Captain Semmes of C.S.S. Alabama

In England during the year of 1862 in the day and month of 29th July, a ship was launched with no pomp or ceremony from the shipyards of Birkenhead, Merseyside. The ship was called Enrica and she had been built by shipbuilders called John Laird Sons And Company. The vessel slipped discreetly out of Liverpool into the Irish Sea.

A Confederate Agent called James Dunwoody Bulloch had procured the ship for the new Confederate Navy – a collection of states that had decided on secession from the United States of America. The contract had been arranged through Fraser, Trenholm Company – a cotton broker in Liverpool with interests in the Confederate States.

Bulloch went with the ship and had carefully arranged for a civilian crew to take Enrica to Terceira Island in the Azores.

A few days later on August 5th, another ship left Liverpool bound for the same destination in the Azores. This vessel was a steamer called Bahama and one of its passengers was to become a figure that would burn his name in history. He was a thin-faced man with a small beard and moustache who came from Maryland, in today’s USA. However, in 1862 the state of Maryland had joined the Confederate cause and this particular man had left the US Navy and joined the Confederate Navy. His name was Captain Raphael Semmes.

  

When he reached Terceira Island in the Azores he was greeted by Agent Bulloch and both began to oversee Enrica’s refitting. Another ship called Agrippina docked bringing special supplies for the newly constructed ship. This included ship’s cannon, coal, food and other necessities for a long voyage. When all of the loadings had been completed, there was a small ceremony which took place about a mile off of the island in international waters. The men of all three ships Enrica, Bahama and Agripinna stood on Enrica’s quarter-deck with 24 officers of the Rebel Southern States – all of them in full dress uniforms.

Captain Raphael Semmes read out his commission from President Jefferson Davis, which gave him the authority to take over the newly built ship. When he had finished his speech, musicians began to play “Dixie”. The British colours were lowered and the Confederate battle ensign was raised. As the new flag fluttered in the sea wind Captain Semmes proclaimed the vessel by a new name. Alabama – CSS Alabama.

The renamed C.S.S. Alabama and was converted into a Navy cruiser. The newly armed vessel would become a commerce raider and the world’s sea would have an abundance of Union shipping to attack in the name of the Confederacy.

There was one small dilemma that needed to be overcome. Captain Semmes had 24 officers but no crew. Confederate sailors were hard to come by in the Azores as none could be got out of the blockade. He looked to the mainly British crew that had brought the ship to the Azores as the civilian Enrica. He made a bold speech about the Southern cause and invited the Brits to sign up for an unspecified time. Unfortunately, the mainly British listeners were not too enthusiastic about a foreign civil war, so then he changed his tact, realising that Southern morality would not win Brit minds as opposed to the bulging wage packet. He, therefore, offered double wages, to be paid in gold, and additional prize money to be paid by Confederate congress for every destroyed Union ship. This induced a bold response as 83 excited Brits felt a sudden flurry of Rebel patriotism – in short, Captain Semmes had acquired a crew of mercenaries that would prove to be well and truly up to the task at hand. He was still 20 men short but knew he could find more sailors in other ports. Many of the British mercenaries completed the full voyage – an extraordinary two-year high sea adventure with Captain Semmes who they came to admire greatly.

Captain Semmes began his rampage instantly in the Eastern Atlantic capturing and destroying all northern merchant ships that the Alabama came upon. These vessels were mostly whalers and the Confederate raider accounted for ten of them. Captain Semmes then ranged north and back to Bermuda, attacking 13 more Union ships and destroying ten of these vessels.

He then took his ship to new hunting grounds in the West Indies and attacked more enemy commerce, making Union shipping dread the sight or name of C.S.S. Alabama. Then in January of 1863, when sailing in the Gulf of Mexico, Alabama came up against her first military vessel – a Union side-wheeler called USS Hatteras. The Confederate ship quickly attacked and sank the ship, capturing the crew.

Next, she went south off of the coast of Brazil and took 29 prizes, wreaking havoc before venturing back across the Atlantic to South West Africa where she worked with another Confederate vessel called C.S.S. Tuscaloosa. Next, she went into the Indian Ocean for six months and attacked and destroyed seven more Union vessels.

