By
Géraldine Lebourgeois
Published on
June 19, 2024 at 6:46 a.m.
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It was in May 1988. A dive to 7 nautical miles of Cherbourg (Manche), the first of a exploration which will last almost twenty years, until 2005.
The objective: to raise remains of the wreck of the’Alabama, privateer boat southern engaged in the Civil War.
Difficult conditions
For these excavationsunder the direction of Max Guérout then Gordon Watts, the dives were organized by Cherbourg resident Joë Guesnon. A fifty volunteers experienced, the vast majority members of Cherbourg clubs, took turns on the wreck every summer.
They must have been able to dive up to 60 meters deep, despite “the lack of visibilityTHE currentsTHE cold also, and the risk of narcosis”, which Joë Guesnon and Michel Chapron still remember.
Cherbourg, a unique site in Europe
L’Alabama sank off the coast of Cherbourg 160 years ago, the June 19, 1864in an incredible combination of circumstances and diplomatic games which means that an episode of the Civil War took place in the Channel Sea.
The fact is so exceptional that, the September 23, 2004Cherbourg is awarded the title of official site of the American Civil Warthe only one in Europe.
Two objects at the Thomas-Henry museum
Much has been written about the exploration of the wreck as well as the history of theAlabamasunk in its fight against the Yankee frigate Kearsarge. In the reserves of the Thomas-Henry museum, two objects bear witness to this history.
First of all, a piece of wooden hullgiven to the City in a box bearing the simple indication in red marker “fragment of the Kearsarge”…
A writing from the 1960s-1970s… But there is no other trace in our archives. What is certain is that the ship must have suffered damage in the battle. It is entirely possible that debris was found washed up on a beach, or that lifeboats recovered some. But we have no proof of this.
The other object is an engraving “Naval combat between the Kearsarge and theAlabama », signed Louis Le Breton, “ former naval surgeon converted into designer “.
“He was perhaps in Cherbourg on the day of the battle. THE casino had been inaugurated a few days before, June 15, and many people knew about this remarkable event which was played in Cherbourg between the Confederate States of the South and the States of the Union”.
“The event of June 64! »
“It’s the event of June 64! There Franceis then under the Second Empire . If Napoleon III displays neutrality, he is rather in favor of the Confederate States. He wanted to install Emperor Maximilian on the throne of Mexico and then more than 80% of the world cotton productioncame from South America . It facilitated contractions in borrowing by the Southern states. »
The South, poorly armed, also “encouraged the private financing of corsair boats” (“Sea fortunes around the Cotentin”, by Gérard Léonard and Frédéric Patard).
Among them, theAlabama entrusted tosea captainRaphaël Semmes. This “old sea dog has an incredible reputation, his ship is very well known”, built, in secret, only two years earlier.
A fight immortalized
“For 22 months,” continues Louise Hallet, “he will scour the seas and until Indian Ocean , he systematically chased away the ships of the Northern States, more than fifty were sunk, the cargoes stolen, and the crews taken prisoner. »
L’Alabama ends up showing some signs of fatigue. And this is how he presented himself at the entrance to Cherbourg, on June 11, 1864, asking for the right to come and benefit from some repairs in dry dock.
A diplomatic crisis then bursts. With the help of the United States consul Édouard Liais, the Northern States sent the Kearsargein Cherbourg but already there population is entirely committed to the cause of Captain Semmes, “who welcomes all the good society of Cherbourg on board theAlabama“.
Between June 11 and 19, all the media are talking about this upcoming battle. Parisians take the train to attend. And it is possible that Le Breton was among them. In any case, he was the first to publish an image of it, in the magazine “L’illustration”, on June 25. which was a feat at the time. These are only the beginnings of the modern press. He had quite a bit of success and worked on another engraving, in color, printed in series. One of the copies was purchased in 1936 by the Thomas-Henry museum.
There public Libraryalso retains some pictures, which evoke this battle and its men. Among whom three were buried in Cherbourg, Aiguillons cemetery .
Theremajority of sailorsSoutherners could have been saved.
“Duel dans la Manche”, 37th volume of the comic strip “Les Tuniques bleues”, is inspired by this battle.
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