Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-10-01
SEMMES' PICTURESQUE CAREER.

picturesque character exciting of the
most remarkable among the heroes of the Confdracy recalled
by the held in Alabama Louisiana and Maryland
of the hundredh anniversary of the birth of
It in Maryland born hundred years
Mondays in Louisiana he fitted the Sumter which did such
deadly execution to United States merchant vessels before the
launching of the Alabama and in the state of Alabama ne spent
the of his maurer manhood and finally passed
1t the quiet routine of secretary of the light house
board of the United States that he spending his time when
the civil began Almost Immediately after his resignation
IN the spring of 1861 he was assigned to naval duty by President
Davis His first charge fit out the Sumter which succeeded
in making eighteen captures before declared uneaworhy
Gra and he assigned take charge of the Alabama
which was being built in the Mersey, at Birkenhead
Listed simply No, 29O," the historic vessel
completion United States suspected the
real purpose for which it was designed
1t had been held lawful to build vessels for belgeren IN
neutral ports and lawful to purchase guns and ammunition IN
neutral ports but had been held to be unlawful to equip with
and warke stores vessel built for begeren previous
to her leaving the neutral jurisdiction
United that the very construction of
emo 290 different from that of trading vessels that
constituted an equipment for war;
Just when the question up finally before
suspended the departure of emo 29O could have been
delayed while legal determined the United States
But the AIabama-as 'No 29O
of the Mersey and its way the island of
Trcea where Captain Semmes and his officers Joined her and
the equipment made complete
1862 within the eleven he captured and burned
property whose value exceeded the entire of the Alabama
One OF his early achievements with ms new vessel was to give
battle the United States gunboa Haeras which sunk
after few broadside and then monoonous succession
of captures until sxv vessels had been taken and in most
instances destroyed.
The direct damage great but the terror which the
of Semmes and the Alabama spread throughout the merchant
Of the United States the high of
which had to pay still runous
For nearly the Alabama the terror of the high
when became for her this side
the Atlantic she sailed to the Cape of Good Hope.
Greatly needing repairs she finally put atCherbourg and
duels of warfare
the combat between the Alabama and the Kearsarge
With every advantage against him. including the armored
belt of the Kearsag of which Semmes did know the time
he made gallant fight the naval annals of country
show but his last destroyed and abandoned the
brave commander and his making escape.
The Alabama claims against England irrita-
ton between that country and the United States for many years.
and finally settled until 1872 when award given
in favor of the United States amounting fifteen million
hundred and ninetythr thousand dollars.
The life and adventures of Admiral Semmes constitute
thrilling chapter in the stirring story of the Confederacy and
fitting that his memory should be Aonored throughout the south
on the centenary of his birth.