Ahoy - Mac's Web Log

http://ahoy.tk-jk.net/MaraudersCivilWar/CSSAlabama.html 

On the above page you are using a source "Civil War" and giving page numbers. I would like to know what the title of the source is and who the author is. This source says that both, Captain Weaver's wife and servant, were transported from the Union Jack to the Alabama by way of the boatswain's chair strung from the yardarm. Sources I have say only the servant was transported that way because she refused to leave the Union Jack and get on the Alabama. (Two Years on the Alabama, Arthur Sinclair, p. 111 & Confederate Raider, John M. Taylor, p. 161)

Your source also does not mention that the consul's wife was on the Union Jack, other sources I have say she was on the ship traveling to China with her husband, Rev. Franklin Wright.

Captain Weaver is one of my ancestors and I am writing a book about his life and I need to have accurate information, so I am consulting every source that I can possibly find. Please let me know the title and author of that source so I can purchase a copy for my research. I purchased "A short history of the Civil War" listed on your Selected Bibliography page, but it is not the source used because I checked the page numbers. 

Thank you so much,

Marian Weaver Siedzik

Dear Marian,

When I was preparing my Marauders of the Civil War, for my own benefit I started to number the pages under a general heading Civil War. They do not refer to any work called Civil War.

My webmaster in Atlanta Georgia, did not remove those page numbers or the heading Civil War when he uploaded the work onto AHOY.

I consulted many books about those times, some in libraries, some in my own library, some on the internet, but regretfully did not record all sources that I looked at. In the end I only produced the Selected Bibliography that appears on AHOY. 

I have not been able to track down the actual source about  the Barque Union Jack and the transfer of the ladies etc.

Captain Semmes in his own book has this to say:

Saturday, May 2nd._--An anniversary with me--writes Captain Semmes--my marriage-day. Alas! this is the third anniversary since I was separated from my family by this Yankee war! And the destruction of fifty of their ships has been but a small revenge for this great privation. On that day two more were added to the long list, and the barque Union Jack, of Boston, and ship Sea Lark, of New York, shared the fate of their fifty predecessors. The former of these two vessels added three women and two infants to the already far too numerous colony of the weaker sex, by which the Alabama was now encumbered.

So there were indeed three women in Union Jack, no doubt the consul's wife you mention, the Captain's wife and her servant. I would suggest you use your own reference saying one woman was transferred by Boatswain's chair.

Sorry to confuse you.

This list of references to CSS Alabama may be of interest for you, ie if you are unaware of it.
A Selected Bibliography of CSS Alabama Resources held at the University of Alabama Libraries

Publications

The "Alabama": A Statement of Facts from Official Documents, With the Section of the Foreign Enlistment Act Violated by her Equipment. London: J. Snow, 1863.
Hoole, Alabama Collection E599.A3 A3

Anderson, Betty Baxter. Alabama Raider. Philadelphia: Winston, 1957 (fiction).
Hoole--Alabama Collection, Rare Book Collection PS3551.N5365 A42 1957x

Badlam, William H. Kearsarge and Alabama. Providence: The Society, 1894.
Hoole, Rare Book Collection E464 .R47 5th ser., no.2

Baker, Mark. David Herbert Llewellyn, 1837-1864. 1973.
Hoole, Alabama Collection E596.L54 B3

Bennett, William Edward. Cruise of a Corsair. London: Cassell, 1963.
Hoole, Summersell Maritime Collection E599.A3 B46 1963x

Boykin, Edward. Ghost Ship of the Confederacy: The Story of the Alabama and her Captain, Rapheal Semmes. New York: Funk & Wagnalls, 1967.
Gorgas E467.1.S47 B72; Hoole, Alabama Collection E467.1.S47 B72 (2 copies)

Bradlee, Francis Boardman Crowninshield. The Kearsarge-Alabama Battle, The Story as Told to the Writer by James Magee of Marblehead, Seaman on the Kearsarge. Salem, Mass.: Essix Institute, 1921.
Hoole, Alabama Collection E599.A3 B7

