At once we ceased firing, and approaching him still nearer,
asked him if he surrendered and needed assistance. To both of
these questions he replied in the affirmative, and we immediately
despatched our quarter boats to him; these, with his own four
boats, were busily employed in transporting the crew on board,
which had only been accomplished when the ship went down.[11]
[Footnote 11: United States Consulate, Kingston,
Jamaica, Jan., 21, 1868.
SIR,--It is my painful duty to inform the Department of the destruction
of the United States steamer Hatteras, recently under my command, by
the rebel steamer Alabama, on the night of the 11th instant, off the coast
of Texas. The circumstances of the disaster are as follows:--
Upon the afternoon of the 11th inst., at 2.30 P.M., while at anchor in
company with the fleet under Commodore Bell, off Galveston, Texas, I
was ordered by signal from the United States flag-ship Brooklyn to chase
a sail to the southward and eastward. I got under weigh immediately,
and steamed with all speed in the direction indicated. After some time,
the strange sail could be seen from the Hatteras, and was ascertained to
be a steamer, which fact I communicated to the flag-ship by signal. I
continued the chase, and rapidly gained upon the suspicious vessel.
Knowing the slow rate of speed of the Hatteras, I at once suspected that
deception was being practised, and hence ordered the ship to be cleared
for action, with everything in readiness for a determined attack and a
vigorous defence.
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