Beneath the stainless banner

by John McIntosh Kell

John McIntosh Kell was the inconspicuous hero of the famous Confederate raider, the CSS Alabama. Most students of the War Between the States are familiar with the exploits of the Southern cruiser and her celebrated captain, Raphael Semmes. By the time of her climactic battle with the USS Kearsarge off the coast of France in June 1864, the Alabama and her flamboyant commander had practically swept the seas of Northern merchant vessels, destroying more United States shipping than any other Confederate warship. But the individual who oversaw the day-to-day operation of the ship, the man who ran the cruise of the Alabama at the direction of his commander, was the ship's executive officer - First Lieutenant John McIntosh Kell. His recollections offer a fascinating glimpse into the activities of the Confederate Navy, and in particular the day-to-day operations of the cruisers Sumter and Alabama.