Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1866-01-12
Letter from Raphael Semmes to his Broth
CIR, Samuel III. Semmes.

gcncer, with the following letter written by |
Raphael Semmes, late commander Of the
Rebel cruiser Alabama, and now awaiting
trial in this city, written by him in August
last to his brother, Samuel NJ Semmes, at
Cumberland, Md:
MONTE, ALA, August p, 1865.
My Dear BrotAer:-The cessation of the
war leaves me at liberty to renew my cores
pondence with you, without subjecting you
to suspicion and annoyance y and | need not
say to you how grateful to the warnings, Of
my heartis this long suspended privilege
You have been frequently in my thoughts
during our unfortunate struggle, and have
felt much solicitude on your account, less a
part Of the odiuln and ill-will which a ZEAL
Gus performance Of my duty has called down
upon my head from q mad nation" should
attach to you and your family, and operate
to your injury. Indeed, | have no doubt
but that the prejudice against me was the Sc
cret Of the barbarous and malignant perseeu-
ton Of your son, of which heard only d
few days since from my wife's friend and re-
lation, Mrs Judge Spencer, Of Cincinnati. !
I have never inquired as to your opinions and
conduct during the war, being content to
leave you the same liberty of choice and ac-
ton that I claimed for myself. I knew that
whatever you did, you would do like man
Of honor, and [ rested satisfied. Besides,
you had been for. some time retired FROM ac-
tive life by your want of health. As for
nlyself, 7 have nothing to regret, save only
the loss Ct our independence, NJ J conscience
which is the only earthly tribunal Of which
a good man, should be afraid, bears me Wit
ness Of the uprightness Of my intention in
choosing my course when, with many regrets
[ severed my connection with the old Gov
elnnent and fastened to the defence of my
home and section and now, upon reviewing
the whole of my subsequent career, | can
see no act with which I have to reproach my
self as unbecolning a man Of honor and a
gentleman Improved the Secession move.
mcnt Of the Southern States, though | had
no agency IN it. [ thought that a separation
of those two sections Of our Republic, which
had been engaged in deadly moral conflict
for thirty years. would ultimately result to
the great disadvantage Of them both. The
world was wide enough for them to live apart,
and peace, I thought, would be the fruit Of
their mutual independence Of each other
Although I cared very little about the insti-
tuition of slavery, thought that the sllbor-
dinate position Of the inferior race was its
proper position. believed that the doctrine
Of State Rights was tie only doctrine which
would save our Republic from the fate Of all
other Republics that had gone before us, III
tie history of the world I believed that
this doctrine had been violated, and that it
would never be sufficiently respected by the
controlling masses Of the Northern section to
prevent them from defacing with sacrilegious
h n Is, or natl onal bond Of Union, whereso
ever It's L. tier was meant to guard the pecll-
liar rights Of the South. Believing this,
there was but one course which q faithful
Southern man could pursue, and maintain
his self-respect. | pursued that course
When the alternative was presented to me Of
adhering to the allegiance due to my State or
to the United States, chose the former
Having taken my side, gave it jealous and
earnest support.
I spent four years in active service, and
only ceased to labor for my cause when
it was no longer possible. l rendered
this service without ever having treated
prisoner otherwise than humanely, and
may say, often kindly and without ever hay
ing committed an act Of war at any time, or
in aay manner, which was not sanctioned by
the laws of war; yet my name will probably
60 down to posterity in the untruthful histo-
RES thatlwil be written by bigoted and venal
historians as a sort of Blue Beard Or Captain
Kidd. But am content, my brother. Mysi
fconsciencei is clear; my self-respect has been
preserved; and my sense of manhood remains
unimpaired think, too, the South will be
content notwithstanding her immense losses
and sacrifices. IF she had yielded to the in
tolerant .exactions Of Northern selfshness
and fanaticism, without appealing to the ar
bitrament Of war, she would have played q
craven an unworthy part.
It is better to lose everything than our
honor and manhood I know you will be-
Eeve me, my brother, when I tell you that ]
should feel greatly humbled in my own opin-
ion, were ] this day entitled to wear an ad-
nliraPs flag in the old navy, and in posses
sion of all the means and appliances Of
wealth, il thought my honors and rewards
had been gained by sacrifice Of creed. The
preservation Of my own sef-respect is inf |
nitely preferable to all such gains. ! have
come out Of the war poor, but, God willing,
I shall make a support for ny family. The
President treats NE as an outlaw, unworthy
of amnesty. / have nothing to say, If |
am deemed unworthy as a citizen, can re-
main in my native land as an alien. A mag
unanimous people would have passed an act
of general amnesty, it being absurd and RI
diculous to talk about rebels and traitors in
connection with such a revolution as has
swept over the length and breadth Of this
land in which States, and not individuals
merely, were the actcrs, But enough Of this
subject.
| am still in Mobile, but it is yet uncer
tain where | shall go or what / shall do. #
| save FIVE or six thousand dollars out OF
the wreck Of my affairs it will be fully as
much as expect. ! think Of retiring into
Al e. | can