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The CSS ''Alabama's'' Indian Ocean Expeditionary Raid commenced shortly after the CSS Alabama left the Cape of Good Hope and cruised across the Indian Ocean ultimately exiting via the Sunda Strait into the Java Sea from where she proceeded through the Karimata Strait past the west coast of Borneo before turning west towards Singapore. The raid lasted from about the end of September, 1863 to the end of November, 1863. The primary area of operation during this expeditionary raid, was the central Indian Ocean, across the Tropic of Capricorn, steaming east toward the Dutch East Indies Indonesia. == Raid overview == The CSS ''Alabama'' worked its way east from the Cape of Good Hope through rough weather, passing the islands of St. Peter and St. Paul in the Indian Ocean, which are about half way to the Strait of Sunda. The ''Alabama'' crossed the Tropic of Capricorn and conferred with the captain of an English bark, learning that the USS ''Wyoming'', a Yankee steamer, was patrolling in the Strait of Sunda with a tender, and anchorered nightly at Krakatoa Island. Many of the ships intercepted during this period were English or Dutch ships. However on November 6, the ''Alabama's'' luck changed as Semmes learned from an English ship out of Foochow that the ''Winged Racer'', escorted by the USS ''Wyoming'' was coming out of the strait. The ''Alabama'' pursued and overhauled two English ships before coming upon the ''Amanda'', out of Boston, laden with sugar and hemp. Semmes and crew set the ''Amanda'' well alight by 10:00 pm. Getting underway for the Strait of Sunda, ''Alabama'' sailed past Keyser Island, Beezee island and Sowbooks island, and then passed through the strait, on to Thwart-the-Way island and Stroom Rock, not finding the USS ''Wyoming''. However, on November 8, amidst a rain squall, the ''Alabama'' sighted sail and chased down the unescorted ''Winged Racer''. The crew and master were put in boats to row ashore to nearby land at North Island, and the ''Racer'' was burnt. CSS ''Alabama'' then proceeded toward the China Sea, passing Sumatra and Java, and arrived in Gasper Strait. Around daylight, new sail was sighted, and a Yankee clipper headed toward the ''Alabama'' only to find the Confederate flag unfurled when Captain Semmes hoisted a change of colors. The clipper added topsails, and opened chase. Unfortunately for the clipper ''Contest'', a slack in the wind during the midday qualms allowed the ''Alabama'' to bring her within gun range. To the regret of Captain Semmes, he could not capture the new prize and outfit her for service in the Confederate Navy, and so he reluctantly burnt her. From this raiding area in the Dutch East Indies, the CSS ''Alabama'' returned, via Singapore, to the Strait of Malacca. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「CSS Alabama's Indian Ocean Expeditionary Raid」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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