The CSS Alabama wreck doesn’t contain traditional treasure—you’ll find over 300 recovered artifacts including seven of the ship’s original eight cannons, personal effects, and advanced maritime technology from the Civil War era. Discovered in 1984 beneath 200 feet of water off Cherbourg, France, these artifacts hold immense historical value rather than monetary worth. A 1989 US-France agreement established joint stewardship, with ongoing archaeological documentation revealing how this Confederate raider operated 534 days at sea, destroying 65 Union vessels before its 1864 sinking.
Key Takeaways
- Over 300 artifacts recovered from CSS Alabama wreck since discovery in 1984, including seven of eight original cannons.
- Notable treasure includes Blakely 7-inch 100-pounder cannon retrieved between 1989 and 2002 from 200 feet underwater.
- 1989 US-France agreement established joint stewardship, affirming American legal possession while recognizing shared heritage status.
- Preservation prioritizes systematic archaeological documentation over artifact extraction through Joint French-American Scientific Committee oversight.
- Specialized conservation at Warren Lasch Conservation Center required for artifacts recovered from English Channel wreck site.
The Secret Birth of a Confederate Raider
In 1862, the Laird Brothers shipyard in Birkenhead began constructing what would become the Confederacy’s most effective commerce raider under extraordinary secrecy.
You’ll find this vessel was known only as “hull number 290” during its secret construction, deliberately concealing its military purpose from British authorities. Confederate agent James D. Bulloch orchestrated these covert operations to circumvent neutrality laws that would’ve prevented the ship’s completion.
The 220-foot oak-hulled sloop featured ingenious design elements enabling long-range independence: retractable propeller, collapsible smokestack, and dual 300-horsepower engines. An English crew would man the vessel alongside Confederate officers, creating a unique hybrid force for maritime warfare.
Engineering innovations like retractable propellers and collapsible smokestacks transformed CSS Alabama into a self-sufficient predator of Union merchant vessels.
On July 29, 1862, she slipped away under merchant disguise, heading to the Azores where supply ships awaited. There, Captain Raphael Semmes commissioned her as CSS *Alabama* on August 24, transforming a phantom hull into the Confederacy’s most formidable weapon against Union commerce. Over the next months, she would cruise through the North Atlantic and West Indies, capturing over two-dozen Union merchant ships before the year’s end.
Captain Semmes and the Reign of Terror at Sea
A warship’s effectiveness depends less on its construction than on the skill of those who command it, and Confederate Captain Raphael Semmes transformed CSS *Alabama* into the Union’s nightmare through calculated aggression and tactical brilliance.
You’ll find Semmes’ strategies centered on speed over firepower—he’d burn captured vessels, then ambush rescuers responding to the flames. His deceptive tactics included flying false flags to close distance before striking.
The maritime impact proved devastating: 65 Union ships destroyed across 22 months, $4.7 million in direct damages, and insurance rates skyrocketing.
You’d witness merchant captains refusing to sail or transferring registry to foreign flags. Operating 534 of 657 days at sea without entering Confederate ports, Semmes paralyzed Northern commerce while evading pursuit, forcing Washington to dedicate entire squadrons to hunting him. The *Alabama’s* global reach came from disrupting U.S. shipping on international waters without ever returning to Southern ports for resupply. Semmes’ vessel carried eight powerful cannons, including a devastating 100-pound gun that made engagement with merchant ships a one-sided affair.
Final Showdown in the English Channel
The naval strategy employed by both vessels created a deadly spiral:
- Ships circled at progressively tightening ranges, closing from initial separation to 400 yards by the eighth loop.
- *Alabama* fired 370 rounds at one-per-minute rates, while *Kearsarge’s* crews prioritized accuracy over volume.
- Chain armor plating on *Kearsarge* deflected Confederate projectiles effectively.
In the final moments, *Alabama* sank stern-first as Semmes threw his sword into the Channel, maintaining defiance until British yacht *Deerhound* secured his escape. The battle off Cherbourg, France in 1864 represented a significant technological advancement in naval warfare during the Civil War. The battle resulted in 19 fatalities among *Alabama’s* crew of 170, while *Kearsarge* rescued most survivors.
Discovery Beneath the Waves of Cherbourg
Operational exercises by the French Navy mine hunter *Circé* yielded an unexpected historical discovery in November 1984 when sonar detected wreckage approximately 200 feet beneath the English Channel’s surface.
You’ll find the wreck at coordinates 49°45′9″N 1°41′42″W, precisely 7 nautical miles north of Cherbourg—exactly where *CSS Alabama* sank 120 years earlier.
Commander Max Guerout confirmed the vessel’s identity, recognizing its historic significance to Confederate naval operations.
This underwater exploration prompted establishment of the CSS *Alabama* Association in 1988, dedicated to scientific investigation.
