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By tk TK, Civil War P47. Semmes made reference to the Society:
Semmes considered by burning this ship, he was also performing a favour for the Government of Portrugal, it was illegal to import foreign religious material into their country. By chance, included in those captured in Dunkirk, was a seaman George Forrest, he had deserted from Sumter in Cadiz, he was court martialed for desertion, and sentenced to be discharged in disgrace from the Confederate Navy. He was also to serve out the remainder of Alabama's cruise wiyhout either pay or prize money. Next to fall to the Raider was the 1,300 ton Tonawanda, from the Liverpool line of Cope, she had grain, plus 75 passengers including 30 women and children. She was held for four days with Semmes hoping to pick up another suitable ship that could take the passengers off his hands, and on the 11th. of October the grain vessel Manchester of 1,062 tons was taken, her papers could not document her claimed British neutrality, and she paid the price by fire. With a load of prisoners on his hands, Semmes was forced to bond Tonawanda for $80,000, pack her with all the prisoners from his recent sinkings, and release her. Two crewmen were enlisted from Tonawanda, an ordinary seaman William Halford, and a 17 old slave, David White who was travelling to Europe with his owner. Semmes considering White to be enemy property, released him from his slavery, and he became a popular wardroom mess steward, and a paid crew member. White repaid this action with faithful service in Alabama. Lamplighter, a 365 ton brig was next to be captured, she was loaded with tobacco, some changed hands, the prisoners taken aboard,and the ship fired. When Manchester was boarded, some of the loot included a pile of recent newspapers, and I quote Semmes: " I learned from them where all the enemy's gun boats were,and what they were doing.... Perhaps this was the only war in which the newspapers explained, beforehand, all the movements of armies, and fleets, to the enemy.... which of course allowed me to take better care of the Alabama." Secretary of the Navy now took the decision to send USS Tuscarora off to the Azores to look for Alabama, wrong again, as we have seen, she was now roaming the seas off Newfoundland. Civil War P 48. For several days Alabama had to cope with hurricane conditions, and some of her boats, yards, and sails were damaged, Semmes noted, that he needed to capture another ship to allow him to make repairs and replace his boats. It was not until the 23rd. of October that he sighted a sail, it proved to be the American 945 ton Lafayette, setting out from New York for Belfast, with corn, wheat, and lard. There were papers indicating the grain was owned by Belfast interests, Semmes, never forgiving if he thought a ship's papers might have defects, declared them to be fraudulent, and burned the vessel. Three days passed by, then the 279 ton Crenshaw, also out of New York with grain for Scotland was captured, again Semmes was not satisfied that her papers showed her cargo was legitimately owned by a neutral, and she too was submitted to the torch. Once more, captured newspapers indicated that Welles was still making wrong decisions about where to send his warships seeking out the elusive Alabama. Reports read that USS Vanderbilt plus gunboats were off to the Newfoundland Banks, pleasing Semmes: " While they are running from New York, I am running towards it." The 27th. of October dawned, and the 284 ton barque Lauretta was taken, another ship's Captain again protesting his cargo was safe, as it was owned by neutrals from Gibraltar and Messina, not so, according to Semmes, and she was destroyed. Two days later, the Union Baron de Castine, loaded with lumber was stopped, it was not considered worthy of being destroyed, Semmes bonded the ship for $4,000, unloaded his 44 prisoners, and released the ship. She hastened off to Boston with an account of all Alabama's conquests since she had commissioned, which found its way into the 15th. of November, 1862 edition of Harper's Weekly. Seemes cheekily sent his respects to Mr. Low of the New York Chamber of Commerce, indicating that by the time that gentleman got this report, Alabama would be cruising off that port. When that false information reached the desk of Secretary Welles, Semmes was off to the southeast, again leaving an empty stretch of ocean for the Union gunboats to search. The southern Raider was running short of coal, and set off for Matinique where Agrippina waited her, en route found the whaler Levi Starbuck