The Alabama then asked if assistance was desired,
to which an affirmative answer was given.
The Hatteras was then going down, and in order to save the lives of my
officers and men, I caused the armament on the port side to be thrown
overboard. Had I not done so, I am confident the vessel would have
gone down with many brave hearts and valuable lives. After considerable
delay, caused by the report that a steamer was seen coming from
Galveston, the Alabama sent us assistance; and I have the pleasure of
informing the Department that every living being was conveyed safely
from the Hatteras to the Alabama.
Two minutes after leaving the Hatteras, she went down, bow first,
with her pennant at the masthead, with all her muskets and stores of
every description, the enemy not being able, owing to her rapid sinking,
to obtain a single weapon.
The battery upon the Alabama brought into action against the Hatteras
numbered nine guns, consisting of six long 32 pounders, one
100 pounder, one 68 pounder, and one 24 pounder rifled gun. The great
superiority of the Alabama, with her powerful battery, and her machinery
under the water-line, must be at once recognized by the Department, who
are familiar with the construction of the Hatteras, and her total unfitness
for a conflict with a regular built vessel of war.
The distance between the Hatteras and the Alabama during the action
varied from twenty-five to one hundred yards.
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