The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-10-02
RAPHAEL SENNZES
Ills Memory Hszored All Over The Ssglh-
Iaad On Last Monday.
Was GREAT NAVAL HERO

The One Hundredth Anniversary IA
the Birth of the Only Confederate
Admiral Marked With Public CcF-
cnonies in Several of the Southern
States.
At many points in the South on
Monday, but especially at Baltimore,
the chief city of his native State,
in New Orleans, where he it. greatly
I.beloued,,.at Mobile and Montgomery,
in the State of his adoption, and sew
e-al other places, honor was paid TO
Admiral Raphael Semmes. Born one
hundred years ago, Admiral Semmes
died in 1877, passing into history
a.. "the Paul Jones Of the Confeder-
acy" America has hardly produced
4 greater sailor.
Fifth in descent from a native OF
Normandy who came over in 1910
with Lord Baltimore. Raphael
Semmes received a high school edU-
cation and then found his way into
the navy as midshipman, there De
ing no naval academy in eXistanee
at the time. He rendered valiant
and efficient service in the Mexican
war and had attained the rank OF
commander when war between the
sections. broke out. With his first
command, the Sumter, clumsy oM
boat propelled by both steam and saiS
Semmes captured seventeen northern
merchantmen.
Blockaded by three Federal way
ships at Gibraltar, he sold the vessel
and proceeded with his officers to-
the Bahama Islands On July 80,
l1862, the Alabama, thenceforth fa-
NOUS, was permitted by British aJ-
/ thorities. to sail from Liverpool;
| where she had been built as MO-
E20O," her guns and war munitions
| she received in the Azores. Then De
gan one OF the most wonderful
careers which any vessel ever had.
Within the twenty months Of Der
existance the Alabama captured eS.
northern merchantmen, burning
most Of them at sea for the reason.
I that few ports were open to theaT
E reception. Size sank the Fedesaa
warship Hatteras after thirteen zii5r.- n.
Eutes' actual fghting. In June, 1869,
ESemmes accepted challenge to bat
,Etle given by Captain Winslow, Of
1.-The Federal warship Kearsarge, at
Cherbourg. France, though be was
under no strategical or other need
to do so.
| Apparently about the Alabama's
strength, the Kearsarge was IN reai'y
armored heavily with chains undeS
her outer planking, so that her az n
versary was surprised to see h's l1'
shot rebounded with little in1ofy.
Moreover, the Alabama's powaef ha''
deteriorated during many monfs. =
passed in tropical climates; a shell
I placed in the steering gear of Ia,
|. Kearsarge failed to explode when iss
explosion would have rendered the
Federal vessel helpless.
Unaer,these disadvantages the Ala
bama fought a brave but foredoomed
contest, finally going down. Her Of
fcers and crew were saved by the
English yacht Deerhound. Admiral
Semmes later complained that Cap
tain Winslow had lured him into q
combat through specifically faise
statements, namely, by representing
that the two ships we're on an e9ual
footing when in fact the kearsargs
had armor concealed.
The Alabama was fine vessel Of
about nine hundred tons and 23o feet
length, built for both steam and
sails. Her best speed with all her
resources used was about thirteen
knots, or fourteen miles an hour
She usually ran down her prises,
when they were sailing vessels, uDder
Fail alone, and such was Scmmcs'
pride in her sailing qualities that ne
would sometimes prolong the chase
greatly rather than resort to steam:
The havoc which she worked to
the American flag on the high seas
has never since been repaired. EIG--
land had to pay fifteen million dollars
! for turning her loose, but from the
standpoint OF commercial advantage
this money was repaid many foid.
AS far as their personal preferences
were concerned, Semmes and MS
mea would have preferred aghting
to prize making. but there was ne1er
day when the hostile epithet of
pirate" would justly be applied.
The Alabama was commissioned
after acquisition in foreign port,
but so was Paul Jones Bon Homma
Richard. Scmmes cannot be re-
preached on this score without in
volving Jones. In Service Affoat'
Admiral Semmes tells in effective
style the story OF his stirring months
on the Sumter and Alabama. We
! advise any ole who may never have
| read il TO repair the omission.