The CSS Alabama was the Union’s most feared naval adversary during the Civil War. It was built under a cloak of secrecy in Birkenhead, United Kingdom in 1862. It was equipped with two 300 horsepower steam engines that drove its single-screw propeller. In addition, it had auxiliary sails. It was launched on July 29, 1862 as the Enrica.

The Enrica was sailed from Britain to Terceira Island in the Azores, where Confederate Navy Captain, Raphael Semmes took command of the ship. On August 24, 1862, it was commissioned as the commerce raider, the CSS Alabama.

Her first two months’ service was spent in the Eastern Atlantic as far south as the Azores, attacking, burning and capturing Union ships during August and September of 1862. She then appeared off the shores of the New England states.

In October and November of 1862, the Alabama operated in the waters of New Foundland and New England, ranging farther south along the coast of Virginia and Bermuda. During this time, Alabama burned ten ships, captured and released three.

In December, 1862 and January, 1863 Alabama operated in the Gulf of Mexico. This expedition was based largely on the Alabama’s needs for supplies. It finally rendezvoused with its supply ship, the CSS Agrippina and took on badly needed supplies. It immediately set a course for the Texas coast where an invasion was to be staged. Off the coast of Galveston, the Alabama encountered the Union side-wheeler, USS Hatteras. Both ships opened fire, but Alabama quickly sank the Hatteras and captured its crew.

Between February and July of 1863, the Alabama was operating in the South Atlantic, off the coast of Brazil. Here she sunk twenty-nine ships and boarded and released many more. It was in this region that the Alabama claimed most of its prizes.

In August and September of 1863, the Alabama crossed that Atlantic again and sailed the Southwestern Africa coast, operating with the CSS Tuscaloosa . By that time, the Union Navy was hunting for and hoping to sink the fast, elusive Alabama. She was dubbed, “the Gray Ghost” by those pursuing her. The CSS Alabama became the most famous ship on the ocean. On July 29, 1863, the Alabama docked in Capetown, South Africa for provisioning. It had been at sea for one full year and was overdue maintenance.

From September through November of 1863, Alabama was traversing the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean. She sank seven ships in the vicinity of the East Indies.

In December of 1863, the Alabama was in the South Pacific and sunk several ships in the Strait of Malacca

At this point in time, the Alabama had been at sea 534 days and had never been in a Confederate port! During that time, her crew had boarded 450 vessels, captured or burned 65 Union merchant ships. The crew had captured over 2000 prisoners without a single loss of life to captured sailors. The practice was that the Alabama returned captured sailors to a safe port or neutral ship and set them free.

The Alabama set sail for Cherbourg, France and made port there on June 11, 1864. Captain Semmes immediately requested dry dock so his ship could be repaired from the long time at sea and its various engagements with the enemy.