Confederate Veteran Volume 25, No. 5 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1917 Excerpt: ...said: 'Perhaps ten minutes.' 'Then, sir.' said Captain Semmes, 'cease firing, shorten sail, and haul down the colors. It will never do in this nineteenth century to go down and the decks covered with our gallant wounded.' This order was promptly executed, after which the Kearsarge deliberately fired into us five shots. In Captain Winslow's report to the Secretary of the Navy he admits this, saying: 'Uncertain whether Captain Semmes was not making some ruse, the Kearsarge was stopped.' "Was this a time, when disaster, defeat, and death looked us in the face, for a ship to use a ruse? I ordered the men to stand to their quarters, and they did it heroically. Not even flinching, they stood every man to his post. As soon as we got the first of these shots I told the quartermaster to show the white flag from the stern. It was done. Captain Semmes said to me: 'Dispatch an officer to the Kearsarge and ask that they send boats to save our wounded; ours are disabled.' Our little dingey was not injured, so I sent Master's Mate Fulham with the request. Xo boats coming. I had one of our quarter boats, the least damaged one, lowered and had the wounded put in her. Dr. Gait came on deck at this time and was put in charge of her, with orders to take the wounded to the Kearsarge. They shoved off in time to save the wounded. When I went below to inspect, the sight was appalling. Assistant Surgeon Llewellyn was at his post, but the table and the patient on it had been swept away from him by an n-inch shell, which made an aperture that w"as fast filling with water. This was the last time I saw Dr. Llewellyn in life. As I passed the deck to go below a stalwart seaman with death's signet on his brow called to me. For an instant I stood beside him. He caught my hand and...