A good Civil War naval story as the ships from the north try to track confederate ships, both trying to destroy the other and all ships they find while searching. The locales stretch from the United States coast, inland waters, South America, Africa, Europe, and points in between. You have to remember in those days there was no way to search for a ship except by word of mouth or accidentally finding that ship while transcending the globe. Also in those days the sailors, as well as their captain, were very rough and crude men that were very likely to kill captured crews from ships, burn the ships after looting all the goods aboard, and turn the few of the captured crew members over to the first possible place on land or sea.
Raphael Semmes was captain of the confederate ship, The USS Alabama. The Alabama was a strong and powerful ship. Semmes would take no quarter from any opposing ship and would kill and/or destroy almost any other ship along with its crew just to get a "worse" reputation. Seahawk Burning takes you mostly by sea to many areas of the earth to fight others, get provisions, have ship repairs made, unload crew members who's time was up and find new crew members, while making those stops. Most of all the ships officers and crews in those days were not very healthy, some from not eating correctly, drinking far too much alcohol, associating with wild women that gave them more than they bargained for, and of course the normal sailors brawls.
The many areas traversed by the USS Alabama took them through many a bad storm that damaged ships and their crews quite bad. Weather; another item they knew little about and had no idea what lies ahead. Meanwhile back in Washington, DC, President Lincoln, the various government leaders including the Secretary of the Navy, the Yankee leaders, and all of their cohorts, schemed as to how to capture and destroy this Confederate ship that was wreaking havoc on their ships. So far Semmes has eluded them but the word of mouth was starting to narrow his travel path. The ship that was closest on his trail now was the USS Kearsarge Captained by an ex shipmate of Semmes, John Winslow, who wanted his former friend and opponent very much. Winslow was not in good health, having only one eye and it pained him much of the time. Semmes had his gal, Maude, constantly on his mind. The Yankee government to obtain information about Semmes was also tracking her. Maude had two babies with her, one white and one black. She loved them both, as did Semmes. She had to keep on the run throughout the eastern United States and through Canada to avoid capture.
Raphael Semmes was captain of the confederate ship, The USS Alabama. The Alabama was a strong and powerful ship. Semmes would take no quarter from any opposing ship and would kill and/or destroy almost any other ship along with its crew just to get a "worse" reputation. Seahawk Burning takes you mostly by sea to many areas of the earth to fight others, get provisions, have ship repairs made, unload crew members who's time was up and find new crew members, while making those stops. Most of all the ships officers and crews in those days were not very healthy, some from not eating correctly, drinking far too much alcohol, associating with wild women that gave them more than they bargained for, and of course the normal sailors brawls.
The many areas traversed by the USS Alabama took them through many a bad storm that damaged ships and their crews quite bad. Weather; another item they knew little about and had no idea what lies ahead. Meanwhile back in Washington, DC, President Lincoln, the various government leaders including the Secretary of the Navy, the Yankee leaders, and all of their cohorts, schemed as to how to capture and destroy this Confederate ship that was wreaking havoc on their ships. So far Semmes has eluded them but the word of mouth was starting to narrow his travel path. The ship that was closest on his trail now was the USS Kearsarge Captained by an ex shipmate of Semmes, John Winslow, who wanted his former friend and opponent very much. Winslow was not in good health, having only one eye and it pained him much of the time. Semmes had his gal, Maude, constantly on his mind. The Yankee government to obtain information about Semmes was also tracking her. Maude had two babies with her, one white and one black. She loved them both, as did Semmes. She had to keep on the run throughout the eastern United States and through Canada to avoid capture.
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