Altogether the C.S.S. Alabama was accountable for the destruction of 65 Union ships – mostly merchant vessels. Prisoners were never harmed and were handed to the nearest neutral ports or passing vessels. While roaming the seas and boarding vessels the C.S.S. Alabama never visited a Confederate port – she would have been incapable of breaking the blockade. She took over 2,000 prisoners without a single loss of life of her captured or crew.

  

In June of 1864, the C.S.S. Alabama docked at the port of Cherbourg in France to have repairs done. She had been at sea for a long time and was in need of an overhaul. A pursuing Union sloop-of-war U.S.S. Kearsarge arrived outside of Cherbourg three days later and waited for the Alabama to leave port and come out into international waters. Before he had arrived, the Union Captain John Ancrum Winslow had telegraphed for assistance from man-o-war U.S.S. St Louis with supplies for a long blockade of the Confederate ship if Semmes chose to stay in the French port.

Captain Semmes was a fighting man by nature and would not entertain the notion of being blockaded in the port of Cherbourg. He chose to sail out and engage the U.S.S. Kearsarge

On the 19th of June, the Alabama sailed out to confront the U.S.S. Kearsarge. Cannon fire was exchanged and soon the two ships were locked in a duel with Alabama outmatched against the Union sloop-of-war. The Confederate ships most poignant shot was fired from a seven-inch Blakely pivot rifle, which hit close to the Union vessel’s vulnerable sternpost. The shell failed to explode. If it had done it would have crippled the ship’s steering.

  

The Union ship was armour-clad and was more durable to shell fire. Eventually, the Alabama began to wane due to the pounding and after an hour she was badly broken up. One shell tore into her amidships below the waterline allowing water to gush in and drown her boilers. The Confederate ship began to sink.

  

As Alabama went down many of the survivors clambered into lifeboats and ship’s Doctor David Herbert Llewellyn managed to get many of his wounded patients aboard boats before going down with the ship. He was a Briton from Wiltshire and was awarded the Southern Cross of Honour. There is a memorial tablet and window commemorated to him in a church in Wiltshire and another tablet in Charing Cross Hospital where he once worked.

U.S.S. Kearsarge picked up most of the survivors, but a further 41 men were rescued by a British yacht called Deerhound. Captain Semmes was among these men and he escaped to Britain.

  

Captain Semmes held good on his promise to the crew who were all paid in full when they got back to Britain. He returned to the Southern American States and finished the Civil war fighting on land with his naval men as infantry in the dying months of the war. The Confederate cause was lost and he was interned for a few months after the South surrendered to the Union. After the war, he became a judge and a newspaper editor. He died in 1877 age 67.

  

In 1984, the French Navy found the sunken wreck of the C.S.S. Alabama and since then there have been joint French and US archaeological dives of the wreck.

The USS Hatteras tried to engage the Confederate raider CSS Alabama. Hatteras was sunk in the ensuing battle. It was one of many ships that the CSS Alabama attacked. The rebel ship was known as the Shark of the Confederacy and it would wreak havoc upon much of the Union's navy.

Our Cruise Ship Docked Behind HMS Scott in Funchal, Madeira - An Island of Portugal.

We made our first port stop of the cruise holiday in the port of Funchal, Madeira - an island west of the Spanish Canary Islands that belongs to Portugal. It is a wonderfully green island and I have to say it is one of the most favourite overseas places that I long to visit. It is vibrant and green and the town of Funchal is a bustling happy place that enjoys a fabulous climate. It was December 1st and the afternoon temperature was in the early eighties. It was a glorious little place. 

To make my morning start off with a happy feel-good factor, our ship The Oceana moored right behind a British Royal Navy vessel called HMS Scott. I watched from the top aft deck of our cruise liner. I saw two officers and a navel hand hoist the naval ensign flag. It seemed to be a morning ceremony.   

It was great to see our lads flying the flag and we delighted in watching the flag being hoisted dead on 0800 hours. Great stuff and a good start to the wonderful day that was to come.

