Action off Galveston Light The Action off Galveston Light was a short naval battle fought during the American Civil War in January 1863 . Confederate raider CSS " Alabama " encountered and sank the United States Navy steamer off Galveston Lighthouse in Texas . Background . USS " Hatteras " of 1 , 126 long tons was commanded by Captain Homer C . Blake and was assigned to the West Gulf Blockading Squadron off Galveston , Texas when she was sunk . The steamer had a crew of 126 officers and men and was armed with four 32 - pounders and one 20 - pounder naval gun . Captain Raphael Semmes commanded the 1 , 050 ton sloop - of - war CSS " Alabama " which carried 145 officers and men with six 32 - pounders , one 110 - pounder and one 68 - pounder gun . The encounter between the two vessels was the first combat action of " Alabama " s distinguished career . Action . At about 3 : 00 pm on January 11 , 1863 , the " Hatteras " was on blockade duty with the USS Brooklyn and five other vessels off Galveston when a sail was sighted above the horizon . Captain Blake was then ordered to chase the unidentified ship in the " Hatteras " and to capture the vessel if it proved to be an enemy . The ship was the " Alabama " and she could not escape . After pursuing the " Alabama " until nightfall just over twenty miles of sea from Galveston Harbor to a position off Galveston Light , the " Hatteras " came alongside of the Confederate ship and demanded that the crew identify themselves . The rebels called out HBMS " Spitfire " to try to confuse the Union sailors so Captain Blake ordered a boat to be filled with sailors and lowered for a boarding . But just as the launch shoved off the Confederates shouted " " We ' re the CSS Alabama " " , raised their colors , and opened fire with a heavy broadside on the portside of the Union vessel . The men aboard the " Hatteras " were surprised but returned fire with their much smaller broadside . For thirteen minutes the two sides dueled in what Captain Semmes later called a " " sharp and exiting " " engagement . In the end , crewmen aboard USS " Hatteras " fired a signal gun to announce their defeat , " Hatteras " was slowly sinking and Captain Blake ordered the magazines flooded to prevent an explosion . Men began jumping into the water and boats from the " Alabama " were lowered to provide assistance . At the same time a boat with six Union sailors escaped along the coast and evaded the Confederates who were maneuvering to rescue survivors . Two United States Navy enlisted men were killed in action , five were wounded and another 118 taken prisoner . CSS " Alabama " sustained several shot holes and other damage but Captain Semmes reported that none of it was serious and prevented the vessel from sailing . Two rebels were wounded . Aftermath . After sinking the Union steamer the Confederates sailed for the South Atlantic , they were chased unsuccessfully by some of the Galveston blockaders but no further fighting occurred . Eventually Semmes made his way to Cherbourg , France where his ship was destroyed by in another significant battle . discovered the wreck of USS " Hatteras " the following morning and found that she was resting on the bottom in nine and a half fathoms with only her masts sticking out above the waterline . Her colors were not struck in the battle and were still waving in the breeze when the " Brooklyn " arrived .