Bradlow, Edna. Here Comes the Alabama. Cape Town: A.A. Balkema, 1958.
Gorgas E599.A3 B72 (2 copies); Hoole, Alabama Collection E599.A3 B72 (2 copies)

Branham, Alfred Iverson. "290", Story of the Sinking of the Alabama, the Famous Confederate States Cruiser. Atlanta: Cornell Press, 1930.
Hoole, Alabama Collection E599.a3 b7 1930X

Brown, A.K. The Story of the Kearsarge and Alabama. San Francisco: H. Payot, 1868.
Hoole, Alabama Collection E599.A3 B8

Copy Contract for the Building of the Confederate States Steamship "Alabama". Liverpool: 1861.
Hoole, Alabama Collection E599.A3 C6

Correspondence Respecting the "Alabama"; also respecting the Bark "Maury" . . . . London: 1863.
Hoole, Alabama Collection E599.A3 C8

Career of the Alabama, "no. 290," from July 29, 1862 to June 19, 1864. London: Dorrel, 1864.
Hoole, Alabama Collection E595 .A4

Confederate Research Club. Materials Relating to James D. Bulloch and the Alabama.
Gorgas Microforms MICRO-FILM H37; MICRO-FILM H22

Delaney, Norman C. John McIntosh Kell of the Raider Alabama. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 1973.
Gorgas E596.K292 D44; Hoole, Alabama Collection E596.K292 D44

Edge, Frederick Milnes. The Alabama and the Kearsarge. An Account of the Naval Engagement in the British Channel, on Sunday, June 19th, 1864, from Information Furnished to the Writer by the Wounded and Paroled Prisoners of the . . . Alabama, and the Officers of the . . . Kearsarge, and citizens of Cherbourg. London: W. Ridgway, 1864.
Hoole, Alabama Collection, Summersell Maritime Collection E599.A3 E2

Ellicott, John Morris. The Life of John Ancrum Winslow, Rear-Admiral, United States Navy, Who Commanded the U.S. Steamer "Kearsarge" in her action with the Confederate Cruiser "Alabama". New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1905.
Hoole, Alabama Collection E467.1.W77 E4 1905

Fullam, George Townley. The Cruise of the "Alabama," from her departure from Liverpool until her Arrival at the Cape of Good Hope. Liverpool: Lee & Nightingale, W.H. Peat, 1863.
Gorgas Microforms, MICRO-FILM H33

Fullam, George Townley. The Journal of George Townley Fullam, Boarding Officer of the Confederate Sea Raider Alabama. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 1973.
Gorgas E599.A3 F93; Hoole, Alabama Collection E599.A3 F93 (2 copies)

Goodrich, Albert Moses. Cruise and Captures of the Alabama. Minneapolis: HW Wilson, 1906.
Hoole, Alabama Collection E599.A3 G6

Haywood, P.D. The Cruise of the Alabama. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin, & Co., 1886.
Hoole, Alabama Collection E599.A3 H42 1886a

Hobson, Henry S. The Famous Cruise of the Kearsarge. An Authentic Account in Verse . . . . Bonds Village, Mass.: Hobson, 1894.
Hoole, Alabama Collection E95.K2 H6 (2 copies)

Ingouf, Paul. Coulez l'Alabama: Un Episode de la Guerre de Secessio en Contentin. Cherbourg: La Depech, 1976.
Hoole, Alabama Collection E599.A3 I5 1976x

Kell, John McIntosh. Recollections of Naval Life, Including the Cruises of the Confederate States Steamers, "Sumter" and "Alabama". Washington: Neale, 1900.
Hoole, Alabama Collection E596 .K29 (2 copies)

Littleton, William Graham. The Battle between the Alabama and the Kearsarge . . . . Philidelphia: 1933.
Hoole, Alabama Collection E599.A3 L5

Low, John. The Logs of the CSS Alabama and CSS Tuscaloosa, 1862-1863. University of Alabama: Confederate Pub. Co., 1972.
Gorgas E599.A3 L68 1972 c.2; Hoole, Alabama Collection E599.A3 L68 1972

Lowrey, Grosvenor Porter. English Neutrality. Is the Alabama a British Pirate? New York: A.D.F. Randolf, 1863.
Hoole, Rare Book Collection E469 .L92x

