[DoodleDawg]

The following conversation between English ship Captain Hillyar and Capt. Raphael Semmes-Confederate Ship CSS Alabama occurred during the war on August 5th, 1861. It is a summary from a well-educated Southerner who is stating his reasons for fighting.

For the record in August 1861 Raphael Semmes was commanding a commerce raider called the Sumter in the Atlantic and the Caribbean. He didn't commission the Alabama until the next year. If Mr. King can't be troubled to be accurate in that part of his post then how can we believe the rest of it? Especially since none of it is sourced? I could claim that the South started the war because they wanted to capture the North's unicorn heard in Michigan and it would have just as much credibility.

[smoothsailing]

Is Semmes best known as the Captain of the Alabama or the Sumter? Which would best identify him?

Isn’t King saying August 5, 1861 is the date of the conversation, and not what ship he commanded on that date? It appears so.

Granted, King could have worded that sentence a whole lot better! :)

[kiryandil]

For the record in August 1861 Raphael Semmes was commanding a commerce raider called the Sumter in the Atlantic and the Caribbean. He didn't commission the Alabama until the next year.

For the record, the CSS Sumter steamed into Trinidad harbour on July 30, 1861. Also present in Trinidad harbour was the British vessel HMS Cadmus, Henry Hillyar, commanding.

This information was trivially easy to find. Now, the Leftists like to hide and befog information that undermines their arguments. I should hope that you're not cut from that same bolt of cloth, DoodleDawg.

From the article: "Even worse, an American from the island reported to Seward that 'the officers of the British war vessel Cadmus appeared to be on amicable terms with those of the Sumter.'

While not confirming the conversation between Hillyar & Semmes, it makes it at least quite plausible.