A 1989 US-France agreement created the Joint French-American Scientific Committee, acknowledging American ownership while enabling collaborative research.
The discovery’s location in French territorial waters necessitated international cooperation, ultimately yielding over 300 artifacts including the ship’s bell, cannons, and personal effects.
Among the recovered items was a human jaw found in 2004, which was subsequently buried in Mobile, Alabama.
The wreck serves as a valuable heritage resource for understanding maritime warfare and daily life aboard Civil War-era naval vessels.
International Cooperation in Underwater Archaeology
Contemporary cross border collaboration demonstrates unprecedented scale:
- Regional partnerships: The Archaeological Atlas of the 2 Seas project unified France, Belgium, and UK teams, creating a publicly accessible geoportal documenting underwater heritage across jurisdictional boundaries.
- Mediterranean-wide missions: UNESCO’s Skerki Bank initiative coordinated eight nations—Algeria, Croatia, Egypt, France, Italy, Morocco, Spain, and Tunisia—for mapping and establishing protection zones.
- Bilateral knowledge transfers: Mexico-Jamaica cooperation produced technical training, heritage impact assessments, and excavation field schools. The Educational Cultural Heritage Program emerged from diplomatic meetings between the two nations in 2019, formalizing their collaborative framework. INAH and UC San Diego received UNESCO’s “Best Practices of Underwater Cultural Heritage” distinction for their minimally invasive approach to documenting the Hoyo Negro underwater cave system.
These frameworks empower nations to protect underwater heritage while maintaining sovereign control over their territorial waters.
Cannons and Artifacts From the Deep
You’ll find the recovered Blakely 7-inch 100-pounder particularly significant—this pivot gun contained a conical projectile still lodged in its barrel when archaeologists lifted it from the seabed in 1994.
The excavation teams retrieved seven of Alabama’s original eight cannons between 1989 and 2002, with individual pieces weighing up to 5,000 pounds and requiring specialized conservation at facilities like Warren Lasch Conservation Center.
Franco-American archaeological partnerships guaranteed these weapons and over 500 associated artifacts received proper documentation and preservation, revealing both the ship’s offensive capabilities and the daily operations of its crew.
Loaded Blakely Gun Recovery
The 7-inch Blakely rifle emerged from the wreckage off Cherbourg in 1994 with a conical projectile still lodged in its barrel—a frozen moment from the CSS Alabama‘s final battle 130 years prior. This loaded cannon exemplifies the vessel’s readiness when USS Kearsarge sent her to the bottom on June 19, 1864.
The recovery’s historical significance extends through multiple dimensions:
- Combat State Preservation: The 3.5-ton forward pivot gun remained battle-ready, offering direct evidence of the crew’s final preparations during engagement with federal forces.
- Technical Documentation: Rifled barrel integrity and mounted projectile provide measurable data on Confederate ordnance capabilities and Blakely manufacturing specifications.
- Archaeological Context: Position beside the forward starboard boiler, with intact pivot carriage and brass tracks, establishes precise spatial relationships within the wreck site.
You’ll find this artifact displayed at La Cité de la Mer Museum in Cherbourg.
Heavy Cannon Discoveries
Beyond the forward pivot gun, Alabama’s wreck site yielded seven distinct cannons that document the cruiser’s formidable armament across three decades of archaeological investigation.
You’ll find these weapons distributed across multiple cannon locations: Washington’s Navy Yard, Charleston’s Warren Lasch Conservation Center, and Mobile’s museum.
The recovered artillery includes a 68-pounder smoothbore from the stern’s starboard hull, a 32-pounder delivered in 2000, and British Royal Navy patterns.
Conservation techniques at the Warren Lasch facility revealed grim discoveries—human remains fused to iron surfaces during multi-year preservation work.
French and American divers recovered additional pieces in 2003, while 2005 excavations targeted the aft pivot gun.
Supporting artifacts include gun truck wheels, brass carriage tracks, and a conical projectile lodged within a 7-inch rifle barrel.
Joint Archaeological Preservation Efforts
Following decades of inactivity at the wreck site, Franco-American divers launched a collaborative expedition in 2002-2003 that exposed hundreds of artifacts resting on the seabed 120 years after Alabama’s sinking.
This underwater exploration recovered over 300 items, initiating extensive artifact conservation efforts spanning multiple institutions.
The partnership established systematic preservation protocols:
- Warren Lasch Conservation Center processed two 32-pounders, bronze bell, live artillery shell, and ceramics for the US Navy starting in 2001.
- Naval History and Heritage Command received 30+ artifacts in 2014, including wooden boxes, gunstock fragments, and copper alloy components.
- La Cité de la Mer Museum in Cherbourg preserved a 7-inch Blakely rifle on French shores.
