The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-08-18
FEARLESS SEMMES.
ONE OF The MOST DARING MEN WHO
EVER TRoD A DECK.


Terror of the sea-His Dramatic Leap
Overheard When She Sank.
Semmes was born in Maryland in 1909.
He was appointed midshipman when he
was II, in 1896, but it was 1886 before he
entered the service. He was made lieu
tenant the next year and during the siege
of Vera Cruz commanded battery. He
received command of the United States
brig Somers, named after the gallant hero
of Tripoli, but the Somers went down in
gale. Somers seems to be an i'll fated
name for American war vessels.
Until the civil war broke out Semmes
was inspector of lighthouses along the gulf
Raphael Semmes started in at once to
serve the Confcderacy. He made trip
through the north and bought war ma
! terial and hired mechanics skilled in the
construction Of guns and ordnance. Thou
sands of tons of ordnance and powder were
shipped south, and Semmes on his return
received command of the Sumter She was
blockaded at Gibraltar, so he sold her and
went to the Azores to take command of
the Alabama.
Then started n career which can scarce
ly be duplicated in the naval history of the
world For two years the Alabama sailed,
sweeping the seas with a thoroughncss
which amazed the world, With no ports
save England's open to him he made
cruise of nearly SO, 900 miles, and his
cruise was marked and charted by burn
ing ships
The Alabama was no formidable vessel
Her tonnage was but 1, 600 Her speed was
10 knots, and her armament was one
inch shotgun aft inch 100 FOUNDER for
ward and six 32 Founders. She cost $780,
000 Her crew were mostly hardy British
tars but on the decks were good Ameri-
cans, thorough scamen and daring fight
ers. The crew numbered S5 mon The
Alabama was furnished by an English
member of parliament But her career of
daredevil recklessness and her final cap
turo is a story that has no equal in the an
nails of the sea save in the eighteenth cen
tury exploits of the freebooters.
In September, 1862 the Alabama cap
tured her first prize the Ocmulgee, a
whaler. The sea then was dotted white
with sailing vessels from New England.
They proved easy prey for Semmes. He
| first plundered vessel and then burned
her. The Alabama went everywhere. She
sailed and steamed up close to New York
and there got newspapers from prizes.
From these newspapers Semmes took the
list of departing vessels and lay in wait
for them. By means of these newspapers
he also managed to elude the fleet Of pur
suers.
Semmes' career filled England with
wonder. AS report after report came in of
captures and fights as the little sea hornet
darted here and there and left in its wake
a long line of plundered ships and burned
vessels the English were filed with de-
sire to gain privately from Semmes' in
trepidity and recklessness. A syndicate
was formed to buy captured ships. 1t was
| proposed to land them ON the Hottentot
coast. AS surety good English gold was
| given Semmes and his crew, but the syn
dleate got no prizes.
So Semmes made his rs, 900 mile cruise
in two years. He had captured single
| handed 63 American vessels. Fifty three
had been destroyed, nine released ON ran
som bonds and one made into q tender
The Alabama had inflicted an incredible
loss on American shipping. Suspected
Alabamas had been sighted by war vessels
from the north time and again, but never
the sight of the hull of the real vessel had
| been seen. Merchantmen were continual
| ly on the watch for this ubiquitous vessel
and they trembled at the sight of every
unknown craft. 1t was an evil day for
shipping. This spccter Of the deep swept
the seas everywhere, and there seemed to
be no safety whatever,
But on June IL, 1864, the Alabama was
sighted IN the harbor of Cherbourg
| France. The north thrilled with the news
and all manner of boats started in pursuit
The Kearsarge was at Flushing, England,
and Captain Winslow steamed for battle,
! The Alabama was both steam and sailing
vessel Her screw could be hoisted out of
| the water when she wished to sail, and
each method of propulsion was entirely in
| dependent of the other.
Semmes might have escaped by flight,
! but Semmes was an American. He did
not know it, but his powder was aged and
damaged. His shells were defective. They
would not explode His guns were old
and incapable. But Semmes knew his
hardened, toughened crew. He knew his
own ability, and he would not finch. The
Alabama opened with her starboard bat
terry. Semmes tried TO close, but the bull
warks of the Alabama were torn away and
| the pivot gun was disabled. The Alabama
began to leak. She hardly responded to
her helm. An IL inch shell exploded in
the engine room. The Alabama gave the
death shiver.
Sails were set In the hopes Of reaching
the French coast, where thousands were
lined up to see the great duel.
''All hands save yourselvesl' was given,
and the wounded dispatched In the only
boat which was not shot to pieces. Semmes
and his officers in full uniform stood on
deck. The Alabama was rapidly sinking,
its famous career was over. Semmes step
ped to the edge of the deck and threw his
sword into the sea- Then he followed.
He was picked up by the English yacht
Deerhound and escaped to London, where
he became hero. They presented him
with swords and toasted and feted him
continually. He made his way back to
the south through Mexico He was made
rear admiral in command of the James
river squadron and guarded the approaches
to Richmond until the close of the war.
Semmes died in Mobile, Ala, in 1877.
After tho war he was II lawyer, judge, edi-
tor and author. There is no doubt that foI
intrepidity and daring no American has
ever commanded vessel who surpassed
him In sheer courage. He was also ex'
tremely skillful, q good tactician and an