CSS Alabama was a Confederate States Navy cruiser that operated during the American Civil War. It was built in 1862 and became one of the most famous and successful commerce raiders in history. In January 1863, the Alabama encountered the Union Navy ship USS Hatteras off the coast of Galveston Lighthouse in Texas. The Hatteras was a sloop-of-war, a type of naval vessel with a single gun deck.
The two ships engaged in a brief but intense battle, with the Alabama firing first and severely damaging the Hatteras. The Hatteras attempted to retreat, but the Alabama was able to catch up and sink it. The crew of the Hatteras abandoned the ship and were taken prisoner by the Confederates. The sinking of the Hatteras was a significant victory for Alabama and a blow to the Union Navy.
After the battle, the Alabama continued its operations, attacking and sinking numerous Union merchant ships and occasionally engaging in battles with Union Navy vessels. It became a symbol of Confederate naval power and a thorn in the side of the Union. However, Alabama’s success was short-lived. In June 1864, it was hunted down and sunk by the Union Navy in the Atlantic Ocean. The battle between the CSS Alabama and the USS Hatteras was a small but significant episode that demonstrated the effectiveness of Confederate naval forces in the early and mid-stages of the Civil War
References:
http://encyclopediaofalabama.org/Article/h-973
https://www.marinersmuseum.org/2020/09/uss-hatteras-the-first-warship-sunk-by-css-alabama/
https://www.essentialcivilwarcurriculum.com/the-alabama-affair.html
