▁originally ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁American ▁b ark ▁Con rad . ▁While ▁en ▁route ▁from ▁Buenos ▁Aires ▁to ▁New ▁York ▁with ▁a ▁cargo ▁of ▁w ool ▁and ▁go at ▁sk ins , ▁she ▁was ▁captured ▁by ▁the ▁CSS ▁Alabama ▁on ▁June ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 1 8 6 3 ▁during ▁the ▁CSS ▁Alabama ' s ▁South ▁Atlantic ▁Ex ped ition ary ▁Ra id . ▁Being ▁fast ▁and ▁well ▁adapted ▁for ▁a ▁cru iser , ▁Capt . ▁Rap ha el ▁Sem mes , ▁C SN , ▁commission ed ▁her ▁the ▁next ▁day ▁as ▁a ▁cru iser ▁and ▁tender ▁to ▁the ▁Alabama , ▁ren aming ▁her ▁T us cal o osa . ▁Two ▁rif led ▁br ass ▁ 1 2 - p ound ers ▁and ▁a ▁pl ent iful ▁supply ▁of ▁rif les , ▁p ist ols ▁and ▁am mun ition ▁were ▁transferred ▁to ▁her ▁with ▁enough ▁prov isions ▁for ▁a ▁ 3 - month ▁cru ise . ▁L t . ▁J . ▁Low , ▁C SN , ▁with ▁ 1 5 ▁men , ▁was ▁ordered ▁on ▁board ▁with ▁instructions ▁for ▁an ▁African ▁cru ise ▁in ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁the ▁Cape ▁of ▁Good ▁Hope . ▁ ▁On ▁July ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 1 8 6 3 ▁T us cal o osa ▁captured ▁the ▁American ▁ship ▁S ante e ▁with ▁a ▁cargo ▁of ▁rice ▁and ▁bond ed ▁her ▁for ▁$ 1 5 0 , 0 0 0 . ▁On ▁August ▁ 8 , ▁Low ▁brought ▁his ▁ship ▁into ▁Simon ' s ▁Bay ▁in ▁South ▁Africa