ADMIRAL RAPHAEL SEMMES CAMP #11
SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS
MOBILE, ALABAMA
2000
Commemoration of the discovery of the H. L. Hunley
On February 17, 2000, a brief ceremony commemorating the finding of the H. L. Hunley was held which included placing a floral wreath at the Hunley Monument in Confederate Rest of Mobile’s Magnolia Cemetery. On hand for the occasion were two of our lovely future United Daughters of the Confederacy.
The funeral wreath shown ion the monument was later used as the official Wreath for the Hunley Funeral held in Charleston, SC in April 2004. Other Crewmembers’ caskets were provided wreaths by the Hunley Commission. This Wreath was placed with Lt. George E. Dixon’s casket.
The design of the wreath is based on the floral elements of the Great Seal of the Confederate States of America as was the Ribbon’s color (mounted at the top, however, instead of at the bottom). This Wreath had been used in the Confederate Memorial Day Observance in Mobile in the year 2000.Because of the fact that the crew is buried in Charleston’s Magnolia Cemetery and that Mobile’s Hunley Monument is in Mobile’s Magnolia Cemetery, as well as that the tradition in Charleston is to have a Magnolia Wreath for Confederate Memorial Day observances, magnolia leaves were placed over the lower portion of the Wreath. The leaves appended to the frame were taken from the closest tree to the Southeast of the Hunley Monument and the largest tree to the South of the Monument.
At the bottom can be seen a boll of Alabama Cotton picked in Baldwin County. Barely visible in this photo is a sprig from a cedar tree which hangs over the grave of 1st Lieutenant Louis P. DeMouy of the 21st Alabama, Dixon’s unit. This sprig is attached just below the cotton boll. A Camp 11 compatriot was assigned the honor of handling the Wreath during the Funeral.
At the bottom can be seen a boll of Alabama Cotton picked in Baldwin County. Barely visible in this photo is a sprig from a cedar tree which hangs over the grave of 1st Lieutenant Louis P. DeMouy of the 21st Alabama, Dixon’s unit. This sprig is attached just below the cotton boll. A Camp 11 compatriot was assigned the honor of handling the Wreath during the Funeral.
2000
Confederate Memorial Day
On the 16th of April 2000, the 134th annual Confederate memorial Day was held at Confederate Rest in Magnolia Cemetery Mobile, Alabama. Cemetery images courtesy Semmes Camp member Steve Kennedy. Black and white photos courtesy of compatriot David Trimmier.
2000
Rededication of the Statue of Admiral Raphael Semmes 100 Years On
On June 25, 2000 (Sunday), Raphael Semmes Camp 11 of the Sons of Confederate Veterans held a Rededication Ceremony of the Admiral Semmes Statue in Mobile, Alabama. The statue had originally been dedicated 100 years before on June 27, 1900.
2004
Admiral raphael semmes scv camp #11 participation in the
H l Hunley Crew Interment – Charleston, South Carolina
Compatriots of the Raphael Semmes Camp #11 participated in the internment of the remains of the crew of the H L Hunley. Before the procession to Charleston’s Magnolia Cemetery from the Monument to the Confederate Defenders of Charleston, the Pall Bearers posed for pictures with the descendants of Queenie Bennet.
The Semmes Camp brought a silver bowl containing the soil of Alabama which was cast into the grave of the Hunley Crew. Several men of the Semmes Camp were assigned duties other than that of Pall Bearer. They brought the funeral wreath from Mobile. One compatriot was given the honor of wearing the Confederate Medal of Honor awarded to Lt. Dixon.
The soil from the Alabama was taken from the base of the Hunley Monument in Confederate Rest of Mobile’s Magnolia Cemetery. It was scooped during the ceremony for Confederate Memorial Day in April 2000, the year in which the Hunley was recovered from the floor of the ocean off of Charleston Harbor. After the funeral, soil from the Crew’s burial site was collected, brought back to Mobile, and scattered at the base of Mobile’s Hunley Monument.
The silver bowl belonged to Maximin DeMouy, great-grandfather of another Semmes Camp Compatriot. He, along with his brothers, served in the 21st and 22nd Alabama Regiments. They had been members of the Mobile Cadets. One of them, Louis P. DeMouy, served as a 1st Lieutenant, the same rank as Dixon, in the 21st Alabama Infantry regiment.
