The historic June 19, 1864 duel between two American ships off the coast of France resulted in the sinking of the most successful of the Confederate Raiders, a fast screw sloop-of-war, ALABAMA. Blockaded in the port of Cherbourg while making needed repairs, Captain Ralph Semmes notified Captain John A. Winslow, in command of the Union Sloop KEARSARGE, that he would come out to battle.
Semmes intended to allow his crew, just slightly outnumbered and outgunned, to fire first at a range of 1500', and then steam close to board with the enemy. KEARSARGE held to 1000' and instead of closing with the Confederate, circled closer to throw devastating broadside attacks. ALABAMA, hampered with old, deteriorating powder from her two-year world cruise against the North's shipping interests, knew her fate would soon be found at the bottom of the Atlantic. After one hour and ten minutes, and 173 shots fired from KEARSARGE, ALABAMA was lost with 127 men out of 149 rescued. Three sailors onboard the Union ship were injured.
This excellent painting is a fitting artistic tribute to the North's victory by Davidson, and it's a rare depiction of on-deck action in a 19TH Century naval battle scene. The Union Navy crew has just begun its somber celebration with ALABAMA evidently floundering amid the gray haze of the battles smoke-filled sky. KEARSARGE's crew mans the 11" Dahlgren smooth-barrel mid-deck, an early application of the large bore guns that would revolutionize Naval Warfare. The men congratulate each other for their gunnery skill and set about to tend to their wounded. A great late depiction of an epic moment of the American Civil War.
