CSS Alabama's South African Expeditionary Raid

The CSS Alabama's South African Expeditionary Raid commenced shortly after the CSS Alabama left Brazil and the south Atlantic Ocean and patrolled southward of the African continent near the Cape of Good Hope. The raid lasted from about the beginning of August 1863 to the end of September 1863.

The primary area of operation during this expeditionary raid was off the southern seaboard of Africa ranging east and west hunting for China clippers having to make the voyage around the Cape of Good Hope near Cape Town.

Raid overview

The CSS Alabama worked its way slowly back and forth in the vicinity of Cape Town in one of the least successful of its seven raids, capturing a few Yankee barks. While operating in this area, the USS Vanderbilt (1862) put into Simon's Town in pursuit of the CSS Alabama, but had no luck in finding the elusive Confederate raider of the sea. The CSS Alabama rendezvoused a few times with her daughter ship, the CSS Tuscaloosa.

After this patrol station, the CSS Alabama made her way eastwards into the Indian Ocean to continue her unhindered wrecking of enemy commerce in the Indian Ocean as far as Indonesia. There was some action where the Alibama met what was called a ship the 'Rietbooi Nooi' Reed boy girl (song- Die Alibama) from old Malay songs from Cape town. From local talk-history one or the other sank or did not near Cape town. Best see the Kaapse Klopse song :Die Alibama die kom oor die see. ((the Alibama comes over the sea)

Raid bounty

CSS Alabama's South African Expeditionary Raid
DateShip NameTonnageShip TypeLocationDisposition of Ship
August 5, 1863Sea Bride?BarkNear Cape TownCaptured & sold
August 9, 1863Martha Wenzell?BarkCape of Good HopeCaptured & let go

References

  • Hearn, Chester G., Gray Raiders of the Sea, Louisiana State Press, 1996. ISBN 0-8071-2114-2
  • Luraghi, Raimondo, A History of the Confederate Navy, U.S. Naval Institute Press, 1996. ISBN 1-55750-527-6
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