New York Chamber of Commerce. Proceedings of the Chamber of Commerce of the State of New York, on the Burning of the Ship Brilliant, by the Rebel Pirate Alabama, Tuesday, October 21, 1862. New York: J.W. Amerman, 1862.
Hoole, Alabama Collection E599.A3 N4x

O'Dell, Scott. The 290. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin, 1976 (fiction).
Education, School Library Book PZ7.O237 TW; Hoole, Alabama Collection PS3565.D46 T7 1976x

Peck, William Henry. The Confederate Flag on the Ocean: A Tale of the Cruises of the Sumter and the Alabama. New York: Van Evrie, Horton & Co., 1868 (fiction).
Gorgas Microforms MICRO-CARD 58-8 Ser.B no.116

Poolman, Kenneth. The Alabama Incident. London: W. Kimber, 1958.
Hoole, Alabama Collection E599.A3 P65

Roberts, Walter Adolphe. Semmes of the Alabama. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1938.
Hoole, Alabama Collection E467.1.S47 R6 (2 copies)

Robinson, Charles M. Shark of the Confederacy: The Story of the CSS Alabama. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1995.
Gorgas E599.A3 R58 1995

Rosier, F.W. The Alabama. Richmond: Geo. Dunn, 1864 (sheet music, 4 pages).
Hoole, Alabama Collection M1642.R6 A6

Semmes, Raphael. The Confederate Raider, Alabama: Selections from Memoirs of Service Afloat during the War Between the States. Greenwich, CN: Fawcett, 1962.
Hoole--Alabama Collection, Wade Hall Books, Summersell Maritime Collection E599.A3 S65 1962

Semmes, Raphael. Croisieres de l'Alabama et du Sumter. Paris: E. Dentu, 1864.
Hoole, Alabama Collection E599.A3 S651

Semmes, Raphael. Cruise of the Alabama and the Sumter. New York: Saunders, Otley & Co., 1864.
Gorgas E599.A3 S61 1894 b c.3; Hoole, Alabama Collection E599.A3 S61 1894 b (2 copies)

Semmes, Raphael. Kruistogen van de Alabama en de Sumter. Zwolle: Van Hoogstragen & Gorter, 1865.
Hoole, Alabama Collection E599.A3 S655

Semmes, Raphael. The Log of the Alabama and the Sumter. From the Private Journals and other Papers of Commander R. Semmes, C.S.N. and other Officers. London: Saunders, Otley & Co., 1864.
Hoole, Alabama Collection E599.A3 S61 1864a

Semmes, Raphael. Raphael Semmes, Rear Admiral, Confederate States Navy, Brigadier General, Confederate States Army: Documents Pertaining to the Charges Preferred against Him by the United States Government: With a Pictoral History of the Voyages of the Sumter and Alabama and the Alabama Claims Commission. Mobile: Museum of the City of Mobile, 1978.
Hoole, Alabama Collection E467.1.S47 A37

Sinclair, Arthur. Two Years on the Alabama. Boston, Lee & Shepard, 1895.
Hoole, Alabama Collection E599.A3 S71

Smith, Joseph Adams. An Address Delivered Before the Union League of Philadelphia . . . . Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1906.
Hoole, Rare Book Collection E481.A3 S6

Stephen, Walter W. Notes Regarding CS Cruiser Alabama, 1952.
Hoole, Rucker Agee Collection E599.A3 S75 1952x

Styles, Showell. Confederate Raider. New York: Washburn, 1967.(fiction)
Hoole, Alabama Collection PZ3.S939 Co

Summersell, Charles Grayson. CSS Alabama: Builder, Captain, and Plans. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 1985.
Gorgas VA393 .S85 1985

Transcript of Articles in Various Newspapers and Periodicals Relating to the "Alabama." (Microfilm Copy (negative) of three notebooks belonging to Mr. and Mrs. F. Bradlow, Rondebosch Cape, South Africa.
Gorgas Microforms MICRO-FILM B28

Walker, Tillie. Confederate States Steamer Alabama. 1938.
Gorgas T378 W15c 1938; Hoole, Alabama Collection T378 W15c 1938; Hoole Microforms MICRO-FILM T31

