July 10.— Weather clear, wind very fresh, right in our teeth and considerable sea on. At 1:30 this morning I went upon the companion ladder, to give some directions to the officer of the deck, as to not driving her through the head sea, and while so doing I felt a sudden sickness of the stomach and reeling of the brain. I laid my head on my arm, thinking the sensation would soon pass off, but in a moment more I lost consciousness and tumbled from the top to the bottom of the ladder upon the cabin floor, where I remained senseless for a moment. I was much bruised in the left side by the fall, the concussion of the pleura and lung causing a difficulty in breathing. * * * *Confined to my hammock during the day. We are out of the track of commerce, and no sail has been seen to-day .
Extracts from the journal of Commander Semmes, C.S. Navy, commanding C.S.S. Sumter
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