The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-03-13
MRS. RAPHAEL SEMMES


rial association; the active supporter of
the orphan and the homeless-Mrs.
Raphael Semmes passed beautiful life
of activity, earnestness and charity.
Anne e. Spencer, born in Cincinnati,
Ohio, June 3 1873. was of an illustrious
family of progenitors, who were patriots
am founders" of the great republic; who,
in turn, so back in unbroken line to
some Of the most distinguished men that
have illustrated the pages of history The
Spencers, the Beauchamps of the Bear
and Ragged Staff. to William the Con-
queror. and to Matilda, his wife, and on
to Pharamond of France.
More Immediately, her fathers father
was distinguished officer in the Revolu-
tiona-y army: wounded in the battle OF
the Brandywine. where he commanded a
regiment, raised and equipped at his own
expense.
Her rather Oliver NJ. Spencer, when a
boy Ct ten years of age, was captured
by the Indians and held in captivity for
eleven months, and finally restored to
the arms of his distracted parents,
tL.ough the direct efforts of George
Washington.
Anne Spencer was the one daughter in
a family of eleven brothers. She was
educated. partly. by the celebrated Mrs.
Tevis. of Shclbyyille, Ky, and partly at
the fashionable boarding school of Mes
phiI.
On her entrance into society. Anne
Spencer was a stately, handsome girl
with regular chiseled features, brilliant
brunette complexion, with great soulful
hazel eyes and sweet and charming
mouth with manners cordial, winning,
and graceful, bespealNing the true and
noble woman.
One brief year she enjoyed her girlish
social triumphs, and on May 2, 1885, she
was married to Raphael Semmes, then a
young lieutenant in the United States
nav, afterwards to become the famous
sea captain of the great and glorious, but
short-lived Confederate states. The young
couple followed the usual routine of naval
life, seasons of separation during sea
service, and domestic tranquility and hap
piness during shore leave, or shore SER
vice.
Three brave sons and three fair daugh-
tiers were born to them. and now, in a
| quiet, retired country home on the west
bank of the Perdido river, and now, In
| a plantation home on the Tombigbee, or
| in the environs of Mobile the years
flowed TRANQUILITY on. The secession Of
| the State of Alabama found them doni-
| ciled r the City of Washington where
Captain Semmes was on shore duty, as
| secretary of the lighthouse board.
| Raphael Semmes, recognizing what he
in sunder the ties that bound him to
! the Federal navy, despite the fears and
| tears of his de-oted wife, and came to
Montgomery Immediately that his resig-
nation had been accepted, leaving to his
! wife the task of breaking up their home
in Washington. How little the long bit
| ter struggle 7tas foreseen, may be judged
| from Captain Semmes' Instructions to
| his wife:
Break up here, take our children 10
spend month or two with my dear
| brother in Maryland. then go for lit
| tie visit to your brothers in Cincinnati
an. by that time, perhaps, things may
| be settled. When the fall comes go to
| our country home in Alabama. there to
| await events"
These instructions were carried out. The
| visit to Cumberland in Maryland was
| made. and Mrs. Semmes with two girls
| am. her youngest son was with her
| brothers in Cincinnati. when Fort sum-
| ter fell. Ninet.' days troops were called
| for by Mr.. Lincoln. AS soon as Mrs.
Semmes realized that war was on in
| earnest, she endeavored to return to Ala
| bama. But by this time military cordons
| had been established about the cities on
! the border states, and the general In
| command at Cincinnati refused her per-
| 7 issol to leave, for Captain Semmes had
| passed the blockading squadron at New
|
| dauntless little Sumter to begin his mar
| velous career on the ocean. and so 1t was
| deemed wise by the Washington govern
! ment tc hold his family as a sort OF hos
| tago.
Almost two years of the war. Mrs.
| Semmes and her little family lived most
| retired life in Cincinnati, sheltered by
| her brothers. How full of pain and fore
| boding, as well of petty trials and
| sometimes even of currish insults. If
| the young daughters appeared on the
| street or in church. unkind and often I'M
| true newspaper paragraphs were the re-
| suit.
| paper boys would yell beneath their
window: "All about the capture of the
| Sumter and the pirate Semmes," and
| Mrs. Semmes would SILVER, and the girls
| weep bitter tears
During these sad weary months, one
| solace was hers; she received occasional
| letters from her husband under cover
| of others, but none from her eldest sons,
| who we're being tried in battle, exposed
to the dread d-nger of shot and shell;
| an she, like so many thousands of other
| 0men all over the south, could but
| wait and pray.
| At last came a happy day for the iso-
| lated family. Maj. Gen. II. G. Wright
| then iE command in Cincinnati In
| APRIL, issued a peremtory order for Mrs
| Semmes and her family to cross into
| the southern lines.
| Why or wherefore, after permission to
| do SO had been SO persistently refused
| was neN er known. Under the military es-
| cort of Lieutenant Pell, of General
| W lights staff. Mrs. Semmes. her two
| eldest daughters and young SON. Raphael
| WEI taken to Baltimore, to Bernum
| hotel, where the youngest girl. who had
| bee. attending school at the Convent OF
| the Sacred Heart in Philadelphia, Joined
| them. Great attention was showered
| upon Mrs. Semmes and her family by
| the generous-hearted people of Baltimore
| so loyal to the cause of the south, even
| though under the despots heel" At a
/ dinner party given at the hospitable
home OF Mr. Charles Dougherty, proofs
| of this loyalty were much in evidence
| though Mr. Pell, military escort, had
been invited and as present. The next
morning, General Schenck, commanding
| at Baltimore, gave orders that Mrs
| Semmes and her daughters should remain
| secluded in their rooms at the hotel until
| tn departure of the steamer for Fortress
| Monroe. and Mr.. Pel was severely rep
| rimandcd for permitting the drinking OF
| rebel toasts," and reasonable speeches
| i'm IS presence and General Schenck then
| pro ceeaed to repeat every thing that had
| been said and done at that dinner, show
| ing how thorough was his spy system.
| TO Fortress Monroe by steamer and
| thea transferred to Il flag OF truce boat
4 bound for City Point on the James river
| and be it said here, parenthetically, that
| nn,,er these movements ordered by the
| tinted States government, Mrs. Semmes
| ha. been required to defray all the heavy
| axneuspg At City Point, the