Raphael Semmes was the undisputed Civil War naval "ace of aces", with 83 "kills" (warships and merchant ships sunk or bonded). He would command two Confederate commerce raiders during the war: CSS Sumter and CSS Alabama. Semmes repeatedly made daring escapes from Federal warships and fleets chasing him and single-handedly crippled US shipping around the globe. He also used the Alabama to support the campaign to liberate Galveston, sinking the warship USS Hatteras.
