Civil War stories: One-ship navy escaped Union’s grip with sly maneuvers

At the start of the Civil War, the Confederacy was without a navy to protect its shores and conduct trade with other nations. In June 1861, the CSS Sumter, under the command of Raphael Semmes, made its maiden voyage as the only ship in the Confederate Navy. In doing so, the Sumter deftly escaped a Federal vice at the mouth of the Mississippi River heading for adventure on the high seas.