The wreath, which the Semmes Camp provided for the Casket of Lt. Dixon, had also been used in Mobile during the 2000 Confederate Memorial Day observance. The Bow on the wreath was made to resemble the Bow on the Great Seal of the Confederate States of America. The gold leaves are reminiscent of those which surrounded the stars of the general rank insignia of the Confederacy. The magnolia leaves were taken from the closest and most southeasterly magnolia trees relative to the Hunley Monument in Mobile’s Confederate Rest (Magnolia Cemetery). At the base is a cotton boll taken from an Alabama cotton field and around this boll are sprigs of a cedar tree which reaches out over the grave of 1st Lt. Louis P. DeMouy of the 21st Alabama. This Wreath served not only as that for Lt. Dixon but for as the official Funeral Wreath for the Confederate Memorial Day observance in Charleston for the Year 2004 (marked by the Hunley Crew Interment).
The Semmes Camp brought a silver bowl containing the soil of Alabama which was cast into the grave of the Hunley Crew. Several men of the Semmes Camp were assigned duties other than that of Pall Bearer. They brought the funeral wreath from Mobile. One compatriot was given the honor of wearing the Confederate Medal of Honor awarded to Lt. Dixon.
The soil from the Alabama was taken from the base of the Hunley Monument in Confederate Rest of Mobile’s Magnolia Cemetery. It was scooped during the ceremony for Confederate Memorial Day in April 2000, the year in which the Hunley was recovered from the floor of the ocean off of Charleston Harbor. After the funeral, soil from the Crew’s burial site was collected, brought back to Mobile, and scattered at the base of Mobile’s Hunley Monument.
The silver bowl belonged to Maximin DeMouy, great-grandfather of another Semmes Camp Compatriot. He, along with his brothers, served in the 21st and 22nd Alabama Regiments. They had been members of the Mobile Cadets. One of them, Louis P. DeMouy, served as a 1st Lieutenant, the same rank as Dixon, in the 21st Alabama Infantry regiment.
The wreath, which the Semmes Camp provided for the Casket of Lt. Dixon, had also been used in Mobile during the 2000 Confederate Memorial Day observance. The Bow on the wreath was made to resemble the Bow on the Great Seal of the Confederate States of America. The gold leaves are reminiscent of those which surrounded the stars of the general rank insignia of the Confederacy. The magnolia leaves were taken from the closest and most southeasterly magnolia trees relative to the Hunley Monument in Mobile’s Confederate Rest (Magnolia Cemetery). At the base is a cotton boll taken from an Alabama cotton field and around this boll are sprigs of a cedar tree which reaches out over the grave of 1st Lt. Louis P. DeMouy of the 21st Alabama. This Wreath served not only as that for Lt. Dixon but for as the official Funeral Wreath for the Confederate Memorial Day observance in Charleston for the Year 2004 (marked by the Hunley Crew Interment).
2004
Memorial Stone Placed At Mobile’s Hunley Monument
Raphael Semmes Camp 11 set a memorial stone at the base of the Hunley Monument in Confederate Rest, a part of Mobile’s Magnolia Cemetery in a special ceremony conducted during the Confederate Memorial Day observance in April 2004.
The small vault contains the cask in which was placed sediment from inside the H.L. Hunley itself. The Hunley Commission provided the sediment to our Camp for internment.
Camp 11 Compatriots placed the sealed vault containing the Cask in the ground before replacing the stone. It is from this spot that soil was taken (during the Confederate Memorial Day ceremony in 2000) to be later strewn in the grave of Lt. Dixon during the Hunley Funeral in Charleston.
The small vault contains the cask in which was placed sediment from inside the H.L. Hunley itself. The Hunley Commission provided the sediment to our Camp for internment.
Camp 11 Compatriots placed the sealed vault containing the Cask in the ground before replacing the stone. It is from this spot that soil was taken (during the Confederate Memorial Day ceremony in 2000) to be later strewn in the grave of Lt. Dixon during the Hunley Funeral in Charleston.
2007
Memorial Services for the Unknown Sailor of the CSS Alabama were held in conjunction with the SCV national reunion
On July 26, 2007 in Mobile, Alabama, a Memorial Service was held for the Unknown Sailor, crew member of the CSS Alabama. The casket containing the remains of the sailor were brought by Semmes Camp Pall Bearers into the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Admiral Semmes’ Memorial Service was conducted in the same Church in August of 1877. During the ceremony, the late Fr. Beachum, Semmes Camp Chaplain, blessed remains. At the conclusion of Memorial Service, a solemn procession was led by the Camp Colors. Pall Bearers carried the Casket to the hearse.
