Marcus F. Wright's Civil War Bios - Rear-Admiral Raphael Semmes

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Submitted by:  Marti Graham  marti@rootsweb.com
Posted by Ruth Price Waldbauer
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                                   SEMMES
   p.582
   SEMMES, REAR-ADMIRAL RAPHAEL, born in Charles county, Md., September
   27, 1809. Appointed midshipman in navy, 1826. Studied law, but in 1837
   took commission in the navy, serving in various capacities till the
   outbreak of the Civil war when he resigned and took command, at New
   Orleans, of the Confederate steamer "Sumter". With her he did great
   execution upon the ocean, till blockaded at Tangiers. Made his way to
   England, where the "Alabama" had been built. Being promoted to rank of
   captain, he took command of the "Alabama", and in a short while had
   destroyed sixty-two United States merchantment. While the "Alabama"
   lay at Cherbourg, France, the United States steamer "Kearsarge",
   Captain John A. Winslow, appeared. A naval battle occured, and the
   "Alabama" was sunk. Captain Semmes re-entered the Confederate navy,
   and was made rear-admiral. He guarded the approaches to Richmond till
   the city was evacuated. He resumed law practice, became professor in a
   Louisiana military Institute, and died in Mobile, Ala., August 30,
   1877.