Charles Francis Adams to William H. Seward, June 30, 1864

Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward.

Sir: Much discussion has taken place in the public journals here of the conduct of the commander of the yacht Deerhound in the late action between the Kearsarge and the Alabama.

I send you a copy of the Daily News of the 29th instant, containing his defence; likewise a copy of the Telegraph of the 24th, upon the proposal to present a sword to Captain Semmes. As appearing in that press this article is exceptional and rather surprising. On the whole, that scheme has not found much favor with the public. A few sympathizers may nevertheless contribute, in private, money enough to perpetrate the folly.

Large enlistments of men are meanwhile going on. They are sent to the continent to the Rappahannock, and perhaps other vessels preparing elsewhere. The mortification at the loss of the Alabama seeks an outlet in threats of what is to be done by some substitute hereafter. The feeling that the crew was English, and the gunners had been trained in the service, forms a cord of affiliation which may lead to important consequences hereafter.

As yet we hear nothing of the Niagara. I have received news from the consul at Cape Town that the Sacramento is on her way here. It may not be a bad thing to have some such vessels at hand.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,

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The following correspondence between Mr. Mason and Mr. Lancaster, the owner of the Deerhound, has been forwarded to us for publication :

“24 Upper Seymour Street, Portman Square, London,June 21, 1864.

“Dear Sir: I received from Captain Semmes at Southampton, where I had the pleasure to see you yesterday, a full report of the efficient service rendered under your orders by the officers and crew of your yacht, the Deerhound, in rescuing him, with thirteen of his officers and twenty-seven of his crew, from their impending fate, after the loss of his ship.

“Captain Semmes reports that, finding the Alabama actually sinking, he had barely time to despatch his wounded in his own boats to the enemy’s ship, when the Alabama went down, and that nothing was left to those who remained on board but to throw themselves into the sea. Their own boats absent, there seemed no prospect of relief, when your yacht arrived in their midst, and your boats were launched; and he impressively lold me that to this timely and generous succor he, with most of his officers and a portion of Ms crew, were indebted for their safety. He further told me that on their arrival on board the yacht every care and kindness were extended to them which their exhausted condition required, even to supplying all with dry clothing.

“I am fully aware of the noble and disinterested spirit which prompted you to go to the rescue of the gallant crew of the Alabama, and that I can add nothing to the recompense already received by you and those acting under you in the consciousness of having done as you would be done by; yet you will permit me to thank you, and, through you, the captain, officers, and crew of the Deerhound, for this signal service, and to say that, in doing so, I but antici pate the grateful sentiment of my country and of the government of the Con federate States.

“I have the honor to be, dear sir, most respectfully and truly, your obedient servant,

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To the Editor of the Daily News :

Sir: The royal yacht squadron, to which Mr. Lancaster, it appears, belongs, are bound, as a court of honor, to examine the accusation of the captain of the Kearsarge, “that the yacht was bound to surrender the men saved from the sea as prisoners to the United States ship.”

The royal yacht squadron has the privileges (signified by the right of flying a special burgee and the white ensign) of a British man-of-war in British ports. The same were conceded in French ports (as I recollect) by King Louis Philippe. The ships, when the Alabama was sinking, were either at sea or in French waters. The Alabama had sent a boat to say she had struck, but no boat had come in return to take possession. The naval history gives similar facts in the days of Nelson and Colling wood. With this state of things it seems the yacht was a part of England, and could with honor give refuge to drowning men. As the prize was not taken possession of, she could not have been adjudicated upon by any court, for the res ipsa or corpus was not in the possession of the court or captor whence it could come to the court. The Queen in council has given the rights of belligerents to the south. It seems, then, clear, that as belligerents the crew could swim, or by boats reach the yacht, as they could have swum to the English or French shore. Mr. Lancaster need not, if this reasoning is correct, appeal to humanity, but law, to justify himself. On the contrary, had a boat’s crew been sent on board to take possession of the prize, and the Alabama ship’s company then have jumped overboard (as they did by order) and swum on board the yacht, the individuals on the Alabama’s muster-roll could have been claimed.

Lawyers would call this an inchoate possession; but Nelson and men of his profession would never have accepted a captain’s sword in such a case, or any other, where a possession was not effected by superior force. Whether Captain Semmes, having sent his boat to announce the striking, was bound to stay on board and sink with his ship, is a question the yacht had nothing to do with any more than the deciding if Captain Semmes was a belligerent or a pirate. The British government may have the United States minister claim him as a prisoner of war, if it pleases, just as well as the owner of the yacht. The simple fact is, the captain of the Kearsarge dared not take possession of the Alabama, knowing she was sinking, and therefore never had a right to her, or any man or thing on board of her.

I am, &c,