CSS Alabama: Anatomy of a Confederate Raider

Based on the latest research, including archaeological work on the recently rediscovered wreck, this book provides a complete anatomy in words, pictures, and drawings of one of the most famous ships of all time, the Confederate commerce raider Alabama of 1862. The sloop-of-war was known worldwide for her phenomenally destructive campaign against Union shipping that extended from coastal Texas to Cape Town, South Africa. Winning prizes estimated at $6 million, the ship was eventually tracked down and sunk off the coast of Cherbourg by the USS Kearsarge. Despite enduring interest in the ship, many details of her structure and fitting are still a matter of debate. The ship's clandestine construction and delayed arming produced often contradictory evidence. For this book, the author sifted through every known contemporary photograph, painting, model, and plan to produce the most detailed set of drawings of the Alabama ever published. With more than 250 illustrations, plans, and line drawings, the work will delight naval historians, Civil War enthusiasts, and model-makers alike.