hide Matching Documents

Your search returned 1,610 results in 149 document sections:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ...
Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events, Diary from December 17, 1860 - April 30, 1864 (ed. Frank Moore), 1863, December (search)
d from doing more damage. Gregg's Yankee cavalry pursued, but did not overtake him. General Rosser was forced to swim Bull Run. His loss was very slight, if any. The enemy, while in pursuit, destroyed two tanneries and a lot of leather at Sperryville, Rappahannock County; also, two tanneries, a flour-mill and some government workshops at Luray, in Page County. They also committed many other excesses, including the taking away of negroes, and shot a confederate named Smedley, at Washington, Rappahannock County, after he had surrendered.--Richmond Papers. The rebel privateer Alabama captured the American ships Sonora and Highlander, both lying at anchor at a point about ten miles east of the North Sands light-ship, near Singapore, East-Indies. Captain Semmes ordered the captains of both ships on board the Alabama, examined their papers, and allowing them to take a small quantity of clothing, burned their ships, and sent them adrift in their boats without any water or provisions.
Robert Underwood Johnson, Clarence Clough Buell, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: Volume 2., Captain Wilkes's seizure of Mason and Slidell. (search)
Captain Wilkes's seizure of Mason and Slidell. D. Macneill Fairfax, Rear-Admiral, U. S. N., Executive Officer of the San Jacinto. In October, 1861, the United States screw-sloop San Jacinto, of which Captain Charles Wilkes was commander and the writer was executive officer, on her return from the west coast of Africa, touched at the island of St. Thomas to coal ship. Here for the first time we learned of the presence in those waters of the Confederate cruiser Sumter (Captain Raphael Semmes). The Sumter, one of the first, if not the very first, of the regularly commissioned vessels of the Confederate navy, left New Orleans on the 18th of June, 1861 (see cut, p. 14), and, running the blockade, almost immediately began privateering operations. She was a screw steamer of 500 tons, and was armed with 5 guns — an 8-inch pivot, and 24-pound howitzers. She cruised for two months in the Caribbean Sea and along the coast of South America, receiving friendly treatment and coaling wit
Robert Underwood Johnson, Clarence Clough Buell, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War. Volume 4., The Confederate cruisers. (search)
The Confederate cruisers. by Professor James Russell Soley, U. S. N. The first of the ocean cruisers of the Confederate navy, as distinguished from the privateers, was the Sumter. This steamer, formerly the Habana, of the New Orleans and Havana line, was altered into a ship-of-war in April and May, 1861, and, under the command of Captain Raphael Semmes, escaped from the Mississippi early in July, after an unsuccessful chase by the Brooklyn, which was at the time blockading the mouth of the river. Her cruise lasted six months, during which she made fifteen prizes. Of these seven were destroyed, one was ransomed, one recaptured, and the remaining six were sent into Cienfuegos, where they were released by the Cuban authorities. In January the Sumter arrived at Gibraltar, where she was laid up and finally sold. The Confederate Government early recognized that in order to attack the commerce of the United States with any hope of success it must procure cruisers abroad. For this
Robert Underwood Johnson, Clarence Clough Buell, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War. Volume 4., chapter 12.91 (search)
t had preceded her with war material. Captain Raphael Semmes, with his officers, carried by the Bahade from a photograph (of a drawing) which Captain Semmes gave to a friend, with the remark that it nd was a most efficient officer; Rear-Admiral Raphael Semmes, C. S. N., Captain of the Alabama. y on which the fleet would sail; whereupon Captain Semmes calculated about the time they would arriv this range we used shell upon the enemy. Captain Semmes, standing on the horse-block abreast the m his fire, for by his own words he thought Captain Semmes was making some ruse. The report that theent I was pulled into a boat, in which was Captain Semmes, stretched out in the stern-sheets, as pal the chain in many places, which explained Captain Semmes's observation of the effect of our shell u protect his ship and crew. In justice to Captain Semmes I will state that the battle would never hk the Deerhound would come to our rescue. Captain Semmes and myself met Mr. Lancaster for the first[19 more...]
