The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-10-06
RAPHAEL SEMMES
His Memory Honared All Over the South
land On Last Monday.
WAS GREAT NAVAL HERO.

WAS GREAT NAVAL HERO.
The One Hundredth Anniversary Of
the Birth of the Only Confederate
Admiral Marked With Public Ger.
emonies 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 is greatly
beloved. at Mobile and Montgomery,
In the State Of his adoption. and sew
oral other places, honor was paid to
Admiral Raphael Senmes. Born one
hundred years ago, Admiral Semmes
lied In 1877, passing into history
as the Paul Jones Of the Confeder.
acy." America has hardly produced
l greater sailor
Fifth In descent from q native Of
Normandy who came over. In 1910
with Lord Baltimore, Raphael
Semmes received q high school edu-
cation and. then found his way into
the navy as midshipman, there be-
ing no naval academy In existanee
1T the time. He, rendered valiant
and efficient service in the Mexican
war and had attained the rank of
commander when var between the
sections broke out. With his first
command. the Sumter. a clumsy old
boat propelled by both steam and sail
Semmes captured seventeen northern
merchantmen.
Blockaded by three Federal war
ships at Gibraltar, he, sold the vessel
and proceeded with his officers to
the Bahama Islands. On July 20,
1852, the Alabama, thenceforfh Ia
nous, was permitted by British an.
thorities to sail from Liverpool.
where she had been built az "No.
ZOO" her guns and wal munitions
she received in the Azores. Then be.
gan one of the most wonderful
careers which any vessel ever had.
Within the twenty months OF her
%sxietance the Alabama captured 90
northern merchantmen, burning
most Of them at sea for the reason
that. few ports were open to their
reception. She sank the Federal
warship Hatteras after thirteen min.
ntes' actual fighting. In June, 1864,
Semmes accepted a challenge to bat
tie given by Captain Winslow, of
the Federal warship K~earsarge, at
Cherbourg. France, though he was
under no s~trategical or other need
to do 80. ,
Apparently about the Alabama's
strength, the K~earsarge was in realty
armored heavily with chains under.
her outer planking, SO hat her ad-
versary was. surprised to see his
shot rebounded with little injury.
Moreover, the Alabama's powder had
deteriorated during many months
passed In tropical climates; a shell
placed In the steering gear Of the
Xearsarge failed to explode when its
explosion would have rendered the
Federal vessel helpless.
Under these disadvantages the Ala
5ama fought 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
ain Winslow: had lured him into a
combat through specifically false
statements, namely, by representing
hat the two ships were on an equal
footing when in fact the Kearsargs
had armor concealed.
The Alabama was a fine vessel OF.
about nine hundred tons and 230 feet
length, built for both steam and
sails. Her best speed with all her
-esources used was about thirteen
'tnots, or fourteen miles an hour.
She usually ran down her prizes,
when they we're sailing vessels, under
all alone, and such was Semmes'
pride In her sailing qualities that he
would sometimes prolong the chase
;reatly rather than resort to steam.
The havoc which she worked to,
The American flag on the high seas
has eve since been repaired. Eng
land had to pay fifteen million dollars
for turning her loose, but from the
standpoint Of commercial advantage
this money was repaid many fold.
ts far as their personal preferences
we're concerned. Semmes and his
e would have preferred fighting
% prize-making; but there was never
day when the hostile epithet of
pirate" would Justly be applied
The Alabama vas commissioned
after acquisition in a foreign port,
Tut so was Paul Jones' Bon HomEe
Richard. Semmes cannot be re-
preached on this score without in
yolving Jones. In Service Afoat"
Admiral Semmes tells In effective
style the story Of his stirring months
On the Sumter and Alabama We
advise any one who may never have
read It to repair the omission.