Captain semmes biography

Raphael Semmes Confederate rear admiral and brigadier general Raphael Semmes (1809-1877) left an enduring legacy as captain of the CSSAlabama, the most famous of the Confederate commerce raiders. Known as the "Nelson of the Confederacy" for his daring exploits, Semmes rallied the hopes of Alabamians and other southerners during the waning days of the Civil War. The climactic duel between the Alabama and the USS Kearsarge in June 1864 contributed to Semmes's reputation as a hero of the Confederacy despite his defeat in the battle and the loss of his ship. The town of Semmes, Mobile County, is named for him.

Raphael Semmes was born in Charles County, Maryland, on September 27, 1809, the fourth child of Richard and Catherine Middleton Semmes. Orphaned at an early age, he was raised by an uncle, Raphael Semmes. Another uncle, Benedict Semmes, helped secure his appointment as a midshipman in the U.S. Navy in 1826. In addition to his training as a naval officer, Semmes also studied

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Raphael Semmes

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Naval officer, b. in Charles County, Maryland, U.S.A. 27 September, 1809; d. at Point Clear, Alabama, 26 August, 1877. His family were descendants from one of the original Catholic colonists of Maryland, from which state he was appointed a midshipman in the U.S. Navy 1 April, 1826. He served until 1832, when he was given leave of absence extending until July, 1835, during which time he studied law and was admitted to practice. Rejoining the navy, he served with distinction, attaining the rank of commander, until the outbreak of the Civil War, when he resigned and cast his lot with the seceding state of Alabama, of which he became a citizen in 1841. He was appointed commander in the Confederate States Navy, 25 March 1861; Captain, 21 August, 1862; Rea

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Raphael Semmes

Raphael Semmes was born on September 27, 1809 in Charles County, Maryland. He was born into a family of servicemen as he was cousins with Confederate general Paul Jones Semmes and Union Navy captain Alexander Alderman Semmes. Raphael Semmes began his military career in 1826 when he entered the United States Navy as a midshipman upon graduating from the Charlotte Hall Military Academy.  Semmes served during the Mexican-American war as the commander of the USS Somers in the Gulf of Mexico. Semmes continued to serve in the United States Navy until Alabama seceded in January, 1861 at which time he resigned from the Union Navy and sought a position within the Confederate States Navy.

In April, 1861, Raphael Semmes was accepted into the Confederate Navy and was initially assigned to serve as the head of the Lighthouse Board. Semmes was very disappointed with this assignment and was able to convince the Confederate Navy to allow him to convert a merchant vessel into