The C.S.S. Alabama was the most successful Confederate commerce raider of the American Civil War. In a career that lasted for nearly two years, she sank or captured 66 Union ships, including the warship Hatteras.
The Alabama had been built through the efforts of James D. Bulloch, one of the more successful Confederate agents in Europe. He had placed orders for two ships soon after his arrival in Britain in June 1861. The Alabamawas built in the Laird's shipyard at Birkenhead, Liverpool. She was a combined steam and sail ship, with a propeller that could be raised from the water to turn her into a pure sailing ship if needed. When everything was working well she could make 15 knots under a combination of steam and sail power. She also had a combination of types of gun, with six 32-pounder broadside guns as well as two pivot guns – one a 100 pounder rifled gun, the second an 8-inch solid shot gun. The Alabama demonstrates clearly how much naval warfare was in transition during the Civil War.
The building of the Alabama caused a great deal of friction between the United States and Great Britain. The British government was generally committed to her policy of neutrality, but early in the war did not always implement it well. The relevant official in Liverpool did nothing, despite being presented with plenty of evidence. Lord Russell, whose responsibility it was, delayed fatally, passing the evidence on to Sir John Harding, who was the chief law officer of the government, but sadly declining into insanity. Five days were lost, before on 29 July 1862 it was officially decided to detain the ship. Unfortunately, news of this reached the Confederate agents at Liverpool, and on the same day the ship was launched. Officially on a trial run, she actually headed out to sea, heading for the Azores.
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