On July 28, 2007, the wake was held at Admiral Semmes’ Home on Government Street with Sentries Posted. The period Casket of oak was constructed by Compatriots of the Semmes Camp. It was draped with the Confederate Third National Flag and flanked by portraits of Semmes and Lee, the period and current Alabama States flags, and the Semmes Camp Confederate National and Battle flags. The Service was conducted in the old parlor section of the Semmes Home.
Later that day, the Funeral Procession began at the Statue of Admiral Semmes in downtown Mobile. Here are pictured the Semmes Camp Compatriots who served as the Military Pall Bearers. The Procession followed Government Street en-route to Magnolia Cemetery’s Confederate Rest. More than 600 persons from many States comprising military and civilian organizations participated.
At Magnolia Cemetery’s Confederate Rest the Casket rested on a catafalque during a brief address on the merits and heroism of the Sailor’s service, as well as that of the CSS Alabama to the Confederate States of America. Subsequently, to the music of Charpentier’s Te Deum, volleys of salute were fired by re-enactors from numerous small arms and cannon units before approximately 2000 attendees in the Cemetery. The honor of firing the first volley was given to re-enactors of the 21st Alabama Infantry.
The Pall Bearers removed the Casket from the catafalque and placed it in the Grave, lowering it with ropes.
As the Casket was lowered, Capt. Oliver Semmes, USN, Retired, recited the charge of his great-grandfather, Admiral Raphael Semmes, CSN, to his crew as the CSS Alabama embarked for battle from Cherbourg, France, on September 19, 1864, “The flag that floats over you is that of a young republic who bids defiance to her enemies whenever and wherever found. Show the world that you know how to uphold it! Go to your quarters!” Thus the sailor’s remains were consigned to the grave to the echo of his Commander’s last general order.
On July 28, 2007, the wake was held at Admiral Semmes’ Home on Government Street with Sentries Posted. The period Casket of oak was constructed by Compatriots of the Semmes Camp. It was draped with the Confederate Third National Flag and flanked by portraits of Semmes and Lee, the period and current Alabama States flags, and the Semmes Camp Confederate National and Battle flags. The Service was conducted in the old parlor section of the Semmes Home.
Later that day, the Funeral Procession began at the Statue of Admiral Semmes in downtown Mobile. Here are pictured the Semmes Camp Compatriots who served as the Military Pall Bearers. The Procession followed Government Street en-route to Magnolia Cemetery’s Confederate Rest. More than 600 persons from many States comprising military and civilian organizations participated.
At Magnolia Cemetery’s Confederate Rest the Casket rested on a catafalque during a brief address on the merits and heroism of the Sailor’s service, as well as that of the CSS Alabama to the Confederate States of America. Subsequently, to the music of Charpentier’s Te Deum, volleys of salute were fired by re-enactors from numerous small arms and cannon units before approximately 2000 attendees in the Cemetery. The honor of firing the first volley was given to re-enactors of the 21st Alabama Infantry.
The Pall Bearers removed the Casket from the catafalque and placed it in the Grave, lowering it with ropes.
As the Casket was lowered, Capt. Oliver Semmes, USN, Retired, recited the charge of his great-grandfather, Admiral Raphael Semmes, CSN, to his crew as the CSS Alabama embarked for battle from Cherbourg, France, on September 19, 1864, “The flag that floats over you is that of a young republic who bids defiance to her enemies whenever and wherever found. Show the world that you know how to uphold it! Go to your quarters!” Thus the sailor’s remains were consigned to the grave to the echo of his Commander’s last general order.
Plaque placed on the top of the casket of the Unknown Sailor of the CSS Alabama.
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Press Releases for the
memorial service
Mobile, Alabama
July 27, 2007 (Published in Obituary Section)
Funeral services for an unknown Confederate crewman of the CSS Alabama, whose remains were discovered during marine archaeological operations off the coast of France near Cherbourg, will be conducted tomorrow, July 28, 2007. He died in service to the Confederate States of America on June 19, 1864, during a sea battle. His Requiem Service was performed yesterday, July 26, 2007, in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Fr. Edwin Beachum presiding. Tomorrow, his wake will be held in Admiral Semmes’ home on Government Street from 8:00-9:30AM, his Funeral Procession will begin at 10:00AM at the Admiral Semmes Statue and proceed out Government Street, turning on Anne Street, en route to the interment site in Magnolia Cemetery’s Confederate Rest. The Interment will be conducted starting at 12:00 Noon. Pall Bearers are Compatriots of the Raphael Semmes Camp 11 of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.
