The American Civil War: Naval Operations -- Confederate Privateers and Raiders

Figure 1.--This 'Harper's Weekly' illuistration was entitled, 'The Approach of The British Pirate Alabama'. It appeared in the April 25, 1863 issue. It depicted the scene on an American merchant vessel after been discovered by the 'CSS Alabama'. Most of 'Alabama's prizes were burned at sea after the passengers and particularly valuable cargo was taken aboard. 'Alabama' because of its steam power was difficult for the U.S. Navy to track down. You can see the smoke from the 'Alabama's coal-fired engines. This is one of Winslow Homer's illustrations.

Surprisingly and not well reported, the Confederacy’s naval efforts were among its greatest successes. Without a battle fleet, much of the Confederate naval action was conducted by privateers and raiders. Beginning basically from scratch, the Confederacy quickly assemnkled an effective privateer fleet that met with some success. This was the same strategy that the Continental Congress had used against the powerful British Royal Navy. Privateers were civilian mariners authorized to engage in military action and seize merchant shippings. The Confederate privateers preyed on the substasntyial Federal merchsnt marine fleet. An incensed President Lincoln wanted them tried for piracy which carried the death penalty. The privateer Savanah was taken by the USS Perry (June 1861). They were tried for piracy. The trial, however, resulted in a mistrail. And the Confederacy threatened to hold Federal prisoners hostage if the Confederate sailors were executed. Privateering after the first year of the War proved to be largely unworkable for the Confederacy. And as the U.S. Navy blockaded more and more southern ports, it became virtually impossible. And the growing U.S. Navy began tracking down the privateers. Actual Confederate naval ships engaged in raiding. The most successful Confederate raider was the CSS Alabama, built in a British shipyard. The Confederacy managed to do this before the British Government had firmly decided on its policy toward the Confederacy. The CSS Alabama was built by Laird Brothers shipyard at Birkenhead outside Liverpool and manned by an English crew led by Confederate officers. Overtime Confederate crew were added. It had both both sail and steam power and thus capable of running down merchant shipping. It began its raiding operations (August 1862). It proved to be by far the most successful raider of the Civil War becoming notouious in the North. In less than 2 years, it captured 65 American vessels and 1 Union warship. The Alabama' because of its steam power was difficult for the mostly sail-powered U.S. Navy ships to track down. Like privateers, there was no way to get its prizes back to southern ports. Most of the prizes had to burned at sea. Many Union ship owners began registering their vessels under foreign flags. Alabama managed to spread panic among American merchant shipers. And as a result diverted part of the U.S. Navy from blockade duties around southern ports. It was a rare ray of hope as Union armies advanced further and further south. Albama's end came in a battle with USS Kerdage in the English Channel (June 1864). Despite some success, for privateering and raiding to work, the Cofederates needed ports where they could bring their captured prizes (seized ships) back to so the cargos could be sold. The Uniin blockade effectively closed off southern ports. And as a result of effective Federal dipolomacy, most contries would not allow Confederate privateers and commerce raiders to bring prizes into their ports. And coal was often denied to Confederate vessels. Several countries including Britain toyed with the idea of recognizing the Confederacy, but by the 1860s, slavery was too big an obstacle despite the needed for southern cotton. While an expensive annoyance, the United syates merchant fleet was too large and the Confederate privasteers abnd raiders too small in number of have any real impact on the War. The major naval action that did impact the War was gthe Fedeeal blokade of southern ports. This led to a protracted diplomatic spat with Britain after the War. American diplomats demanded that Britain pay for the damage caused by Alabama and other foreign-built raiders. The initial American claim of $2 billion dollars in 1869 was ultimately reduced through arbitration to $15.5 million which was finally paid by Britain in 1872.

Created: 3:43 AM 8/27/2023
Last updated: 3:43 AM 8/27/2023