CSS ''Alabama''

By Crusader1307

One of The Confederate States of America's predominate commerce raiders, the CSS ''Alabama'' was a screw propelled Sloop of War. Built in Liverpool, England – she was built in 1862 to exploit The Union Blockade of The Confederacy. ''Alabama'' was some 220 feet long and was 1,050 tons (displaced). She stood 31 feet tall (beam) and was capable of speed up to 15 miles per hour (13 knots). ''Alabama'' had two power sources. Traditional sail and 2-300 horsepower steam engines. She was also a formidable war machine - featuring 8 cannon ranging from 32 to 110-pounders. Alabama crewed 110 Officers and men. The CSS ''Alabama'' conducted 8 Expeditionary Raids during her career, spanning the Eastern and Southern Atlantic, The Gulf of Mexico, South Africa and The Indian and South Pacific Oceans. She captured 65 Union vessels and took 2,000 prisoners during her Expeditionary Raids. Upon leaving Port from Cherbourg, France in 1864 – ''Alabama'' ran into (and gave battle) a Union Flotilla. A screening ship, the USS “Kearsarge” - a Sloop of War (and every bit the equal to ''Alabama''), engaged her. The two ships passed several times at distances as close as 1,000 yards – raking each other with cannon fire. Although “Kearsarge” had her steerage badly damaged, she fought on. Luckily, plate armor had been recently installed on “Kearsarge”, and most damage was survivable. The battle lasted 1 full hour. Unfortunately, ''Alabama'' could not withstand the continued pounding by ''Kearsarge'''s 11-inch gun. Her Stern severely damaged and on fire – the pride of The Confederate Navy sank. It is estimated that ''Alabama'' cost The United States Navy some 90 million (USD) in damages and revenue. In 1984, the wreck of ''Alabama'' was discovered. In 2002, her Ships Bell several cannon and related artifacts were recovered.