April 23, 1864: The Alabama Captures and Destroys the Rockingham Off Cape Verde Islands

APRIL 23RD, 1864:   The CSS Alabama, Captain Semmes, captured and destroyed the ship Rockingham with cargo of guano at sea west of the Cape Verde Islands.

Semmes said of the capture:  "It was an old spectacle of the panting, breathless fawn, and the inexorable stag-hound.  A gun brought his colors to the peak, and his main-yard to the mast ...,  We transferred to the Alabama such stores and provisions as we could make room for, and the weather being fine, we made a target of the prize, firing some shot and shell into her with good effect and at five p.m. we burned her and filled away on our course."

Ominously, during his gunnery practice, many of the Alabama's shells failed to explode.

--Old B-Runner