warshipguy
Gentlemen,
Here is a question that well-deserves discussion. What was the external color of the ship? I have seen black. I have seen gray. I have seen white trim and no off-setting color on the trim. What are your thoughts?
Bill
Bill,
As you know I've had some time available to do some research. I have some answers at least as far as 1862 goes. The Captain of the ship Brilliant reported details of the Alabama to try and assist in her capture. Excerpt below.
Archive.org/stream/proceedingsofcha00newy/proceedingsofcha00newy_djvu.txt
“At a special meeting of the Chamber of Commerce of the
State of New-York, held Tuesday, October 21st, 1862, "to
consider what action, if any, should be taken in consequence
of the burning at sea, by the steamer Alabama, of the ship
Brilliant and other vessels,…”
“…statement which has appeared in the daily papers
(New York Journal of Commerce, et al)of the city,
as emanating from Captain Hagar, of the ship Brilliant."
“She is a wooden vessel, propelled "by a screw, coppered bottom, about 210 feet long, rather narrow, painted black outside and drab inside, has a round stern, billet head, very little shear, flush deck fore and aft, a bridge forward at the smoke stack, carries two large black boats on cranes amidships forward of the main rigging, two black quarter-boats between the main and mizzen masts, one small black boat over the stern on cranes. The spare spars on a gallows between the bridge and foremast show above the rail. She carries three long 32-pounders on a side, and is pierced for two more amidships ; has a 100 pound rifled pivot gun forward of the bridge, and a 68 pound pivot on the main deck; has tracks laid forward for a pivot 'bow-gun, and tracks aft for a pivot stern- chaser, all of which she will take on board to complete her armament, fler guns are of the Blakely pattern, and manufactured by 'Wesley & Preston, Liverpool, 1862. She is bark rigged, has very long bright lower masts and black mast-heads, yards black, long yard-arms, short poles, (say one to two feet,) with small dog vanes on each, and appendant to the main studding-sail booms on the fore and main, and has wire rigging, carries on her foremast a square foresail, large trysail with two reefs, topgallant sail and royal. On the mainmast, a large trysail with two reefs and a bonnet. No square main- sail bent, topsail two reefs, topgallant sail and royal. On the mizzen mast, a very large spanker and a short three-cornered gaft topsail, has a fore and foretopmast staysail and jib. Has had no staysails to the main or mizzen masts bent, or royal yards aloft. It is represented to go thirteen knots under canvas and fifteen under steam.”
Nino