The early cloud cleared and the day turned bright blue. Carole and I know Funchal rather well now and we enjoyed the walk from the port into the town centre.

Winter in the Sun - Lisbon Portugal.

The last day of the holiday going ashore was in Lisbon, Portugal. I've been here before and love the place. It was December 6th and the day was gloriously touching the eighties in the afternoon. City workers were sitting along the dock area basking in the sun. It was smashing as Carole and I walked about the city.

Afterwards, we sat on the top deck of our ship looking out at the city and watched the sun go down. There was more daylight for the time of year than we get in England. I suppose it is a little closer to the equator. I kept commenting on what a smashing day it was. I would love to spend winter in Portugal when I'm older. I would still like to go back to Britain in the summer, but I prefer the winter in Spain or Portugal. 😊

Nelson's Flagship at the Naval Dockyard - Portsmouth

The Naval Dockyard - Portsmouth

Today, 29^th February 2016, Carole and I decided to go to Portsmouth. We were in the New Forest and decided a trip to the historical dockyard where HMS Victory is docked as a museum would make a great start to our week holiday. Also, I was dying to get a look at the Mary Rose; King Henry VIII’s flagship built in 1511. She sank in 1545 during the Battle of the Solent when she mysteriously capsized after firing a volley from her guns. As the ship came about she leant too far over and sea water entered her open gun ports making her keel over with five hundred men on board. The Mary Rose was in service for 34 years before this accident and took part in three wars. Two with France and one with Scotland.

Of all the souls aboard the MaryRose only between 25 and 35 men survived the disaster out of the 500 men aboard. Many were soldiers and archers. Boarding crew for close quarter fighting. The shipwreck was raised in 1982 after almost 450 years under water. Before being raised, there were years of underwater archaeological work. The painstaking effort brought the remaining half of the ship into a Museum close to where HMS Victory is docked. For many years the half section of hull has been sprayed with water and wax to create a preservative condition. Thus enabling tourists, like me, to visit.

Unfortunately, when I got to the museum, The Mary Rose display was closed for refurbishment until summer of 2016. Therefore my ticket can be re-used when summer comes. I was so disappointed, but did go inside the Mary Rose shop part of the museum and took some photos of the model display. I will return in June to see the ship’s inner hull.

Instead, we contented ourselves with a tour around the HMS Victory. The grand galleon of Nelson. His flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar back in 1805. This was fun and I managed to get some fine photos. The guide that showed us around was an ex-Royal Navy man retired. He told us a few shocking stories of the battle and showed us many of the things used in day to day life. While on board and inside the Victory, most of the photos were taken on my mobile. These I can’t put on the blog yet. However, I’ll add the inner section photos when I return home to the Fenland. The Wi-Fi in the hotel is pants.

One of the stories our guide told was rather grisly. It was of Nelson’s secretary. His name was John Scott. Nelson had two secretaries. One at sea and one on land, back at base; so to speak. Both had the same name ‘John Scott.’ In one of the photos on the top deck, you can see the office of John Scott’s room below quarterdeck. The John Scott on land was the luckier of the two secretaries, for the John Scott secretary at sea was the first man to be killed on board the Victory. It was as the first opening shot was fired. John Scott came out on the open deck and was standing on the very spot where Nelson would be shot hours later, during the height of the battle. A cannon or round shot from a French ship hit John Scott in the stomach and spine decapitating him instantly. His upwards section of body or torso was lifted by some marines and his abdomen and legs by others. Both sections of his body were unceremoniously thrown overboard into the sea as the fusillade of galleons began to rip into each other. The Victory had some 821 men on board. Of this crew, 59 lost their lives according to the guide, but there were also injuries and amputees who survived the battle too. Of course, Admiral Lord Nelson was one of the 59 who perished. He was standing close to where John Scott was killed some hours later when a French sniper, in the rigging of an enemy ship, shot him through the shoulder. The musket ball travelled down through his lungs and broke his ribs to become lodged in the small of his back by his spine. He was carried below and took over three hours to die. Before he passed away, he learnt of his victory over the French fleet.