Robert Underwood Johnson, Clarence Clough Buell, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War. Volume 4., chapter 12.92 (search)
d it to the moment of the engagement. On Wednesday Captain Winslow paid an official visit to the French admiral commanding the maritime district, and to the United States commercial agent, bringing on his return the unanticipated news that Captain Semmes had declared his intention to fight. At first the assertion was barely credited, the policy of the Alabama being regarded as opposed to a conflict, and to escape rather than to be exposed to injury, perhaps destruction; but the doubters wereements. I hope these will not detain me more than until to-morrow evening, or after the morrow morning at furthest. I beg she will not depart before I am ready to go out. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, Your obedient servant, R. Semmes, Captain. This communication was sent by Mr. Bonfils, the Confederate States Commercial Agent, to Mr. Liais, the United States Commercial Agent, with a request that the latter would furnish a copy to Captain Winslow for his guidance. There
Robert Underwood Johnson, Clarence Clough Buell, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War. Volume 4., The opposing forces in the campaign of the Carolinas. (search)
W. Hannon, James Hagan, George G. Dibrell, F. H. Robertson, Thomas Harrison, H. M. Ashby, and C. C. Crews. unattached troops. Artillery Batt'n, Maj. Joseph Palmer; S. C. Battery, Capt. James I. Kelly; Miss. Battery (Swett's), Lieut. H. Shannon; Fla. Battery, Capt. Henry F. Abell; I, 10th N. C. Batt'n, Capt. Thomas I. Southerland; 3d N. C. Batt'n Art'y, Maj. John W. Moore; 13th N. C. Batt'n Art'y, Lieut.-Col. Joseph B. Starr; Pioneer Reg't, Col. John G. Tucker; Naval Brigade, Rear-Admiral Raphael Semmes. General Johnston reported his effective strength of infantry and artillery as follows: March 17th, 9513; March 23d, 15,027; March 27th, 14,678 (on this date the cavalry numbered 4093); March 31st, 16,014; April 7th, 18,182; April 17th, 14,770; April 24th, 15,188. In his official report General Wheeler says that he had under his immediate command at the commencement of the campaign 4442 effectives; on February 16th, 5172, and on April 17th, 4965. The number of troops (comba
Robert Underwood Johnson, Clarence Clough Buell, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War. Volume 4., Closing operations in the James River. (search)
ck with smoke and steam, which was the cause of our returning. The whole blame rests with the two pilots of the Virginia. editors. About the middle of February Commodore Mitchell was replaced in the command of the James River squadron by Admiral Semmes, lately the commander of the Alabama. During the six weeks that followed there was very little that the squadron could do. The obstructions at Trent's Reach had been strengthened, and additions had been made to the fleet below. Meantime the Union armies were closing in about Richmond, and at length the fall of the city was inevitable. On the 2d of April, in obedience to orders from Secretary Mallory, Semmes blew up his vessels, landed his men, and proceeded by rail to Danville, N. C., where he remained until Johnston's surrender. On the 3d of April Richmond was occupied, and on the following day the Malvern, Admiral Porter's flag-ship, carried President Lincoln up to the late capital of the Confederacy. Music on Sheridan's l
Robert Underwood Johnson, Clarence Clough Buell, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War. Volume 4., chapter 18.115 (search)
ond. On Sunday, April 2d, on receipt of dispatches from General Lee that the army was about to evacuate the Petersburg and Richmond lines, Mr. Davis assembled his cabinet and directed the removal of the public archives, treasure, and other property to Danville, Virginia. The members of the Government left Richmond during the night of the 2d, and on the 5th Mr. Davis issued a proclamation stating that Virginia would not be abandoned. Danville was placed in a state of defense, and Admiral Raphael Semmes was appointed a brigadier-general in command of the defenses, with a force consisting of a naval brigade and two battalions of infantry. Upon the surrender of Lee and his army (April 9th), the Confederate Government was removed to Greensboro‘, North Carolina. On the 18th Mr. Davis and part of his cabinet and his personal staff, accompanied by a wagon-train containing the personal property of the members of the Government and the most valuable archives, started for Charlotte, North
Benson J. Lossing, Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War. Volume 2., Chapter 16: the Army of the Potomac before Richmond. (search)
cked to pieces in a few minutes; one or two others shared the same fate of being beat in detail. Reports of the Army of Northern Virginia, i. 186. The Confederates were repulsed by cannon and musket, and driven back in confusion to the woods near the Quaker road. Then the National right, on the hills resting near Binford's, was advanced several hundred yards to a better position. Meanwhile Magruder and Huger had made a furious attack on Porter at the left. The brigades of Kershaw and Semmes, of McLaw's division, charged through a dense wood nearly up to Porter's guns; and a similar dash was made by Wright, Mahone, and Anderson, farther to the right, and by Barksdale, nearer the center. But all were repulsed, and for a while fighting nearly ceased. It was only a lull in the storm. With a recklessness or desperation equaled only by his blunders in arrangements for the battle, There was much dissatisfaction felt in the Confederate Army with Lee's management of it, especially
Benson J. Lossing, Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War. Volume 2., Chapter 21: slavery and Emancipation.--affairs in the Southwest. (search)
ashville, Captain R. B. Pegram, a Virginian, who had abandoned his flag, and the Sumter, Captain Raphael Semmes. The former was a side-wheel steamer, carried a crew of eighty men, and was armed with ll these pirate ships built in England for the conspirators was the Alabama, made for the use of Semmes, the commander of the Sumter. As in the case of the Oreto, Mr. Adams called the attention of the merchant vessel, in a Portuguese harbor of the Western Islands. When all was in readiness, Captain Semmes and other officers of the Sumter were brought to her by a British steamer, and she left for Cardiff, to coal. Semmes took formal command, mustered his crew, Raphael Semmes. this is from a photograph by Ferranti, of Liverpool, taken in the summer of 1864. and read his commission, duly Raphael Semmes. this is from a photograph by Ferranti, of Liverpool, taken in the summer of 1864. and read his commission, duly signed and sealed by the Confederate Secretary of the Navy. A copy of that commission, in blank, is given on the following page. That copy is a perfect fac-simile of the original, a little less th
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ...