The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-01-04
RAPHAEL SEMlNES.
sia Arp Has Been Reading "sesvics
Aflaai."
aE WAS VERY MUCH INTERESTED.
Biil Writes About the CouSoAoruAs
Admiral and hls Work Dsrtag -
Civil War.

IL could oaoose only tvo eccks 10
leave as a legacy for my children 10
learn the true history OF our civil var.
It's causes and results. would take
that OF Gregg for the land and
Semmes fcr the seas. In a former
letter ! was pleased 10 give che fsst
my hearty commeadation and ncw
since ] have just concluded the PERI
sal OF Service Afioat." by Admiral
Senmcs. I Iluft say the author far ex-
eeeded my expectations In statesman
ship and style and attractive narrative
" the wonderful work OF che SumtH
md Alabama as confederate cruisers on
the high seas. The truth IL that their
work OF capture and destruction was
20 remote from us and 30 few wit
lesses 10 u with no telegraph. no
oress dispatches that our people al
most forgot where they were or whai
hey were doing. oaly At long In
ervais did any news OF them come 20
rs and even that news came from the
north and was partially smothersd
and always smirched with mailgaity.
The admiral VAS a scholar, q law
FER. an editor and a profound states
md his history shows him 10 have
been n student of the science OF gov
Hrnment and the formation OF our na-
tional compact. His utterances are
fearless and convincing and his mar
ratiye reads Ike romance. This
work contains no biographical sketch
Of the man and I had to tura to Ap-
pleton's American biography to ind
out who he was and what ne Was do
ing before the war. Appleton 10 al
ways Just TO southern men. whether
they be statesmen or heroes. In most
Of the northern cyclopedias OF bio
graphy you viii find no mention u
Gordon. ColQultt. Bar;ow. Pat Gle
bern or OF scores OF men whom our
people delight TO honor. but lengthy
sketches OF every small republican
member OF Congress and the ped gree
Of every race horse that ever became
'amous. Appleton has left out the
horses and put In all our famous men.
Appleton tells Us that Raphael
Semmes was born in Maryland In
500; was senl TO the naval academy
in 1926; commissioned a lieutenant in
1882; studied law two yelrs and then
| returned to sea service and cruised
around the world. When the war
with Mexico was declared he was
made flag lieutenant OF the admirai's
ship and placed In charge OF the na-
val batteries in the siege OF Vera
Cruz-the admiral leaning uron him
there just as Dewey leaned upon Tom
! Brumby at Manila. When secession
>ame he promptly resigned his COM
mission as commandant OF the light
house bureau and rendered bis SER
wees TO the confederacy. The Sumter,
hen In port az New Orleans, was the
only vessel al all suitable for his pur-
pose. IL required months 10 put her
In warlike condition. but as he says
L liked her general appearance. Her
lines were easy ard graceful and she
had saucy air about her that seem
| I'd to be longing for a fight" What n
wonderful career was In store for that
| old patched up vessel Semmes soon
organized her officers and crew and
our own John Mcintosh KeIl was his
dag Lieutenant. The admiral always
mentions him with affection and high
regard-"my ever trusted friend" my
brave. patriotic ard reliable first lieu
tenant" always ready, always true"
And he still lives an ornament to Geor.
| gla, and the South-the last OF the old
Romans. What memories he must
have of those trying scenes OF which
he was part. Just think OF II. The
Sumter captured seventeen ships with
N six months and done millions Of dol
lars damage TO Northern commerce
! and paralyzed her trade. Six OF her
best ships Of war were constantly in
pursuit Of her. Her officers and crew
were proclaimed as pirates and large
rewards offered for them.
Friends. young men Of the South
get these books and peruse them slow
iy, carefully and they will make fast
, your Southern patriotism and iii your
/ boso:ns with a fresh glow Of Southern
J pride-they contain thoughts that
breathe and words that burn. You
may have already read some so-cslied
books OF Semmes. But be declares In
| this volume that he did no. write them
and they were got up only for sale and
are miserable abortions. This book n
published by J. p. Kennedy. In New
| York. / do not know the price. but
that does not matter. buy II and read
| II. IL you begin II you will surely
continue. for Maryatt never wrote
more charmingly In his romsnce CT
the seas. Semmes removed TO Mobile.
| Ala, away back in the 30's. and ever
| afterwards claimed that State as his
adopted mother nd named his second
cruiser for her. He lost his vessel in
the fight with the Kearsarge. for be
| did not know that that vessel was cas-
! ed in a concealed armor plate. while
his own was but wood. That was q
| yankee trick. Just before he surrfn-
dered he threw his sword high tn the
air and IL fell deep down In the sea.
| where II EtIll remains.
But the war was then about over and
the Alabama could not have done
much more damage. Six months afts,
Lee and JohnEton's surrender Eemm-s
was arrested In Mobile and imprisoned
charged with piracy, but be Was neves
tried for the same reason that Jeffef.
son Davis was never triad. Andres
johnson then released him and hs
published a paper In Mobile until 1877,
when he peacefully died.
Well. our family froiic Il over. Tho
show Of II and the pleasant hilar.ty
OF the occasion with all the delightful
surprises and rejoiclngs passed away
most happily. but the sweet perfume ol
love and affection that Christmas
brought with Il remains with us sfiIi
We had nIneteen cf tie family with M
al the table. bu; the boys were all as
sent and all we coald DO was To iil on:
glasses with water and In silence driai
to- their health and happiness fror
New York TO Mexico. They sent .,
kind, loving letters and telegrazas tia.
gave US comfort and they promise u
their. presence at tie next Chr.stmai
gathering. Nay we all be hsre IN III.
| .nd he>lt< fs c,rr u-ayer-Bu Arm ir