I saw a lot of things of interest in the dockyard museum as well. There was a multitude of models and I bought a couple of small wooden replica display ships for my living room at home. One was the Sovereign of the Seas from around the 1640s. The other was a replica of the Mary Rose. (My little fad and passion at the moment)

I also got some snaps of HMS Warrior. A huge ironclad built in 1860. This ship’s decaying hull was being used as a jetty/pontoon in south Wales. When someone discovered the makeshift jetty was once the Warrior, the national trust bodies decided to renovate the ship to its former glory. The hull was towed to Hartlepool and restored. This was in the 1980s so I’m told.

I never went aboard the Warrior. I only took shots outside the docks. Unfortunately, my wife Carole came over very ill. In the end, we had to go back to the hotel in Ringwood so she could rest. Still, we can go back another day in the week, because our ticket lasts the year and we can come and go as much as we like in that time. It was a very interesting place and one could easily wonder about the historical dockyard for hours. Across the Solent is Gosport and our tickets are valid at the Submarine museum over here too. Therefore at least two more ventures are due. One more this week and another in June to see the Mary Rose.

The last time I went aboard the HMS Victory was in 1974. I was thirteen and on a day trip with the Army Cadets. I remember thinking the ship was massive, but when I saw her again on this leap year day on 29th Feb 2016, she did not seem so huge. I have been on cruise liners since the first time and perhaps my horizons have broadened since that time. Still, the ship was impressive.

I walked around the ship clicking away trying to get the old sailing man o war from as many angles as possible.

As one can see. Some sort of renovation work was being done to the bow of the ship. There were scaffolding and sheeting around one side.

She looked a sight to behold with her gun ports open. By the time she came to fame at the battle of Trafalgar in 1805, she was already forty-five years of age.

There are several decks on board Victory as the lines of cannon would suggest. However, my wife is five foot three inches in height and she had to duck her head to get past some of the beams on the lower deck.

As I was about to board I took another shot of the ships line of guns along the port side going towards the bow.

As I followed the other tourists towards the entrance we all had to duck to get inside. If you were five foot, you would still have to duck or bang your head.

Once inside, the guide allowed us to view the stern of the ship where Nelson's living quarters were. There was also the Captain's table in front of us. This could be packed away when going into battle.

This was the secretaries quarters. John Scott came out of these rooms and stood roughly where I'm taking this photo. Right next to the spot where Nelson would also die during the battle. John Scott died from the first salvo as the battle commenced. He was standing at the very spot where I'm taking this picture. His top half and bottom half were thrown into the sea with a double splash as the rest of the crew got on with the Battle of Trafalgar.

Our tour guide was a retired Royal Navy man. He told many stories as we went about the ship. Above are the two toilets used by the rank and file of the crew. One can see two holes on the top of the seat at the stern of the ship. One had to go in full view of everyone, while sailors defecated into the sea. There was a rope hanging down with a rag tied to the end. This was dangling in the sea constantly. Therefore it was being washed as the ship ploughed through the waves. It was known as a tow rag. Hence the swear word 'you old tow rag' as a derogatory term that came from sailors and spread among the local population as a form of swearing insults. This was told to us by the guide.

The rear of the ship displayed the man-o-war's famous name. I had to get a shot of that and the more luxurious quarters at the stern of the ship.

The great stove was where all the meals were prepared. The guide also told us why the plates were square. It was to stop them rolling about when stacked as the ship tossed and turned at high seas. Hence the saying; 'Three square meals a day.' There were also huge wooden buckets containing slabs of meat. These were lying close by ready to cook. They were dowsed in salt which ran down the meat and collected at the bottom of the barrel. This was scrapped up, hence; 'scrapping the bottom of the barrel.' A saying we also use today. The salt at the bottom of the barrel was gathered and sold at port. The money acquired went into the ship's slush fund.

Each of the lower decks had lines of guns along the port and starboard side. There was usually twelve men to a gun if firing from one side. However if both sides (port and starboard were maned) it became six men to a gun. The British crews could fire, reload and fire again within ninety seconds. They practised constantly and were the quickest among all nations when it came to sea warfare in this day and age. 

