Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-12-13
Admiral semmes.

As this distinguished gentleman is now
an honored guest in our city, the follow
ing brief sketch OF his eventiul career
may prove interesting to the readers OF
the Courier
Admiral Semmes is native OF the
State OF Maryland, and was commander
in the old navy when the war broke out.
For the last twenty years he has been
citizen of Alabama. Immediately
upon the meeting Of the Provisional
Congress at Montgomery, Alabama, he
resigned his commission in the Federal
navy, and went South and rendered his
services TO the new government Soon
after the surrender Of Fort Sumter
he was placed in command OF the
Sumter, small steamer then hitting
out at New Orleans, and with which
he ran the blockade of that port
on the 30th of June, 1861. He cruised
in this ship some six or seven months,
during which he captured and DESTROYED
twenty. seven ships of the enemy. The
boilers of the Sumter being by this time
worn out, he was placed in command oil
the Alabama. He took this ship out OF
British waters as n merchant ship ana
prepared her for service at the Azores,
under the jurisdiction of Portugal. lie
cruised two years in this ship, visiting
the banks of Newfoundland, and coasts
of the United States, West Indies, and
North Atlantic, securing the coast OF
Brazil and sweeping the euemy's com
merce before him. Thence he proceeded
TO the Cape of Good Hope, South Indian
ocean, j Japan and Chinese seas, capturing
and destroying as he went; returning
through the Bay of Bengal and sweeping
down the coast of Africa, between the
Madagascar and the main land and re-
appearing off the Cape of Good Hope, In
the spring of 1864 His ship being by
this time in want of repairs, he returned
to Europe for the purpose, and put into
the port of Cherbourg. The enemy's
steamer Kearsarge having appeared off
Cherbourg before the Alabama could 60
into dock, the latter went out and en-
gagged her, and was sunk, as our readers
know. in the unequal contest, toward the
close of the war. The Alabama had pre-
viously to this sunk the Federal gunboat
Hatteras off Galveston. The damage
inflicted by this single ship on the
Federal commerce is incalculsble,
for the United States retained less
than half their carrying trade at
the end of the war, and from q third to
one half of her ships of commerce had
either been destroyed or driven for shell
ter under neutral flags, by means of
forced or fraudulent sales and simulated
papers Upon the destruction of his
ship, Captain Semmes returned to the
Confederate States, and, making his way
to Richmond, was promoted to the rank
of Admiral and placed in command OF
the James river feet Upon the sur
render of Lee he blew up the ships
of his fleet, threw his sailors on
shore, and making good his retreat
through General Grants lines Joined
the army of General Joe Johnston, as a
Brgadier General, finally surrendering
with this officer at Greensboro, North
Carolina, being admitted to parole on the
same terms with the officers of the army,
Since the surrender, the Admiral has
been practicing his alternate profession
of the law, at Mobile. More recently he
has, in obedience TO generally expressed
wish, delivered q series Of lectures, in
the principal Southern cities, which have
been received with marked favor. Our
readers will discover tonight, that, as in
his profession as sailor, he is thor
ough master of whatever he undertakes,
Louisville Courier.