“June 19: Lying off Cherbourg. Moderate breeze from the westward. At 10:20 am discovered the Alabama steaming out of the port of Cherbourg, accompanied by a French ironclad steamer and a fore-and-aft rigged steamer, showing the white English ensign. Beat to general quarters and cleared for action. Steamed ahead, standing offshore, being distant from land about 2 leagues; altered our course and approached the Alabama."

Official Records of Union and Confederate Navies, I, 3, p.64.