Whiting, John Downes. The Trail of Fire: A Story of the Famous Alabama. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1930.
Hoole, Alabama Collection PS3545.H65 T7 1930x

Manuscript Materials

A. William Stanley Hoole Papers
Box 2248, Folder 44
Material regarding Hoole's book on Midshipman Anderson and Anderson's photo album, presented July 22, 1864, Liverpool. Includes photos of the CSS Alabama crew, friends, and associates made in London or Liverpool during the summer of 1864 (50 cartes de visite; leather-bound with ornamental metal fittings).

Box 2248, Folder 66
Typescript of Low's Reminiscences and other newspaper stories.

Box 2248, Folder 67
Clippings: Liverpool paper, 1904, interview with Low; photocopy, Cape Argus, 1933; Illustrated London News, 1863, and others.

Box 2248, Folder 68
Photographs of Semmes, Low, Low's pistols, coat, and grave monument.

Box 2250, Folder 94
Typescript of a Union agent's report on activity in the Laird shipyards; typescript of other spy reports on "290."

Box 3747
Color prints of the Alabama at sea.

B. CSS Alabama Collection
Box 1744
Manuscript log of the CSS Alabama 1862-1864; manuscript log of Lt. (later Captain) John Low, kept on the CSS Alabama and the CSS Tuscaloosa, 1862-1863; photos of the masts and rigging of the CSS Alabama and the shipyard model used by Laird

Regards,
Mackenzie.

Dear Mackenzie Gregory,

I see Celt written all over that name!! I have Celt in me too. Captian Weaver's mother was Mary Hogan- definitely Irish!  Holy cats that is a lot of sources in your list. I took a look at Townley's book.  I had the local library get that and I made copies of some pages. It was too rare and expensive for me to buy. I don't know if you have James deKay's The Rebel Raiders on your list there, but it is an awesome book!! The guy is quite a writer. Semmes book is online. I read a great deal of it, but he does not go into details of unfavorable conduct on his part; however, he loves to mention the stuff he feels proves he was a gentleman... Hah! I have 2 reprints regarding the "Alabama Claims and settlement" from Michigan Historical Reprint Series. Unfortunately, the Captain's claim is not printed in either of them. I will have to go to a law library I guess. He had to have filed a claim for the value of the Union Jack. I want so bad to find that! It is so sad that the incident with Semmes tarnished Captain Weaver's love for the sea and he gave it all up. He moved his family to Norristown PA and opened a factory that made all sorts of nails. He was successful in business, but it was really sad that he gave up his first love, the sea. Making nails seems like a boring thing to do, compared to traveling all over the world in your very own ship! Thanks for responding. Love your website!

Marian

Hello Marian,

I am about to leave for a Victorian country city Ballarat, some 100 kilometres from Melbourne.

Tomorrow morning Monday August 25 here in Australia I am presenting a public lecture on:

The Victorian Colonial and Royal Australian Navies, and the visit of the US Great white Fleet to Australia August 20, /September 5, 1908. 

At 9.30 AM on Tuesday August 25, 1908, a group on the Boy's Naval Brigade from Ballarat, actually set off to march to Melbourne over some 5 days to visit the GWF. The government of the day refused to issue rail passes for them, so they did indeed march to Melbourne. The start of that march 100 years ago will be re enacted tomorrow by members of the Australian Naval Cadets.

In my lecture is mentioned the visit to Melbourne by the Confederate Raider Shenandoah, she was slipped for repairs, took on food and water, and in fact recruited 42 crewmen from the locals in Melbourne.

This breach of neutrality by a British Colony was part of the US claim for compensation against the British post the Civil war peace settlement.

When I get back from Ballarat I will start searching to see if I can find where Alabama and  her career including the burning of Union Jack might fit into compensation claims.

Should you wish to see the lecture notes they are to be found on the Home Page of AHOY (here actually).

Thank you for your nice comments about my web site, it keeps me off the streets, and I enjoy my correspondence around the world, and of course you are a part of all that.

Warmest regards,
Mackenzie.

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