574 NAVY, U. S., OPERATIONS OF 



JNEVADA. 



telling fearfully on the Alabama, and on the seventh 

 rotation on the circular track she winded, setting 

 fore trysail and two jibs, with head in shore. 



Her speed was now retarded, and by winding her 

 port broadside was presented to us with only two 

 guns bearing, not having been able, as I learned af- 

 terward, to shift over but one. I saw now that she 

 was at our mercy, and a few more guns, well direct- 

 ed, brought down her flag. I was unable to ascer- 

 tain whether they had been hauled down or shot 

 away, but a white flag having been displayed over 

 the stern, followed by two guns fired to leeward, our 

 fire was reserved. Two minutes had not more than 

 elapsed before she again opened on us with the two 

 guns on the port side. This drew our fire again, and 

 the Kearsarge was immediately steamed ahead and 

 lay across her bows for raking. 



"The white flag was still flying, and our fire was 

 again reserved. Shortly after this her boats were 

 seen to be lowering, and an officer in one of them 

 came alongside and informed us the ship had surren- 

 dered and was fast sinking. In twenty minutes from 

 this time the Alabama went down, her mainmast, 

 which had received a shot, breaking near the head 

 as she sunk, and her bow rising high out of the water 

 as her stern rapidly settled. The fire of the Alabama, 

 although it is stated she discharged three hundred 

 and seventy or more shell and shot, was not of seri- 

 ous damage to the Kearsarge. Some thirteen or 

 fourteen of these had taken effect in and about the 

 hull, and sixteen or seventeen about the waste and 

 rigging. 



The boats of the Kearsarge were at once sent 

 to receive the officers and crew of the Ala- 

 bama, but so rapidly did she go down that it 

 was impossible to save them all without assist- 

 ance. Capt. "Winslow accordingly requested 

 the Deerhound, which had meanwhile come 

 alongside, to assist in the rescue of his prisoners. 

 The crew of the privateer were by this time 

 struggling for their lives in the water, and 

 many of the wounded men went down. In 

 the confusion of the moment the Deerhound, 

 after picking up forty-one persons, including 

 Semmes, who was wounded, steamed off toward 

 the English coast, and when observed had got 

 too much the start to be overhauled. The 

 total number brought on board the Kearsarge 

 was sixty-nine, of whom seventeen were wound- 

 ed ; and twelve were picked up and carried into 

 Cherbourg, by two French pilot boats. Sev- 

 eral of the wounded died soon after, and the 

 total number of officers and men belonging to 

 the Alabama who were landed in France or 

 England, amounted to one hundred and fifteen. 

 The casualties of the Kearsarge amounted to 

 only three wounded. This most remarkable 

 sea fight between single ships that has occurred 

 within the century was witnessed by thousands 

 of spectators on the French shore, and the re- 

 sult produced a profound impression in Europe 

 and America The conduct of Semmes in 

 throwing his sword into the sea after surren- 

 dering, and also in allowing himself to be car- 

 ried into a neutral fort by the Deerhound, 

 formed the subject of severe strictures in the 

 United States. 



The Florida, while lying in the neutral fort 

 of Bahia, Brazil, was captured by Capt. N. 

 Collins of the Wachusett, as appears by the fol- 

 lowing brief report : 



ST. THOMAS, "W. I. ISLANDS, Oct. 81. 

 Hon. GIDEON WELLES. Sir : I have the honor tc 

 report the arrival here of this ship, with the rebel 

 steamer Florida in company. The Florida, with 58 

 men and 12 officers, was captured about 3 o'clock on 

 the morning of the 7th of October, in the bay of San 

 Salvador, Brazil, by the officers and crew of'this ves- 

 sel, without loss of life. We also captured five of 

 the officers, including her commander. The re- 

 mainder of her crew were on shore. 



The Florida had her mizen-mast and main-yard 

 carried away and her bulwarks cut down. This ves- 

 sel sustained no injury. A detailed report will be 

 handed to you by Paymaster W. W. Williams. 

 Very respectfully your obd't serv't, 



N. COLLINS, 

 Commander U. S. Steam-sloop Wachusett. 



On November the Florida was brought into 

 Hampton Eoads, and Avhile lying there to await 

 the decision of the delicate international ques- 

 tions which her capture evolved, was accident- 

 ally run into by a steam transport and sunk. 



The Georgia was captured by the Niagara, on 

 August 15th. Although having no armament 

 on board at the time, she was seized as a law- 

 ful prize, and sent to the United States for ad- 

 judication. 



NEVADA. This territory having formed a 

 State Constitution under an enabling act pre- 

 viously passed by Congress, was admitted as a 

 member of the Federal Union, " on an equal 

 footing with the original States." The State 

 Convention was held at so late a period of the 

 year, that it was necessary to telegraph the 

 Constitution to Washington, in order that it 

 might be received there in time to secure the 

 admission of the State previous to the Presiden- 

 tial election. Immediately on its reception the 

 President issued the following proclamation : 



Whereas the Congress of the United States passed 

 an act, which was approved on the 21st day of March 

 last, entitled "An act to enable the people of Nevada 

 to form a Constitution and State Government and 

 for the admission of such State into the Union on an 

 equal footing with the original States : " 



And whereas the said Constitution and State 

 Government have been formed pursuant to the con- 

 ditions prescribed by the fifth section of the act of 

 Congress aforesaid, and the certificate required by 

 the said act and also a copy of the Constitution and 

 ordinances have been submitted to the President of 

 the United States : 



Now, therefore, be it known, that I, ABRAHAM LIN- 

 COLN, President of the United States, in accordance 

 with the duty imposed upon me by the act of Con- 

 gress aforesaid, do hereby declare and proclaim that 

 the said State of Nevada is admitted into the Union 

 on an equal footing with the original States. 



In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, 

 and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. 



Done at the city of Washington, this thirty-first 



day of October, in the year of our Lord one 



[L. s.] thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, and 



of the independence of the United. States the 



eighty-ninth. ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 



By the President : 

 'WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State. 



The vote of the State at the Presidential 

 election was 16,420; of which Mr. Lincoln re- 

 ceived 9,826, and Gen. McClellan 6,594 ; ma- 

 jority for Mr. Lincoln 3,232. At the same 

 election H. G. Blasdell was chosen Governor 

 by 9.834 votes ; in opposition to David E. Buell, 