Dateline July 28, 2007
A funeral procession for a Confederate sailor whose remains were recovered from a shipwreck at the bottom of the English Channel will start at 10 a.m. today at the corner of Government and Royal streets in downtown Mobile, officials said.
The procession will form at the site of the statue of Adm. Raphael Semmes, who was the commanding officer of the Confederate sea raider CSS Alabama. It will move west on Government to Ann Street, then turn south on Ann to Magnolia Cemetery where the sailor will be buried. A graveside service will be held at noon in the Confederate Rest section of the cemetery, where about 1,100 Confederate veterans are buried.
Some 20 Civil War-era cannons will be fired in salute as the procession approaches the cemetery, according to A.J. Dupree, a spokesman for the Sons of Confederate Veterans, an organization that is holding its 112th annual reunion in Mobile this week.The unidentified sailor's skeletal remains were discovered several years ago, encrusted on the underside of a cannon that was raised from the wreck of the CSS Alabama in some 200 feet of water. The Confederate warship was sunk in the channel off the coast of France on June 19, 1864, by the Union warship USS Kearsarge. More than 400 artifacts have been recovered from the site by American and French divers.
The CSS Alabama gained a reputation for preying on Union merchant ships around the world during the Civil War. It had a crew of about 120 members, and most were rescued by boaters in the area, but about a dozen crew members drowned or were never heard from again, said Ro bert Edington, a Mobile attorney who is president of the CSS Alabama Association. Semmes was plucked from the channel by the British yacht Deerhound and practiced law in Mobile after the war.
The sailor's remains will be in a hand-made wooden coffin pulled by a horse-drawn caisson, accompanied by members of the SCV in Confederate uniforms, said Dupree. There will also be participants in civilian Civil War-period attire, he said.
Dateline Sunday, July 29, 2007
“Funeral likely to be the last for a Confederate Service Member”
By GEORGE WERNETH
Staff Reporter
Hundreds of people packed into Mobile's Magnolia Cemetery on Saturday to take part in the funeral service for a Confederate sailor whose skeletal remains had been recovered from the wreckage of the sea raider CSS Alabama on the bottom of the English Channel.
A long row of Civil War cannons thundered in salute as the unidentified sailor was buried in Confederate Rest, a section of Magnolia Cemetery where some 1,100 Confederate veterans are buried. For the occasion, miniature Confederate flags had been placed atop each of the weather-beaten gravestones.
Taking part in the event were several hundred members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, an organization that held its 112th annual reunion in Mobile last week. Many of them wore an array of Confederate uniforms, and there were participants in Civil War-era civilian dress.
The event also attracted observers from as far away as England and Bogota, Colombia, for what Robert Edington -- a Mobile attorney and president of the CSS Alabama Association -- said would very likely be the last funeral for a Confederate service member.
The remains of the unidentified sailor were discovered in 2003, encrusted underneath a cannon that had been recovered from the site of the CSS Alabama's wreckage in 2002.
On June 19, 1864, the CSS Alabama was sunk by the Union warship USS Kearsarge in the channel off the coast of France. The Confederate ship had become notorious for preying on Union merchant ships around the world during the Civil War.
The CSS Alabama was commanded by Adm. Raphael Semmes, who practiced law in Mobile after the war and is buried in Catholic Cemetery on Mobile's north side.
The funeral procession formed at Government and Royal streets near the statue of Semmes and moved west on Government to Ann Street and then south on Ann to the cemetery. Horses drew a caisson bearing the hand-made wooden casket.
Among those on hand was Semmes' great-great-grandson, retired Navy Capt. Oliver J. Semmes III, 77, of Navarre, Fla. Dressed in a dark blue suit, Oliver Semmes traded salutes with several leaders of the procession in Confederate uniforms as he watched from downtown on Government Street. He said he believes his great-great-grandfather would have been pleased with the funeral being given to the sailor 143 years after the naval battle.
Raphael Semmes and about 40 of his crew members were pulled out of the cold channel water by the British yacht Deerhound and taken to England. Others were picked up by the Kearsarge or by French boaters who were watching the battle. About a dozen crew members drowned or were never heard from again. Edington said the Confederate warship had a crew of about 120.
Among those who came to Mobile for the funeral was John M. Lancaster, 77, of Cheltenham, England, an indirect descendant of John Lancaster, who rescued Semmes and his crew members with the Deerhound. John M. Lancaster said he came to Mobile to honor his ancestor and to gather information on a book he is writing on the Lancaster family. He and his wife, Janet, were being hosted in Mobile by Edington and his wife, Pat Edington.
