Raise the Alabama! (2 parts)

In the 1980s, French Navy mine hunter Circe discovered a wreck under nearly 200 feet of water off Cherbourg, France. The wreck was identified as the remains of the CSS Alabama, the Confederacy’s most famous and successful ship. In its day, the Alabama vexed the Federal Navy and captured ships and cargo across the waters of the Atlantic and the Caribbean. Its discovery one hundred and twenty years after it sank prompted an archeological expedition whose goal is to raise as much of the celebrated ship as possible. Raise the Alabama! explores the history and glorious past of the ship and the modern-day efforts to bring it up from its watery grave. Raise the Alabama! would be useful for classes on American History, French History, Naval History, Geography and Archeology. It is appropriate for middle school and high school.

OBJECTIVES
Students will explore the past and present history and conditions of the Alabama. They will understand the ships’ role in the naval engagements of the Civil War, as well as present attempts to recover and preserve the ship.

NATIONAL HISTORY STANDARDS
Raise the Alabama! fulfills the following National Standards for History for grades 5-12: Chronological thinking, historical comprehension, historical analysis and interpretation, historical research capabilities, historical issues-analysis and decision-making for Era 5.

Discussion Questions

  1. The CSS Alabama was also known by its nickname, The Ghost Ship. How did the ship earn this nickname?

  2. The Alabama had a specific goal for its missions. What were the Alabama’s objectives?

  3. The Alabama had an enormously successful run before it met its fate. What was the fate of the ship? How did it come about?

  4. Inscribed on the Alabama’s steering wheel was the motto of its captain. What did this inscription read?

  5. The wartime actions of the Alabama’s captain, Raphael Semmes, have been called chivalrous. What does this mean? How are these actions different than the rule of engagement today?

  6. The discovery of the Alabama was accidental. Who discovered the shipwreck and what were they really looking for?

  7. The identity of the shipwreck was conclusively determined to be the Alabama. What distinguishing feature made identification of the ship certain?

  8. What are the goals of the divers who explore the Alabama?

  9. Discuss some of the obstacles the recovery team, archeologists and divers face in excavating the ship.

  10. Why are there only a few dives per year to excavate the Alabama?

  11. During the Civil War, although supposedly neutral, Great Britain was sympathetic to the Confederacy. Why?

  12. Why did the Confederacy and English ship builders refer to the Alabama as #290 during its construction?

  13. Because of the Neutrality Laws, no Confederate armed ships were to be built in Great Britain. How did the shipbuilders and the Confederacy get around these laws?

  14. How did the Alabama avoid Union detection when it left the shipbuilder?

  15. Raphael Semmes knew the position of his enemy’s ships. How did he get this information?

  16. Discuss some of the innovations the archeologists and discovery crews created to aid in their work.

  17. Discuss what life was like in Cherbourg, France in 1864.

  18. Discuss how the French Navy raised the cannon from the wreck of the Alabama.

  19. Discuss the process of conservation for the artifacts recovered from the Alabama.

  20. What happened to Raphael Semmes after the war?
Extended Activities

  1. Using the medium of your choice, create a replica of the CSS Alabama.

  2. Design a memorial of the CSS Alabama.

  3. Imagine that you were a spectator watching the battle between the CSS Alabama and the USS Kearsarge. Write an eyewitness account of the battle.
Related Videos
Primary Sources
  • Report of Captain Winslow, U.S. Navy, commanding U.S.S. Kearsarge.

    U. S. S. KEARSARGE

    Cherbourg, France, June 19, 1864

    SIR: I have the honor to inform the Department that the day subsequent to the arrival of the Kearsarge off this port, on the 14th instant, I received a note from Captain Semmes, begging that the Kearsarge would not depart, as he intended to fight her and would not delay her but a day or two.

    According to this notice, the Alabama left the port of Cherbourg this morning at about 9:30 o'clock.

    At 10:20 a. m. we discovered her steering toward us. Fearing the question of jurisdiction might arise, we steamed to sea until a distance of 6 or 7 miles was attained from the Cherbourg breakwater, when we rounded to and commenced steaming for the Alabama. As we approached her within about 1,200 yards she opened fire, we receiving two or three broadsides before a shot was returned. The action continued, the respective steamers making a circle round and round at a distance of about 900 yards from each other. At the expiration of an hour the Alabama struck, going down in about 20 minutes afterwards, and carrying many persons with her.

    It affords me great gratification to announce to the Department that every officer and man did his duty, exhibiting a degree of coolness and fortitude which gave promise at the outset of certain victory.

    I have the honor to be, most respectfully, your obedient servant,
    JNO. A. WINSLOW,
    Captain,

    Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion. Series 1, vol. 3 (Washington Government Printing Office, 1896): 59.

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