The thick ropes were upon all guns because of the kickback when each gun was fired. There was a very disciplined drill to keep all of this in check.

When the thick ropes started to ware, many of the sailors would start to unravel them to get at the inner bindings that were still of use and less worn. They could sell the inner old rope once ashore and get more money for the ship's slush fund, hence; 'money for old rope.' another of our sayings we still use to this day.

There were also punishment apparatus like the cat o nine tails and other canning devices that our guide delighted in showing us. He said everyone due punishment by the cat o nine tails was tied to a rake and given up to twenty-five lashes. It could not be done below deck because there was no room, hence the saying, 'no room to swing a car.' This, of course, is the cat o nine tails. The flogged men were taken to sickbay afterwards and wrapped in brown vinegar paper. Afterwards, salt was rubbed into the scars. Hence; 'rubbing salt into the wound,' another saying we still use today.

New British Aircraft Carrier - Royal Navy

A few decades back, there was a design for a new aircraft carrier for the Royal Navy. It never came about. Are new plans are afoot?

BBC News - The aircraft carrier that never was

Ship's bow hits huge wave.

Watch from the bridge window as the bow of a naval vessel ploughs through the waves and descends before a rather bigger then expected one. It makes you wonder about the vessels in the bygone days and how hardy the crew would have to be climbing rigging and sails in condition that would be even worse.

Confederate Commerce raider - (Captain Semmes of the CSS Alabama.)

In England during the year of 1862 in the day and month of 29th July, a ship was launched with no pomp or ceremony from the shipyards of Birkenhead, Merseyside. The ship was called Enrica and she had been built by shipbuilders called John Laird Sons And Company. The vessel slipped discreetly out of Liverpool into the Irish Sea.

A Confederate Agent called James Dunwoody Bulloch had procured the ship for the new Confederate Navy – a collection of states that had decided on secession from the United States of America. The contract had been arranged through Fraser, Trenholm Company – a cotton broker in Liverpool with interests in the Confederate States.

Bulloch went with the ship and had carefully arranged for a civilian crew to take Enrica to Terceira Island in the Azores.

A few days later on August 5th another ship left Liverpool bound for the same destination in the Azores. This vessel was a steamer called Bahama and one of its passengers was to become a figure that would burn his name in history. He was a thin faced man with a small beard and moustache who came from Maryland, in today’s USA. However, in 1862 the state of Maryland had joined the Confederate cause and this particular man had left the US Navy and joined the Confederate Navy. His name was Captain Raphael Semmes.

When he reached Terceira Island in the Azores he was greeted by Agent Bulloch and both began to oversee Enrica’s refitting. Another ship called Agrippina docked bringing special supplies for the newly constructed ship. This included ship’s cannon, coal, food and other necessities for a long voyage. When all of the loading had been completed, there was a small ceremony which took place about a mile off of the island in international waters. The men of all three ships Enrica, Bahama and Agripinna stood on Enrica’s quarter deck with 24 officers of the Rebel Southern States – all of them in full dress uniforms.

Captain Raphael Semmes read out his commission from President Jefferson Davis, which gave him the authority to take over the newly built ship. When he had finished his speech, musicians began to play “Dixie”. The British colours were lowered and the Confederate battle ensign was raised. As the new flag fluttered in the sea wind Captain Semmes proclaimed the vessel by a new name. Alabama – CSS Alabama.

The renamed C.S.S. Alabama and was converted into a Navy cruiser. The newly armed vessel would become a commerce raider and the world’s sea would have an abundance of Union shipping to attack in the name of the Confederacy.

There was one small dilemma that needed to be overcome. Captain Semmes had 24 officers but no crew. Confederate sailors were hard to come by in the Azores as none could be got out of the blockade. He looked to the mainly British crew that had bought the ship to the Azores as the civilian Enrica. He made a bold speech about the Southern cause and invited the Brits to sign up for an unspecified time. Unfortunately, the mainly British listeners were not too enthusiastic about a foreign civil war, so then he changed his tact, realising that Southern morality would not win Brit minds as opposed to the bulging wage packet. He therefore offered double wages, to be paid in gold, and additional prize money to be paid by Confederate congress for every destroyed Union ship. This induced a bold response as 83 excited Brits felt a sudden flurry of Rebel patriotism – in short Captain Semmes had acquired a crew of mercenaries that would prove to be well and truly up to the task at hand. He was still 20 men short but knew he could find more sailors in other ports. Many of the British mercenaries completed the full voyage – an extraordinary two year high sea adventure with Captain Semmes who they came to admire greatly.

