CSS Alabama Historical Background Gallery

• Historical Background
• Methodology
• Findings
• Credits and Bibliography
• About

• 
• Introduction
• Building the CSS Alabama
• Union Spy Report
• Captain Raphael Semmes
• The Light of a Burning Ship
• Cruise of the CSS Alabama
• Semmes and His Crew
• Capture on the High Seas
• "Til Death We Will Defend Her"
• The USS Kearsarge
• The Last Battle
• Slipping Beneath the Waves

"Know all men (that) the ship Punjab, of Boston, Mass., under my command, was captured on the high seas as prize of war by the C. S. steamer of war Alabama, R. Semmes, commander; and whereas I, Lewis F. Miller, master of said ship as aforesaid, am desirous of ransoming said ship, together with her freight moneys for the present voyage..."

-Ransom note

Capture on the High Seas

Captain Semmes and the crew of the Alabama terrorized the waters, sometimes burning Union ships and sometimes simply capturing them for ransom. Over her two years on the seas she took in approximately six million dollars worth of raided cargo and money (equivalent to approximately $80 million in 2005). Ransom for each ship ranged from $40,000 - $50,000.

(Image: Etching, "Looting")