of 376 tons caught, just off for a 30 month stint after whales, but destined never to achieve it. Alabama after 70 days at sea was running down her food supplies, now to be gratefully augumented from this latest prize, and her 29 crew were also taken aboard, to watch their ship consumed by flames. After passing Bermuda, on the 2nd. of November, a larger ship, Thomas B. Wales Civil War P49. registered at 599 tons, and carrying jute, linseed, and 1,704 bags of saltpeter to Calcutta, Semmes believed the saltpeter was destined to be turned into Union gunpowder, and ordered another bon fire. Several of the spars from this latest prize, matched those destroyed by the hurricane when Alabama had run into that foul weather, and eleven sailors from the captured crew signed enlistment papers to serve a new master. The Union Admiral David Porter, who was aware of Semmes throughout his distinguished career, pursued him, even disliked him, but nevertheless, respected the Southern Captain, post war wrote this about his adversary:
The 17th. of November found Semmes safely at anchor off Fort-de-France Martinque, Agrippina, loaded with Cardiff coal awaited. All the prisoners were landed, and the crew were anxious for shore leave and alcohol, the local bum boats swarmed around Alabama, and it proved impossible to stop grog being smuggled aboard. Very soon a drunken brawl erupted, there were idle mutterings about mutiny, the Captain ordered general quarters, ingrained discipline prevailed, and even the drunks turned to and manned their guns. Armed officers of the ship soon restored order, the drunks taken into custody and hosed down with water until they gasped to breathe, any sign of mutinous behaviour soon quelled. Whilst waiting for Alabama to arrive McQueen the Captain of Agrippina had spent much of his eight days in the local bars, his tongue none too discreet after much imbibing, he bragged about his association with the notorious Southern Raider. Always on the alert, Union intelligence duly reported, the result, USS San Jacinto, under the command of Commander William Ronckendorff, on the 19th. of November was sitting in place to block the harbour. McQueen understandably in Semmes bad books was banished to the small Venezuelan island of Blanquilla. Not withstanding Ronckendorff sitting in wait, and the Marine brig Hampton nearby discharging cargo, given the task of reporting Alabama's movements, she Civil War P50. managed to slip away, evading the waiting, but not too observant USS San Jacinto. By the 21st. of November, Semmes and his crew had caught up with the much slower Agrippina, they made their way to anchor off the shore of Blanquilla. On the beach, members of the American whaler Clara L. Sparks, were rendering down whale blubber, polluting the sky with black, pungent smoke. To the delight of the whaling Captain, observing Alamaba, flying the US flag, here was a strong and powerful Northern warship, he hastened aboard to pay his respects. On meeting Semmes he declared: "You are the ship to give the pirate Semmes fits." One can only imagine how his jaw must have dropped, on being appraised " That here indeed was that very pirate!" Semmes informed his suprised guest that he had no cause for alarm, he was safe in this Venezuelan area, and he would not burn his ship. The Raider crew now toiled over the next five days, transferring coal from Agrippina, the deserter Forrest, was tried and found guilty of inciting mutiny, and was put ashore with his scant belongings, he promptly joined up with the whaler's crew, and was lucky to have been treated so lightly. Agrippina having been relieved of half of her coal cargo, was ordered to next meet Semmes at Arcas Island in the Gulf of Mexico. The 26th. of November found Semmes again on the move, shaping a course to take him to the shipping lane between Haiti and Cuba, in just over 2 and a half months his ship has accounted for 20 ships, valued at $1,184,311, something better than four times the cost of his own Alabama to build. But it was not possible to merely put a dollar value on all this success, his rampaging across the Atlantic had struck fear into the hearts and minds of American ship owners, and their marine insurers. The New York Shipping and Commercial List printed:
In but one more week, the same source noted: " Shipments making almost entire in foreign bottoms, American vessels being in disfavor." Semmes and his operation were slowly bringing American commercial shipping to its knees, the start of its demise, he was truly serving the Rebel cause.
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