Great Naval Action Between the Kearsage & the Alabama. Kearsage & the Alabama
Come all you gallant hero’s
Of high and low degree,
And listen to the glorious fight
Was fought upon the sea;
The Alabama and Kearsage
Not far from the French shore,
Met on the 19th day of June,
Eighteen hundred and sixty four.
It was a glorious battle,
The crews fought manfully
In the Alabama and Kearsage,
That day upon the sea.
The English Yacht Deerhound
Was all the time quite near,
She belonged to Squire Lancaster,
Of Wigan in Lancashire;
And many a gallant seaman
So nobly did save,
Who when the Alabama sunk
Would have met a watery grave.
About nine miles from Cherbourg
This gallant fight took place,
The noted Alabama,
She did the Kearsage chase,
The Alabama’s guns did rattle,
And Captain Semmes believed
That he would win the battle,
But he was much deceived.
The men did fight like hero’s,
And round the decks did run,
Each ship did shake and no mistake,
As they fired their powerful guns,
Brave Captain Semmes did loudly call,
As he on the deck did stand,
Don’t move or flnch a single inch,
“Do your duty every man.”
But alas! the Alabama,
Began to feel affright,
Her sides were dreadfully shaken,
And she could no longer fight,
The Kearsage was chain plated,
And her guns were fired so free,
She beat the Alabama,
And sunk her in the sea.
The Deerhound was in readiness,
The conquered to receive;
And rendered great assistance,
My friends you may believe;
When the battle it was over,
The conquered, void of fear,
Safe in the Steam Yacht Deerhound,
Did to Southampton steer.
Now to conclude this gallant fight,
Undaunted brave and bold,
As great and glorious battle
As ever yet was told,
To the seaman and the officers,
We drink with three times three,
Who did their duty manfully
That day upon the sea.
John Harkness, Printer, Preston.