Captain Semmes / CSS ALABAMA operational orders

[USS ALASKA]

According to Kerr, Semmes XO on both the Sumpter and the Alabama, wrote in his memoirs that the French offered to replace his old powder with new but Semmes refused.

I wonder why he did that? Fiscal reasons?

Cheers,
USS ALASKA

 

[USS ALASKA]

That one Blakely shell that was fired from the Alabama's forward pivot gun could/ would have put the Kearsarge out of action had the fuse ignited the charge inside.

The one that stuck itself in the stern post without going BOOM? Thought I read somewhere that had the shell worked as it was supposed to, it would have exploded when it hit the side of the ship and never would have gotten to the stern post...

Cheers,
USS ALASKA

 

[BillO]

I wonder why he did that? Fiscal reasons?

Cheers,
USS ALASKA

No money involved. I suspect an overdeveloped sense of honor? But I don't know.

 

[Carronade]

Semmes knew Galveston had been taken by the Federals in October and believed, based on gossip in northern newspapers taken from captured merchantmen, that in January he would find a large (and unarmed) fleet of invasion transports anchored off the bar here. His idea was to run in among them in the dark, guns blazing, and slip away again before dawn. It was an audacious plan, but still not spoiling for a straight-up fight against Federal warships.

What he didn't know was that Galveston had been recaptured on January 1, and when he arrived late on the afternoon of January 11 he discovered that the blockading squadron was still offshore, and (in fact) lobbing shells into the town. That's when he led away Hatteras, that had been sent to investigate the strange sail, away from the rest of the squadron where he could take her on in a single-ship action.

Still seems curious - if Galveston had been taken in October and held by the Federals ever since, why would there be an invasion fleet sitting there in January? Unless the Federals were planning to use it as a base for a major incursion inland; was that the rumor in the newspapers? Otherwise you would not expect more than occasional supply ships or transports supporting the garrison. It might also serve as an advance base for warships on the blockade.

It comes back to ALASKA's original question about Semmes' orders - did they include making incursions into coastal waters? The Confederate government went to the trouble and expense of acquiring a warship, optimized for commerce raiding, in England, so that she could run loose on the ocean.

Suppose for a moment that the they had a way of communicating with the Alabama - would they have called her in from her commerce raiding mission to attack the Union fleet off Galveston?

 

[JPChurch]

The one that stuck itself in the stern post without going BOOM? Thought I read somewhere that had the shell worked as it was supposed to, it would have exploded when it hit the side of the ship and never would have gotten to the stern post...

Cheers,
USS ALASKA

But the aft end of the ship was where the steering gear was. Had the percussive fuse done its job that whole section of the stern end would have been damaged real bad. So it must have passed through the side of the ship and lodged in the stern post. I think the Blakely shells were 7". That's a pretty big shell.

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

But the aft end of the ship was where the steering gear was. Had the percussive fuse done its job that whole section of the stern end would have been damaged real bad. So it must have passed through the side of the ship and lodged in the stern post. I think the Blakely shells were 7". That's a pretty big shell.

It's my understanding that that particular shell had hit the side rail or something similar first, bounced, and then came to rest in its spectacular final location. If it had hit the sternpost directly, even without exploding, it wouldn't still be there; the post, while substantial, wouldn't have been able to completely absorb all of the kinetic energy of a projectile of that size. In other words, in a way, you're right; if that shell had struck the sternpost directly instead of ricocheting there, it would have done much more serious damage; if it had struck there and exploded, possibly crippling damage. But its sometimes-lauded "shot that could have sunk the Kearsarge" status is a bit inaccurate.

 

[JPChurch]

Almost like the torpedo from the Fairey Swordfish that hit the Bismarck in the rudder, that ship's most vulnerable spot. We all know what happened after that....

 

[rebelatsea]

Almost like the torpedo from the Fairey Swordfish that hit the Bismarck in the rudder, that ship's most vulnerable spot. We all know what happened after that....

When you consider the sea conditions, that Bismarck was firing everything it had including the 15" as a splash barrage, and that the area of the rudder was a very small percentage of a very large moving ship, that really was a fluke hit - but then by such things is history made - or not in Kearsage's case.

 

[JPChurch]

Lucky/unlucky shots pervade naval warfare history. There's no doubt about that.....and the "what ifs" add to it.

 

[Republican Blues]

When U.S.S. Kearsarge arrived off Cherbourg on June 14, 1864 – Captain Semmes supposed stated that : ". . . My intention is to fight the Kearsarge as soon as I can make the necessary arrangements. I hope they will not detain me more than until tomorrow evening, or after the morrow morning at furthest. I beg she will not depart before I am ready to go out."

Does anyone know what kind of operational orders Semmes had - what his ROE was understood to be? Reason I ask is that if he was tasked to disrupt Union shipping to the greatest extent that he could, it would seem to be counter-productive to desire a battle with Union warship. Any damage that leads to a mission kill, or worse, for CSS Alabama negates her ability to service her primary targets.

Thanks for the help,
USS ALASKA

ORNs Alabama section

http://ebooks.library.cornell.edu/c...1&node=ofre0001:3&view=image&seq=802&size=100

 

[USS ALASKA]

ORNs Alabama section

http://ebooks.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=moawar&cc=moawar&idno=ofre0001&node=ofre0001:3&view=image&seq=802&size=100

Thank you sir!

USS ALASKA

 

[Republican Blues]

Thank you sir!

USS ALASKA

Your quite welcome sir! Happy to be of service

 

[USS ALASKA]

Think I answered my own question...

https://books.google.com/books?id=Kf10DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA129&dq=CSS+Alabama+Kell+powder&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi9pKKR5oThAhUKrVkKHar7BI0Q6AEIKjAA#v=onepage&q= powder&f=false
1593

Cheers,
USS ALASKA

 

[Aslan7]

I am working on an exhibition on Civil War naval history in Philadelphia. I am doing a lot on the Kearsarge and Alabama, and Semmes is one of my heroes. A knowledgeable person told me that the Masonic Museum has Semmes's long glass in its permanent collection and indeed they do. I'll try to get a picture because it is a remarkable object and there are old photos of him with it. There is also a great bronze statue of Semmes in Mobile, AL.

 

[nino]

I am working on an exhibition on Civil War naval history in Philadelphia. ... the Masonic Museum has Semmes's long glass in its permanent collection and indeed they do. I'll try to get a picture..."

Aslan7,
Please keep us updated on your Exhibition efforts. I am a Philly native and perhaps I can be of some help.
Also, Please post a photo of Semmes's "long Glass" if you can find it. Thanks.

Nino