The Alert Was A Favorite Ship With All Owners, Officers, And Men Who
Had Anything To Do With Her; And
I may add almost all who heard her
name asked if that was the ship the man went in who
Wrote the book
called "Two Years before the Mast"; and thus we feel, with you,
no doubt, a sort of sympathy at her loss, and that, too, in such
a manner, and by wicked acts of our own countrymen.
My partner, Mr. Haven, sends me a note from the office this P. M.,
saying that he had just found the last log-book, and would send up
this evening a copy of the last entry on it; and if there should
be anything of importance I will enclose it to you, and if you
have any further inquiries to put, I will, with great pleasure,
endeavor to answer them.
Remaining very respectfully and truly yours,
THOMAS W. WILLIAMS.
P. S. - Since writing the above I have received the extract from
the log-book, and enclose the same.
THE LAST ENTRY IN THE LOG-BOOK OF THE ALERT.
"September 9, 1862.
"Shortly after the ship came to the wind, with the main yard
aback, we went alongside and were hoisted up, when we found we
were prisoners of war, and our ship a prize to the Confederate
steamer Alabama. We were then ordered to give up all nautical
instruments and letters appertaining to any of us. Afterwards
we were offered the privilege, as they called it, of joining
the steamer or signing a parole of honor not to serve in the
army or navy of the United States. Thank God no one accepted
the former of these offers. We were all then ordered to get
our things ready in haste, to go on shore, - the ship running
off shore all the time. We were allowed four boats to go on
shore in, and when we had got what things we could take in them,
were ordered to get into the boats and pull for the shore, - the
nearest land being about fourteen miles off, - which we reached
in safety, and, shortly after, saw the ship in flames.
"So end all our bright prospects, blasted by a gang of miscreants,
who certainly can have no regard for humanity so long as they continue
to foster their so-called peculiar institution, which is now destroying
our country."
I love to think that our noble ship, with her long record of
good service and uniform success, attractive and beloved in her
life, should have passed, at her death, into the lofty regions of
international jurisprudence and debate, forming a part of the body
of the "Alabama Claims"; that, like a true ship, committed to her
element once for all at her launching, she perished at sea, and,
without an extreme use of language, we may say, a victim in the
cause of her country.
R. H. D., Jr.
BOSTON, May 6, 1869.
End of Two Years Before the Mast, by Richard Henry Dana
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