The American Civil War & Reconstruction
Whistlestop Bookshop’s first store opened in Gettysburg in 1985. Eventually, over 19 years there, our Civil War section grew to be three large wall cases. A disproportionate percentage of it, naturally, was about the battle of Gettysburg and biographies of those who fought there. In addition to this book selling experience, my southern upbringing and Army family life created a lifelong interest in the War Between the States and all of its complexities. It is an understandable national obsession, considering how the first half of our nation’s history contributed to its ferocity, and the second half of our history has been the struggle to live with and understand the consequences.
The Wolf of the Deep: Raphael Semmes and the Notorious Confederate Raider CSS Alabama
The Wolf of the Deep: Raphael Semmes and the Notorious Confederate Raider CSS Alabama
The electrifying story of Raphael Semmes and the CSS Alabama, the Confederate raider that destroyed Union ocean shipping and took more prizes than any other raider in naval history.
In July, 1862, Semmes received orders to take command of a secret new British-built steam warship, the Alabama. At its helm, he would become the most hated and feared man in ports up and down the Union coast—and a Confederate legend. Now, with unparalleled authority and depth, and with a vivid sense of the excitement and danger of the time, Stephen Fox tells the story of Captain Semmes’s remarkable wartime exploits. From vicious naval battles off the coast of France, to plundering the cargo of Union ships in the Caribbean, this is a thrilling tale of an often overlooked chapter of the Civil War.
“Meticulously researched and entertaining. . . . A true tale of pirates, spies and naval warfare that reads like a thriller.” —The Atlanta Journal-Constitution“Excellent. . . . An amazing account of adventures on the high seas, full of spies, treachery, and rousing battles.”—The Charleston Post & Courier “Rollicking. . . . A virtuoso display of historical sleuthing [with] more than enough high seas excitement and intimate revelations to keep the reader turning the pages well into the night.”—The Mobile Press-Register “Amazing. . .sheds light on a seldom observed aspect of [the Civil] War.”—The Tennessean