Mark Raines, 46, formerly of Mobile, said he flew 3,500 miles from Bogota to attend the event. He said he works with the U.S. Embassy in Bogota but is a member of the SCV and the CSS Alabama Association. He said, "It's just an honor and a pleasure to be here to honor the crew member of the CSS Alabama." He said he is a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel as well as a descendant of Confederate veterans.
At the cemetery, several hundred spectators covered their ears as Confederate-clad rifle units fired volleys and artillery units fired roaring cannons in honor of the sailor as he was put to rest.
A.J. DuPree, a member of Raphael Semmes Camp 11 of the SCV, told those gathered that the sailor "served on the greatest sea raider in all of history" and added, "I hope we gave him his due."
Some 400 artifacts have been recovered since a French naval mine hunter found the CSS Alabama's wreckage Oct. 30, 1984, in about 200 feet of water. Most of the artifacts, recovered by U.S. and French navy divers, have been turned over to the U.S. Department of the Navy for restoration.
After the skeletal remains were discovered, samples were shipped to the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii, where DNA samples were taken. Edington said findings indicate that the remains were from a crew member between 17 and 30 years of age.
Some 600 members of the SCV were in Mobile for the reunion, which concluded Saturday.
Funeral services for an unknown Confederate crewman of the CSS Alabama, whose remains were discovered during marine archaeological operations off the coast of France near Cherbourg, will be conducted tomorrow, July 28, 2007. He died in service to the Confederate States of America on June 19, 1864, during a sea battle. His Requiem Service was performed yesterday, July 26, 2007, in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Fr. Edwin Beachum presiding. Tomorrow, his wake will be held in Admiral Semmes’ home on Government Street from 8:00-9:30AM, his Funeral Procession will begin at 10:00AM at the Admiral Semmes Statue and proceed out Government Street, turning on Anne Street, en route to the interment site in Magnolia Cemetery’s Confederate Rest. The Interment will be conducted starting at 12:00 Noon. Pall Bearers are Compatriots of the Raphael Semmes Camp 11 of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.
Dateline July 28, 2007
A funeral procession for a Confederate sailor whose remains were recovered from a shipwreck at the bottom of the English Channel will start at 10 a.m. today at the corner of Government and Royal streets in downtown Mobile, officials said.
The procession will form at the site of the statue of Adm. Raphael Semmes, who was the commanding officer of the Confederate sea raider CSS Alabama. It will move west on Government to Ann Street, then turn south on Ann to Magnolia Cemetery where the sailor will be buried. A graveside service will be held at noon in the Confederate Rest section of the cemetery, where about 1,100 Confederate veterans are buried.
Some 20 Civil War-era cannons will be fired in salute as the procession approaches the cemetery, according to A.J. Dupree, a spokesman for the Sons of Confederate Veterans, an organization that is holding its 112th annual reunion in Mobile this week.The unidentified sailor's skeletal remains were discovered several years ago, encrusted on the underside of a cannon that was raised from the wreck of the CSS Alabama in some 200 feet of water. The Confederate warship was sunk in the channel off the coast of France on June 19, 1864, by the Union warship USS Kearsarge. More than 400 artifacts have been recovered from the site by American and French divers.
The CSS Alabama gained a reputation for preying on Union merchant ships around the world during the Civil War. It had a crew of about 120 members, and most were rescued by boaters in the area, but about a dozen crew members drowned or were never heard from again, said Ro bert Edington, a Mobile attorney who is president of the CSS Alabama Association. Semmes was plucked from the channel by the British yacht Deerhound and practiced law in Mobile after the war.
The sailor's remains will be in a hand-made wooden coffin pulled by a horse-drawn caisson, accompanied by members of the SCV in Confederate uniforms, said Dupree. There will also be participants in civilian Civil War-period attire, he said.
Dateline Sunday, July 29, 2007
“Funeral likely to be the last for a Confederate Service Member”
By GEORGE WERNETH
Staff Reporter
Hundreds of people packed into Mobile's Magnolia Cemetery on Saturday to take part in the funeral service for a Confederate sailor whose skeletal remains had been recovered from the wreckage of the sea raider CSS Alabama on the bottom of the English Channel.
A long row of Civil War cannons thundered in salute as the unidentified sailor was buried in Confederate Rest, a section of Magnolia Cemetery where some 1,100 Confederate veterans are buried. For the occasion, miniature Confederate flags had been placed atop each of the weather-beaten gravestones.
