The US Civil War sea battle and the British yacht

Daily Mail, 13th May 2021:

Did a British yacht get mixed up in a U.S. Civil War naval battle?

Yes, this did happen. What is even stranger is that it took place within sight of fascinated crowds strolling on the waterfront of a French port, and that a nine-year-old English girl played a decisive role. The battle of Cherbourg on June 19th 1864 was fought between a U.S. navy warship, the USS Kearsarge, and a Confederate States navy warship, the CSS Alabama.

The Alabama was a successful commerce raider in the Atlantic. She was commanded by Captain Raphael Semmes and had arrived at Cherbourg on June 11th for repairs and coal. For two years, she had been hunted by the USS Kearsarge, commanded by Captain John Winslow. The Kearsarge had secret homemade armour — anchor chains strung along the sides to protect the vulnerable steam engine. In a brilliant use of camouflage, the iron chains were covered by wooden boards painted black to match the hull.

On June 14th, the Kearsarge found the Alabama in Cherbourg harbour. She could not attack in the neutral French port, but instead waited outside, blockading the Confederate ship. Sailors rowed ashore to telegraph other Union navy ships to assist and the message was deliberately leaked to the Confederate commander. This made him decide to come out and fight. He ran up his battle colours — the Stars and Bars — and was escorted from the harbour by the French warship Couronne to ensure no fighting took place in French waters, which extended three nautical miles out to sea.

The ships engaged, tightly circling each other, trying to cross each other’s bow, Nelson-style, so a broadside could make a dreadful raking effect along the length of the enemy ship. The coast was crammed with crowds, many with telescopes, eager to witness the sea battle. Two shots hit the Kearsarge’s ‘armour’. Neither did any serious damage. The Alabama’s firing was rapid, 370 rounds in all, but inaccurate. The Kearsarge’s was slower, but better aimed.

After the Alabama was holed in several places below the waterline and began to sink, she surrendered. Of its crew, 40 were killed or wounded, 70 were taken captive and 40 or so, including Captain Semmes and 14 officers, were rescued by the British yacht, Deerhound. This three-masted steam yacht, built for the Duke of Leeds, was owned by Wigan businessman John Lancaster. The gunners of the Kearsarge were eager to fire upon the Deerhound to prevent the escape of the Confederates, but Captain Winslow realised this would provoke a diplomatic crisis. The yacht, which was faster than the warship, escaped to Southampton.

Why was it close to the sea battle? The Alabama had been docked almost alongside the yacht. When she left to fight the Yankees, Lancaster put it to a vote of the adults on board whether to witness this exciting episode of history — at the risk of being hit by a flying shell. The result was evenly spilt, so the casting vote was put to Lancaster’s nine-year-old daughter, Catherine. She is reported to have said: "Gosh, father, yes please, do let’s see the ships fight!"

Captain Semmes ended up a free man in a Southampton hotel, and Lancaster — his reputation boosted by the incident — ended up as MP for Wigan.

Benedict le Vay, author of Madcap Military Mayhem, Emsworth, Hants.