Captain Semmes began his rampage instantly in the Eastern Atlantic capturing and destroying all northern merchant ships that the Alabama came upon. These vessels were mostly whalers and the Confederate raider accounted for ten of them. Captain Semmes then ranged north and back to Bermuda, attacking 13 more Union ships and destroying ten of these vessels.

He then took his ship to new hunting grounds in the West Indies and attacked more enemy commerce, making Union shipping dread the sight or name of C.S.S. Alabama. Then in January of 1863, when sailing in the Gulf of Mexico, Alabama came up against her first military vessel – a Union side wheeler called USS Hatteras. The Confederate ship quickly attacked and sank the ship, capturing the crew.

Next she went south off of the coast of Brazil and took 29 prizes, reeking havoc before venturing back across the Atlantic to South West Africa where she worked with another Confederate vessel called C.S.S. Tuscaloosa. Next she went into the Indian Ocean for six months and attacked and destroyed seven more Union vessels.

All together the C.S.S. Alabama was accountable for the destruction of 65 Union ships – mostly merchant vessels. Prisoners were never harmed and were handed to the nearest neutral ports or passing vessels. While roaming the seas and boarding vessels the C.S.S. Alabama never visited a Confederate port – she would have been incapable of breaking the blockade. She took over 2,000 prisoners without a single loss of life of her captured or crew.

In June of 1864, the C.S.S. Alabama docked at the port of Cherbourg in France to have repairs done. She had been at sea for a long time and was in need of overhaul. A pursuing Union sloop-of-war U.S.S. Kearsarge arrived outside of Cherbourg three days later and waited for the Alabama to leave port and come out into international waters. Before he had arrived, the Union Captain John Ancrum Winslow had telegraphed for assistance from man-o-war U.S.S. St Louis with supplies for a long blockade of the Confederate ship if Semmes chose to stay in the French port.

Captain Semmes was a fighting man by nature and would not entertain the notion of being blockaded in the port of Cherbourg. He chose to sail out and engage the U.S.S. Kearsarge

On the 19th of June, the Alabama sailed out to confront the U.S.S. Kearsarge. Cannon fire was exchanged and soon the two ships were locked in a duel with Alabama outmatched against the Union sloop-of-war. The Confederate ships most poignant shot was fired from a seven inch Blakely pivot rifle, which hit close to the Union vessel’s vulnerable stern post. The shell failed to explode. If it had done it would have crippled the ship’s steering.

The Union ship was armour clad and was more durable to shell fire. Eventually the Alabama began to wane due to the pounding and after an hour she was badly broken up. One shell tore into her amidships below the water line allowing water to gush in and drown her boilers. The Confederate ship began to sink.

As Alabama went down many of the survivors clambered into life boats and ship’s Doctor David Herbert Llewellyn managed to get many of his wounded patience aboard boats before going down with the ship. He was a Briton from Wiltshire and was awarded the Southern Cross of Honour. There is a memorial tablet and window commemorated to him in a church in Wiltshire and another tablet in Charing Cross Hospital where he once worked.

U.S.S. Kearsage picked up most of the survivors, but a further 41 men were rescued by a British yacht called Deerhound. Captain Semmes was among these men and he escaped to Britain.

Captain Semmes held good on his promise to the crew who were all paid in full when they got back to Britain. He returned to the Southern American States and finished the Civil war fighting on land with his naval men as infantry in the dying months of the war. The Confederate cause was lost and he was interned for a few months after the South surrendered to the Union. After the war, he became a judge and a newspaper editor. He died in 1877 age 67.

In 1984, the French Navy found the sunken wreck of the C.S.S. Alabama and since then there have been joint French and US archaeological dives of the wreck.