Taking part in the event were several hundred members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, an organization that held its 112th annual reunion in Mobile last week. Many of them wore an array of Confederate uniforms, and there were participants in Civil War-era civilian dress.
The event also attracted observers from as far away as England and Bogota, Colombia, for what Robert Edington -- a Mobile attorney and president of the CSS Alabama Association -- said would very likely be the last funeral for a Confederate service member.
The remains of the unidentified sailor were discovered in 2003, encrusted underneath a cannon that had been recovered from the site of the CSS Alabama's wreckage in 2002.
On June 19, 1864, the CSS Alabama was sunk by the Union warship USS Kearsarge in the channel off the coast of France. The Confederate ship had become notorious for preying on Union merchant ships around the world during the Civil War.
The CSS Alabama was commanded by Adm. Raphael Semmes, who practiced law in Mobile after the war and is buried in Catholic Cemetery on Mobile's north side.
The funeral procession formed at Government and Royal streets near the statue of Semmes and moved west on Government to Ann Street and then south on Ann to the cemetery. Horses drew a caisson bearing the hand-made wooden casket.
Among those on hand was Semmes' great-great-grandson, retired Navy Capt. Oliver J. Semmes III, 77, of Navarre, Fla. Dressed in a dark blue suit, Oliver Semmes traded salutes with several leaders of the procession in Confederate uniforms as he watched from downtown on Government Street. He said he believes his great-great-grandfather would have been pleased with the funeral being given to the sailor 143 years after the naval battle.
Raphael Semmes and about 40 of his crew members were pulled out of the cold channel water by the British yacht Deerhound and taken to England. Others were picked up by the Kearsarge or by French boaters who were watching the battle. About a dozen crew members drowned or were never heard from again. Edington said the Confederate warship had a crew of about 120.
Among those who came to Mobile for the funeral was John M. Lancaster, 77, of Cheltenham, England, an indirect descendant of John Lancaster, who rescued Semmes and his crew members with the Deerhound. John M. Lancaster said he came to Mobile to honor his ancestor and to gather information on a book he is writing on the Lancaster family. He and his wife, Janet, were being hosted in Mobile by Edington and his wife, Pat Edington.
Mark Raines, 46, formerly of Mobile, said he flew 3,500 miles from Bogota to attend the event. He said he works with the U.S. Embassy in Bogota but is a member of the SCV and the CSS Alabama Association. He said, "It's just an honor and a pleasure to be here to honor the crew member of the CSS Alabama." He said he is a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel as well as a descendant of Confederate veterans.
At the cemetery, several hundred spectators covered their ears as Confederate-clad rifle units fired volleys and artillery units fired roaring cannons in honor of the sailor as he was put to rest.
A.J. DuPree, a member of Raphael Semmes Camp 11 of the SCV, told those gathered that the sailor "served on the greatest sea raider in all of history" and added, "I hope we gave him his due."
Some 400 artifacts have been recovered since a French naval mine hunter found the CSS Alabama's wreckage Oct. 30, 1984, in about 200 feet of water. Most of the artifacts, recovered by U.S. and French navy divers, have been turned over to the U.S. Department of the Navy for restoration.
After the skeletal remains were discovered, samples were shipped to the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii, where DNA samples were taken. Edington said findings indicate that the remains were from a crew member between 17 and 30 years of age.
Some 600 members of the SCV were in Mobile for the reunion, which concluded Saturday.
Huntsville, alabama
“Sailor's remains from CSS Alabama buried in Mobile ceremony”
Associated Press
Published: Saturday, July 28, 2007, 3:59 PM Updated: Saturday, July 28, 2007, 4:41 PM
MOBILE – A Confederate sailor's remains recovered several years ago from a shipwreck at the bottom of the English Channel were buried Saturday in a ceremony in Mobile.
The unidentified sailor's skeletal remains were found encrusted on the underside of a cannon that was raised from the wreck of the CSS Alabama in some 200 feet of water.
The Confederate warship was sunk in the channel off the coast of France on June 19, 1864, by the Union warship USS Kearsarge. More than 400 artifacts have been recovered from the site by American and French divers.
The CSS Alabama had a crew of about 120 members, and most were rescued by boaters in the area, but about a dozen crew members drowned or were never heard from again, said Robert Edington, a Mobile attorney who is president of the CSS Alabama Association.
Saturday's funeral procession began downtown at the site of the statue of Adm. Raphael Semmes, who was the commanding officer of the CSS Alabama, and ended at Magnolia Cemetery where the sailor was buried.
The sailor's remains were in a handmade wooden coffin pulled by a horse-drawn caisson, accompanied by members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.
