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A famous Confederate raider of a century ago, the Shenandoah, is depicted on a 3d. Tristan da Cunha stamp. She was the first composite screw steamer and was specially built to challenge the fastest ships then engaged in the annual "tea race" from China to Britain. This full-rigged, auxiliary screw vessel of 1,152 tons was ordered by Robertson and Co., a Glasgow firm, from the Kelvinhaugh yard of Alexander Stephen and Sons in 1863. She was launched on August 18 as the Sea King and on trials achieved 11 knots, her 200 h.p. engines having been built by A. and J. Inglis.
During her fitting-out she attracted the attention of agents of the Federal Government of America, but before they could acquire her she was chartered by the British Government to carry troops to New Zealand, where the Maoris were in conflict with the British authorities. After disembarking the troops she sailed for Chinese waters to take up the normal service of her owners. When she sailed for home, a Confederate agent was a passenger on board, and on arrival he completed arrangements for the Sea King to be transferred to the Confederate States of America.
After the discharge of cargo had been completed, an ample supply of coal was taken on board for an ostensible voyage to Bombay, and the vessel sailed without arousing the suspicions of the British authori¬ties. Under a new master she headed for Madeira, where she was to take on supplies from another vessel, the Laurel, which had sailed from Liverpool to meet her. On October 18 she was handed over at Madeira to a Confederate officer and was armed and made ready for her new role, under the name of Shenandoah.
As can be seen from the stamp design, there was nothing about the Shenandoah to arouse suspicions as to the nature of her business. She presented the appearance of a smart, trimly-set vessel and for her new purpose she needed no disguise. At Madeira she had to take on a new crew, as the original ship's company were mostly unwilling to become commerce raiders in the American Civil War.
The new crew was composed of men of almost all the European countries and no fewer than 14 languages were spoken on board. The officers were all Americans from the Southern States, and under Lieut. F. J. Waddell, the Shenandoah operated until six months after the war was over, destroying ships of the Northern States wherever they were encountered.
Waddell only learned of the end of the war from a newspaper account of Lincoln's assassination. He decided to run his ship into a European port, and set course for Liverpool. On arrival he surrendered his command to the port's naval guard ship; the crew were held on board for two days and then unconditionally released. Eventually the Shenandoah was handed over to the American Consul.
During her Confederate career the Shenandoah practically destroyed the American whaling and sealing fleet. Her armament consisted of four 8 in. smooth bore guns, two 32-pounder Whitworth rifled guns and she also carried two 12-pounder signal guns, which were part of her equipment as a merchant ship.(Info E Argyle SB 4/65) Tristan SG75

Micronesia 1985, 44c. StG.35.