c) Union shipping

The Confederate raiders, like the CSS Alabama, aimed to disrupt Union shipping. These commerce raiders attacked Union merchant and naval ships, significantly impacting the Union’s maritime trade and naval operations. The CSS Alabama, one of the most famous raiders, captured or sank numerous Union vessels before being sunk off the coast of France. The use of raiders was a key strategy for the Confederacy to undermine the Union’s economic strength and offset the naval blockade imposed by the North.