CSS Alabama's Indian Ocean Expeditionary Raid

CSS Alabama's Indian Ocean Expeditionary Raid commenced shortly after the Confederate States Navy ship 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.

Alabama crossed the Tropic of Capricorn and conferred with the captain of an English bark, learning that USS Wyoming, a Union steamer, was patrolling in the Strait of Sunda with a tender, and anchored nightly at Krakatoa Island.

However, on November 6, Alabama's captain, Semmes, learned from an English ship out of Fuzhou (Foochow) that Winged Racer, escorted by USS Wyoming was coming out of the strait.

Around daylight, new sail was sighted, and a Yankee clipper headed toward Alabama only to find the Confederate flag unfurled when Captain Semmes hoisted a change of colors.

The clipper Contest encountered a slack in the wind during the midday qualms, which allowed Alabama to bring the ship within gun range.