U.S. Civil War site dedicated in France

seattle ^ | September 23, 2004 | ap

[stainlessbanner]

CHERBOURG, France -- American cannon blasts bellowed in the English Channel 140 years ago, and bloodied bodies lined the deck of a sinking Confederate ship. Teary onlookers watched in horror from the Normandy coast.

On June 19, 1864, far from battlefields at home, the USS Kearsarge hunted down and sank a dreaded Confederate raider in one of the most important naval battles of the U.S. Civil War - off the coast of France.

The Confederate State Ship Alabama today lies where it sank under 198 feet of swirling currents about 7 nautical miles off the French town of Cherbourg.

On Thursday, the Civil War Preservation Trust, an American nonprofit group, named this English Channel town a historic Civil War site - the first outside the United States. Officials dedicated a plaque commemorating the battle at the Cite de la Mer museum, which is exhibiting a cannon recovered from the Alabama.

"This was one of the most notable naval battles of the Civil War, and one of the most unique in that it happened so far away from American shores," Robert Neyland, head of underwater archaeology at the U.S. Naval Historical Center, said from Washington.

The Alabama, built for the Confederacy by a company in Liverpool, England, was one of the most successful raiders ever. In 22 months, her crew boarded 447 vessels, including 65 Union merchant ships, and took 2,000 prisoners, according to the CSS Alabama Association.

"This ship caused a lot of panic in the United States," Neyland said, adding that its exploits made it known - and at times celebrated - in many parts of the world.

Five days before its last battle, the Confederate raider stopped for repairs in Cherbourg, where the Kearsarge tracked the ship after a long hunt. Capt. Raphael Semmes, who commanded the three-masted Confederate sloop, then challenged Kearsarge Capt. John Winslow to a one-on-one battle.

French witness accounts and Semmes's journal described a gruesome battle between the steam- and sail-powered ships lasting more than an hour.

The historical center said 10 of the Alabama's 155 crew members were killed in the battle, four drowned and another 15 went missing in action and were presumed dead.

Semmes' great-great grandson, Oliver Semmes, attended Thursday's ceremony.

A French naval mine sweeper discovered the 234-foot-long, 30-foot-wide boat in 1984. Divers and robots have retrieved relics - including the cannon, revolver bullets and coins - in more than 1,000 dives.

After a two-year pause, explorations will resume next year. The ship belongs to the United States, but is located in French territorial waters.

[stainlessbanner]

The U.S. flags drops as Ulane Bonnel, left, President of the CSS Alabama Association, unveils a commemorative plaque during an inauguration ceremony at the Cite de la Mer Museum in Cherbourg, Normandy, Thursday, Sept. 23, 2004. Officials named on Thurday this English channel town as an historic Civil War site, the first outside the United States. The plaque commemorates the battle that took place some 140 years ago during which the USS Kearsarge hunted down and sank the USS Alabama, a dreaded Confederate raider, in one of the most important naval battles of the U.S. Civil War, off the coast of France. (AP Photo/Franck Prevel)

[wideawake]

Raphael Semmes bump.

[meandog]

Huh! The only reason Raphael Semmes lost the battle was that the CSS Alabama had to fight it with French powder--his was unusable after many weeks at sea!

[meandog]

...bump to Maryland FReepers as Semmes was born in Charles County!

[stainlessbanner]

Dixie News ping

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[Tallguy]

Huh! The only reason Raphael Semmes lost the battle was that the CSS Alabama had to fight it with French powder--his was unusable after many weeks at sea!

Not sure if Semmes was using French powder, or not. His ship, the CSS Alabama, was in need of an extensive refit. His hull needed scraping & his boilers needed maintenance, so he couldn't run even if he'd wanted to.

Still, with all those disadvantages, one of his shells lodged in the USS Kearsarge's stern post -- and failed to explode. Had that shell gone off, the US ship would have been crippled & may have sunk.

[4CJ]

May they rest in peace. Deo vindice!

[KantianBurke]

"Any whiskey at the ceremony?"

[Owl558]

"American cannon blasts bellowed in the English Channel 140 years ago..."

And the French promptly surrendered.

[reelfoot]

War for Southern Independence BUMP.

[BenLurkin]

Here it is:

[Constitution Day]

Here's another link.
I was going to FRmail it to you, but this is just as good a place as any to post it.

Historians believe that Civil War soldiers buried in unusual site

[Darkwolf377]

Even today the French would like nothing more than to split the US.

[BenLurkin]

Here are the first hand accounts of the action: http://www.civilwarhome.com/kearsargeors.htm

[Constitution Day]

French govt. site discussing the archaeology involved. Has a couple good photos.

[GOP_1900AD]

It is interesting to note connections between the Crimean War and our own Civil War.

[U S Army EOD]

Plus the crew were a little hung over.

[stand watie]

!!!!!!!

[stand watie]

LOL!

free dixie,sw

[stand watie]

a serving US Army chapliain, who is also a SCV member, plans to head over to GB this fall04/winter05 to pray at the graves of all the (KNOWN) CSA vets buried there.

if any of you know of any, please freepmail me with the grave locations.

FYI, we have "good 'ole rebs" buried all over the British Isles.

free dixie,sw