Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-09-27
officers and crew of the Alabama we're to re

ceive from the Confederate Government one
half the value of all American vessels des
troyed, and the whole value of all that were
bonded, but their claims we're, of course, never
paid. The reason why the prizes were des
troyed was that the Alabama was not allowed
to take the vessels which she captured into
the ports of any foreign country to be con
demned. The officers and crew Of all cap
tured vessels were very kindly treated while
on board the Alabama. During the day hall
of them were allowed to be on deck at all
times, mingling with the crew, while the re-
mainder we're Kept below. At night all Of
them, of course, were confined. The officers
and crews of captured vessels were also al
lowed to take with them all of their private
property, but none Of that belonging to the
vessel. -.
The gentleman already referred to says that
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 were
almost exclusively Yankee sailors from cap
tured vessels. In some instances the entire
crews of whalers desired to enlist under Ad
miral 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 remainder of the crew, of between fifty
and sixty, was made up almost entirely Of
Yankee sailors.
The same gentlemen tells an amusing an
ecdote of Semmes' experience in the port Of
Bahia, in Brazil. He sent an officer to in
form the Governor of his intention of leaving
but the Governor was unwilling to give bis
consent, and replied that, according to the
regulations of the port, vessels were not al
lowed to leave after o'clock in the afternoon.
The captain of little Portuguese man. OF
war, which was in the harbor, volunteered his
services to prevent the departure of the Ala
bama. When Semmes was informed of this
he was greatly excited. "He does, does her,
he exclaimed, as he paced up and down the
deck. "D-n him, I'll spoil his paint for
him." Shortly after, the Alabama weighed
her anchor and got under way. Sailing very
close to the little Portuguese man-of.war, she
saluted her flag with twenty.one guns, and
when the smoke cleared away, the Portuguese
vessel, which was painted white, was as black
as a collier. There was no interference with
the sailing of the Alabama.
When in Mobile in 1874, I formed the &C.
quaintance of Admiral Semmes, who was at
that time practicing law in that city. His
Law Office was on cross-street, not far from
the customhouse. Like the Offices of most
Southern lawyers, it had little about it that
was attractive. The floor was bare, the books
were not plentiful and the furniture was mea'
gre. The Admiral was rather Insignificant in
personal appearance, short of stature, quite
erect, with small grey eye, and beard that
would have been gray, had it not been dyed.
The latter consisted of fierce moustache
and imperial, which, with his overhanging
eyebrows, gave to him rather ferocious as
pect. He was dressed in loose, light costume,
and his wide pantaloons did not hide the fact
that he was bow.legged. In conversation he
was courteous and pleasing. I do not think
the Admiral was very successful as a lawyer.
Gentlemen who practiced at the bar with him
in Mobile told me that, while in private he was
very genial in his intercourse with lawyers,
in court, and in the transaction of business
generally. he displayed too much of the i'm
perious quarterback demeanor to make him
popular.