Associated Press
Published: Saturday, July 28, 2007, 3:59 PM Updated: Saturday, July 28, 2007, 4:41 PM
MOBILE – A Confederate sailor's remains recovered several years ago from a shipwreck at the bottom of the English Channel were buried Saturday in a ceremony in Mobile.
The unidentified sailor's skeletal remains were found encrusted on the underside of a cannon that was raised from the wreck of the CSS Alabama in some 200 feet of water.
The Confederate warship was sunk in the channel off the coast of France on June 19, 1864, by the Union warship USS Kearsarge. More than 400 artifacts have been recovered from the site by American and French divers.
The CSS Alabama had a crew of about 120 members, and most were rescued by boaters in the area, but about a dozen crew members drowned or were never heard from again, said Robert Edington, a Mobile attorney who is president of the CSS Alabama Association.
Saturday's funeral procession began downtown at the site of the statue of Adm. Raphael Semmes, who was the commanding officer of the CSS Alabama, and ended at Magnolia Cemetery where the sailor was buried.
The sailor's remains were in a handmade wooden coffin pulled by a horse-drawn caisson, accompanied by members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.
neshoba, mississippi
“A Confederate sailor is laid to rest”
By OVID VICKERS
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
As 20th century salvage divers removed a cannon from the Confederate States battleship, the "Alabama," they found a sailor's skeletal remains. When his ship, was sunk off the coast of France on June 19, 1864, this sailor would never have imagined that his funeral would be held 143 years later in Mobile, Ala.
Since the "Alabama" was commanded by Captain (later Admiral) Raphael Seems of Mobile, it was decided that the sailor's remains should be buried in Magnolia Cemetery in Mobile along with six Confederate generals and several hundred Confederate soldiers and sailors who already rested there.
The Confederate States had commissioned John Laird and sons, a ship-building company in Birkenhead, England, to build the "Alabama" in 1862. Although the vessel had only been in service for three years when she was sunk by the United States battleship "Kearsarge," she had offered a decided threat to Atlantic shipping, and her destruction was a priority of the United States Navy. On June 11, 1864, the "Alabama," greatly in need of repair, had docked at Cherbourg, France. Several United States vessels, including the Kearsarge blocked her in the Cherbourg Harbor. On June 19, Admiral Semmes decided to fight rather than to surrender. The naval battle took place so near land that people gathered on the shore to watch the action.
The funeral service for this sailor who lost his life during that naval battled was conducted in the parlor of the home of Admiral Semmes, a structure which now belongs to the Mobile Baptist Church. The wooden handmade casket rested on two saw horses and was draped in the Confederate battle flag. On a nearby table a kerosene lamp burned while on another table a large vase of wildflowers were place at the side of a framed Great Seal of The Confederacy done in needlepoint. Portraits of Robert E. Lee and Admiral Raphael Semmes , resting on easels, flanked the casket.
After the service, the casket was removed and placed on a caisson drawn by four horses. As the caisson moved away from the home, several companies (one from Meridian) of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, along with a group of ladies attired in black and carrying black umbrellas, followed the caisson down Government Street to Ann Street and thence to the cemetery.
As the funeral cortege entered the cemetery, a cannonade of five cannon fired a resounding salute to this unknown sailor. While the band played "Dixie" and as battle flags fluttered in the slight breeze, the horse drawn caisson moved to a position in front of a tent where tributes and speeches began with the placing of funeral wreaths. Wreaths were placed at the monument to the Confederate dead and also at the monument of the five-men from Mobile who lost their lives in the sinking of the Confederate submarine "Hunley."
Since it is not known whether this young sailor was white or black, Catholic or protestant, a protestant minister and a Catholic priest conducted the funeral. A company of black sailors were also present as a part of the ceremonies. One of the ministers said, as a part of his sermon, "This sailor's mother spent the rest of her life wondering what happened to her son. Today, her son can say, 'Mother, I'm home at last.'"
After the singing of "Amazing Grace" and the internment address, the transfer of the remains to the gravesite was made. As the casket bearers moved slowly down the cemetery street to the gravesite, a group of singers sang the Civil War song "Roll, Alabama, Roll." Before the casket was lowered, Captain Oliver Semmes, the great-great grandson of Admiral Semmes read the Admiral's charge to his crew before the naval battle began. The charge states, "The flag that floats over you is that of a young republic, who bids defiance to her enemies, whenever and wherever found. Show the world that you know how to uphold this flag. Go to your quarters as brave men."
