
again.

In this case, however, the precaution was unnecessary, for Semmes had
made up his mind to fight the National vessel. He had been charged with
cowardice in running away from armed ships, and he had destroyed and
captured so many helpless merchantmen that he felt something was due to
retrieve his reputation. A comparison of the crews and armaments of the
_Kearsarge_ and _Alabama_ will show that they were pretty evenly
matched, though the slight numerical superiority of the Union ship was
emphasized by the fact that her men were almost wholly American, while
those of Semmes, as already stated, were nearly all English.

Shortly after the arrival of Captain Winslow the following challenge was
brought out to him:

Confederate Steamer _Alabama_,
Cherbourg, June 14, 1864.

Sir:--I hear that you were informed by the United States
Consul that the _Kearsarge_ was to come to this port solely for the
prisoners landed by me, and that she was to depart in twenty-four
hours. I desire you to say to the United States Consul that my
intention is to fight the _Kearsarge_ as soon as I can make the
necessary arrangements. I hope these will not detain me more than
till to-morrow evening, or next morning, at the farthest. I beg she
will not depart before I am ready to go out.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant

R. Semmes, _Captain_.

This note, though couched in seemingly courteous language, contained the
most aggravating sort of sting, in the hope expressed that the
_Kearsarge_ would not leave until the _Alabama_ was ready to go out, and
the intimation--undoubtedly false--that the sole business of the Union
vessel was to take charge of the prisoners brought thither by the
Confederate. Captain Winslow had not spent months in hunting over the
globe for such a chance as this to let it slip.

The _Alabama_ was among friends. She had the sympathies of the
thousands, who hoped to see the Yankee ship sunk by the fearful
commerce-destroyer. Excursion trains were run from Paris and other
points to Cherbourg, and