She had the sympathies of the thousands, who hoped to see the Yankee ship sunk by the fearful commerce-destroyer.

Excursion trains were run from Paris and other points to Cherbourg, and among the vast multitude who gathered on shore on that warm, hazy Sunday morning--June 19--to witness the coming battle, it may be doubted whether there were a score who wished to see the _Kearsarge_ win.
The respective captains were brave men and good officers.

Both had declared that, if they ever met, the battle would not end until one of the ships went to the bottom, and each knew that the other would keep his word.

Such a thing as surrender was not thought of by either.
Semmes was confident of his ability to sink the _Kearsarge_.

Being a Roman Catholic, and unable to attend service, he requested a friend to go to mass and have it offered up for him, which was done.