Senior Conservator Paul Mardikian developed subcritical techniques reducing conservation timelines from six years to six months, revolutionizing preservation methodology for maritime archaeology.
Legal Battle Over a Sunken Warship
You’ll find the 1989 US-France agreement resolved these tensions by establishing joint stewardship rather than exclusive ownership.
This framework recognized the wreck as shared heritage while affirming American legal possession.
The solution’s elegance lies in balancing territorial sovereignty with historical claims, creating collaborative oversight through the Joint French-American Scientific Committee rather than protracted litigation.
Preserving Maritime History for Future Generations
The 1989 French-American agreement established the Joint French-American Scientific Committee to oversee CSS Alabama’s preservation, creating a framework where both nations share stewardship despite the wreck’s location in French territorial waters.
You’ll find this cooperative model prioritizes systematic archaeological documentation over artifact extraction, maintaining the site’s integrity while advancing scholarly understanding of the Confederate raider’s operational history.
The Association CSS Alabama, founded in 1988, coordinates non-invasive surveys that map the 220-foot vessel’s remains and catalog evidence of the 1864 battle damage without disturbing the contextual relationships between hull fragments, armaments, and crew possessions.
International Cooperation and Protection
The bilateral management structure includes:
- Joint Scientific Committee oversight – French and American experts coordinate all archaeological investigations and guarantee research standards.
- Dual authorization requirements – Both nations must approve excavation activities, preserving territorial and ownership rights.
- Shared custodianship model – U.S. ownership as Confederate successor balanced with French territorial jurisdiction.
You’ll find this precedent-setting agreement demonstrates how nations can protect underwater cultural heritage without compromising sovereignty, creating a template for future international shipwreck preservation efforts.
Archaeological Research and Recovery
Since 1988, systematic archaeological investigations of the CSS Alabama wreck site have transformed our understanding of Confederate naval engineering and Civil War maritime operations.
You’ll find that advanced excavation techniques have targeted critical areas including the forward hull, officers’ quarters, and gun emplacements at 58 meters depth. Research teams employed ROVs with acoustic positioning, high-resolution digital cameras, and sonar systems for thorough artifact documentation.
Between 2000-2005, investigators recovered significant items: the ship’s bell, Blakely rifled cannon, pivot gun carriages, and personal effects. They’ve generated over 2,000 images creating detailed photo-mosaics.
This eighteen-year effort established enhanced wreck plans essential for future site management, ensuring this Confederate raider’s story—free from political sanitization—remains accessible to those who value authentic historical understanding.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Deep Is the CSS Alabama Wreck Located?
You’ll find the CSS Alabama wreck at a depth of 60 meters (200 feet) during your depth exploration. The wreck location sits approximately 10 kilometers north of Cherbourg’s western approaches, where French naval forces confirmed its position in 1984.
What Was the Exact Date CSS Alabama Was Commissioned?
Stepping back through time’s veil, you’ll find CSS Alabama was commissioned on August 24, 1862. These commissioning details mark pivotal historical significance—transforming Enrica into the Confederacy’s most formidable raider off Terceira Island’s waters.
How Many Ships Did CSS Alabama Capture During the War?
You’ll find CSS Alabama captured 66 merchant vessels during naval warfare operations. She took 65 U.S.-flagged ships over her nearly two-year career, with ship captures valued at approximately $6 million total.
Where Exactly Was CSS Alabama Built?
You’ll find CSS Alabama’s shipbuilding history began at Birkenhead Ironworks, operated by John Laird Sons and Company on England’s Wirral Peninsula. This naval architecture masterpiece, hull “290,” was secretly constructed across from Liverpool in 1862, defying neutrality laws.
Who Discovered the CSS Alabama Wreck in 1984?
The French Navy mine hunter Circe discovered the wreck in November 1984 during operational exercises off Cherbourg. Lieutenant Commander Bruno Duclos commanded the vessel, though this wasn’t treasure hunting—it was routine naval operations.
References
- https://www.history.navy.mil/research/underwater-archaeology/sites-and-projects/ship-wrecksites/css-alabama.html
- https://scvsemmes.org/shipwrecks-of-mobile-bay-and-alabama-1861-1865.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CSS_Alabama
- https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/css-alabama/
- https://archeologie.culture.gouv.fr/archeo-sous-marine/en/alabama-1864-manche
- https://ahc.alabama.gov/news_detail.aspx?ID=16027
- https://www.marinersmuseum.org/2021/08/roll-alabama-roll-sinking-of-css-alabama/
- https://www.boem.gov/environment/civil-war-wreck-mapped-3d
- http://css-alabama.com.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/challenge.html
- https://www.scvsemmes.org/histories-of-the-css-alabama.html
