The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-09-13

tauls wac allowed TO take eay article
ffogd prize, The gentleman who de.
scRibes this service ssys that he was once
very severely punished by tho captain Of
the Georgia for taking ffom the cabin OF
q vessel that was captured o sewing bird,
worth only few cents.
BY law of the Confederate Congress.
the officers aud crew of the Alabama
wero 20 receive from the Confederate
Government one-half the value of oil
America vessels destroyed, and tbe
whole value Of ell that wefo bonded, but
their claims were, of course, never paid.
The reason Why prizes were destroyed
was that the Alabama was not allowed
70 take v1Nseio which she captured iGto
the ports Of any foreign country to be
condemned. The officers and crews OF
all captured vessels were very kindly
treated while on board the Alabama.
During the day half OF them were al.
lowed 70 DO on deck ct all times, ming
ling with the crew, while the remainder
were kept below. AZ night all OF them,
of course, wera confined. The officers
and crews of captured vessels were also
allowed to take with them all Of their
private property, but none Of that be.
longing TO the vessel.
The gentleman already referred to says
that q very erroneous idea prevails in the
North that the crew Of the Alabama was
composed Of English and Southern men.
On the other hand, during the most Of
the time they wero almost exclusively
Yankee sailors from captured veasels.
In some instances the entire c7eWs of
whaleEs desired to enlist under Admiral
Semmes. The Admiral was accustomed
to tell them that the United States would
hang them all If they were caught, but
the reply generally was that they did not
care, they would take the chances Of that.
When the Georgia ran the blockade at
New Orleans, an officer, who was on
board of her, says she had only nine
Southern men on board, and the re-
mainder of her crew, of between City and
sixty, was made up almost entirely of
Yankee sailors.
The eaua gentleman tells IN amusing
anecdote Semmes's experience In The
port OF Bahia, in Brazil. He sent an
officer % inform the Governor of his in.
tention of leaving, but the Governor was
unwilling TO give his consent, ard replied
that according to the regulations Of the
port, vessels we're not allowed to leave
after 4 O'Clock in the afternoon. The
captain of O little Portuguese man-of.war
which was in the herbor volunteered his
services to prevent the departure of the
Alabama. When Semmes was informed
of this he was greatly excited. "He
does, does he2" no exclaimed, as he
paced up and down the deck. ''D--,.
him, I'll spoil his paint for him." Short
ly after, the Alabama weighed her anchor
and got under way. Sailing around very
cloee to the little Portuguese man-of. war,
che ealuted her flag with twenty-one
guns, and when the smoke cleared away
the Portuguese vessel, which was painted
white, was as black as collier. There
was 20 interference with sailing OF the
Alabama.
When in Mobile, in 1874, formed the
acquaintance of Adp-'ral Semmes, who
was at that tinle practicing law in that
oity. His law Office was on cross-street,
not far from the customhouse. Like tho
Offices Of most Southern lawyers, It had
little about it that vas attractive. The
floor was bare, the books were not plenti.
ful and the furniture was meagre. The
A;s::Es. Tsss rather Insignificant insignificant ;u Le.
sonal appearance. ahcrt in stature. quite
erect, with small, aharp gray eye, and
hair and beard TINT would have been
gray, had it not been dyed. The latter
consisted Of fierce moustache and i'm.
periel, which, with his overhsnging eye.
hrows, gave to him rather ferocions as
pect. He was was dressed in loose, light
costume, and his wide pantaloons did no;
hide the fact that he was very bow.
legged. In conversation he was courts-
ous and pleasing. I do not think tEs
Admiral was very successful as O lawyer
Gentlemen who practiced at the bar with
him in Mobile told me that, while In
private he was very genial in his inter,
oouTae with lawyers, in court, and il
the transaction of business generally, be
displayed too much of the imperioul
quarterback demeaDor to make him pop.
ular.