Anyone who doubts the courage and valor of those men from the South who gave their lives for the Confederacy should have been at the funeral for this unknown sailor. It was a moving experience to witness battle flags fluttering in the breeze, companies of re-enactors in uniform, hoop-skirted ladies, stirring speeches, and the hush that fell over the crowd. To conclude the service, a young man stepped forward and played taps while the sun reflected from the bell of his brightly-shining bugle.
Just across the city at the edge of Mobile Bay sits the United States Battleship "Alabama." This battleship which saw action in World War II is a symbol of a nation united by a great struggle known as the American Civil War, a war which proved that a house divided cannot stand.
By OVID VICKERS
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
As 20th century salvage divers removed a cannon from the Confederate States battleship, the "Alabama," they found a sailor's skeletal remains. When his ship, was sunk off the coast of France on June 19, 1864, this sailor would never have imagined that his funeral would be held 143 years later in Mobile, Ala.
Since the "Alabama" was commanded by Captain (later Admiral) Raphael Seems of Mobile, it was decided that the sailor's remains should be buried in Magnolia Cemetery in Mobile along with six Confederate generals and several hundred Confederate soldiers and sailors who already rested there.
The Confederate States had commissioned John Laird and sons, a ship-building company in Birkenhead, England, to build the "Alabama" in 1862. Although the vessel had only been in service for three years when she was sunk by the United States battleship "Kearsarge," she had offered a decided threat to Atlantic shipping, and her destruction was a priority of the United States Navy. On June 11, 1864, the "Alabama," greatly in need of repair, had docked at Cherbourg, France. Several United States vessels, including the Kearsarge blocked her in the Cherbourg Harbor. On June 19, Admiral Semmes decided to fight rather than to surrender. The naval battle took place so near land that people gathered on the shore to watch the action.
The funeral service for this sailor who lost his life during that naval battled was conducted in the parlor of the home of Admiral Semmes, a structure which now belongs to the Mobile Baptist Church. The wooden handmade casket rested on two saw horses and was draped in the Confederate battle flag. On a nearby table a kerosene lamp burned while on another table a large vase of wildflowers were place at the side of a framed Great Seal of The Confederacy done in needlepoint. Portraits of Robert E. Lee and Admiral Raphael Semmes , resting on easels, flanked the casket.
After the service, the casket was removed and placed on a caisson drawn by four horses. As the caisson moved away from the home, several companies (one from Meridian) of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, along with a group of ladies attired in black and carrying black umbrellas, followed the caisson down Government Street to Ann Street and thence to the cemetery.
As the funeral cortege entered the cemetery, a cannonade of five cannon fired a resounding salute to this unknown sailor. While the band played "Dixie" and as battle flags fluttered in the slight breeze, the horse drawn caisson moved to a position in front of a tent where tributes and speeches began with the placing of funeral wreaths. Wreaths were placed at the monument to the Confederate dead and also at the monument of the five-men from Mobile who lost their lives in the sinking of the Confederate submarine "Hunley."
Since it is not known whether this young sailor was white or black, Catholic or protestant, a protestant minister and a Catholic priest conducted the funeral. A company of black sailors were also present as a part of the ceremonies. One of the ministers said, as a part of his sermon, "This sailor's mother spent the rest of her life wondering what happened to her son. Today, her son can say, 'Mother, I'm home at last.'"
After the singing of "Amazing Grace" and the internment address, the transfer of the remains to the gravesite was made. As the casket bearers moved slowly down the cemetery street to the gravesite, a group of singers sang the Civil War song "Roll, Alabama, Roll." Before the casket was lowered, Captain Oliver Semmes, the great-great grandson of Admiral Semmes read the Admiral's charge to his crew before the naval battle began. The charge states, "The flag that floats over you is that of a young republic, who bids defiance to her enemies, whenever and wherever found. Show the world that you know how to uphold this flag. Go to your quarters as brave men."
Anyone who doubts the courage and valor of those men from the South who gave their lives for the Confederacy should have been at the funeral for this unknown sailor. It was a moving experience to witness battle flags fluttering in the breeze, companies of re-enactors in uniform, hoop-skirted ladies, stirring speeches, and the hush that fell over the crowd. To conclude the service, a young man stepped forward and played taps while the sun reflected from the bell of his brightly-shining bugle.
Just across the city at the edge of Mobile Bay sits the United States Battleship "Alabama." This battleship which saw action in World War II is a symbol of a nation united by a great struggle known as the American Civil War, a war which proved that a house divided cannot stand.