First things first. I passed on the information about further connection between Portsmouth, NH and the CSS Alabama (and the USS Kearsarge, the Portsmouth, NH-built ship that sunk her in 1864 off Cherbourg, France) and, of course, the song.

I recently read Portsmouth Women: Madams & Matriarchs Who Shaped New Hampshire edited by my friend Laura Pope and discovered within an article about Ellen Gerrish who was married to Captain Edwin Gerrish who captained the merchant vessel Rockingham which was also built in Portsmouth, NH. Ellen and their young daughter Helen ("Brownie") traveled with Captain Gerrish and lived on board the Rockingham which at that time was employed in the guano trade from the Chinca Islands off Peru. Portsmouth-built and captained Rockingham became the last ship captured by the Alabama before her fateful encounter with the Kearsarge. The crew and Capt. Gerrish and his family were transferred to the Alabama before the Rockingham was used for target practice and sunk. The Alabama was making its way to Cherbourg for repairs and that's where the Gerrishes and crew a well as the officers and crews of several other prizes of the Alabama were released. Gerrish passed along important intel about the Alabama to the U.S. vice consul in Cherbourg which aided in removing the Alabama as a threat to Union shipping.

I also discovered today an article written by a former co-worker of mine (by John Hirtle) which fills in a lot more information about all three ships as well as reminding me that the zinc Civil War Soldiers & Sailors monument in Goodwin Park, a little park in Portsmouth, NH on Islington St., specifically mentions the Kearsarge. By the way, she was named after a mountain in New Hampshire...but there are TWO Mt. Kearsarges in NH and both communities have been arguing ever since as to which mountain the ship was named after.

Meanwhile...we sang our hearts out yesterday (and still have heart, body and soul left to sing again).

The crew was me, Linn (Bat Goddess), Hutch, Don, Bill & Gina, Dianne, Jeri, Gail & Jim, Bruce, Justine, Carol C., and Jean.

And what we sang was:
1. River Lea - Hutch
2. Whup Jamboree - Carol
3. Home, Dearie, Home - Linn
4. Saltpetre Shanty - Justine & Don
5. Blow, Boys, Blow/Yankee Ship - Dianne
6. Cairo-Town -Don
7. The Tale of the Kennebec Mariner (recitation) - Hutch
Which led to a bunch of river songs...
8. Essequibo River - Hutch
9. No More Cane On These Brazos - Linn
10. And a few more attempts and first verses of river songs including one Caroline and Sandy Paton used to sing
11. Shawnee-Town - Hutch
12. Yangtze River - Justine
13. All Back Together - Linn trying to piece it together from memory; written by Stanley Longstaff right after Press Room founder Jay Smith died; makes several reference to the Piscataqua River, though not by name.
14. Black Bird, Get Up - Jeri
15. Paradise Street - Bill D.
16. Sonny's Dream - Gail F.
17. Hieland Laddie - Jim F.
18. Bonnie Ship the Diamond - Bruce
19. Bye Bye, My Roseanna - Dianne
20. Old Zeb - Hutch
21. Knickerbocker Line - Linn
22. Paddy West - Don
23. John Dead - Jeri
24. Fall Down, Billy O'Shea - Hutch
25. London Julie - Justine
26. Plum Island National Anthem - Linn
27. Banks of Sicily - Hutch
28. The Alabama - Bruce
29. Haul Away, Joe - Jim F.
30. Saucy Anna - Jean
31. Johnny Come Down to Hilo - Justine
32. Pace-Egging Song - Dianne
33. Rose of Allendale - Gail F.
34. Nine Times a Night - Linn
35. Hills of Isle au Haut - Bruce
36. Bruce trying to tell Mark Ryer's joke about Nelson and Hardy
37. Pat Do This (Roog Sugaroo) - Jean
38. Johnson Girls - Justine
39. Rowdy Soul - Jean & Hutch
40. Greenland Whale Fisheries - Don
41. All Back Together - Linn with the words this time
42. Sprig of Thyme - Dianne
43. Cannery Shed - Linn
44. Hey, Rain - Hutch
45. Hard Times In Old Virginia - Justine
46. We Have Fed Our Sea For a Thousand Years - Bill D.
47. Harbors of Home - Linn
48. Black Bird, Get Up - Jean
49. Seaman's Hymn - Don and the Company

As usual, please let me know of any errors or omissions. Thank you, everyone, for coming!

Linn