2015 is going to be great!

[Mark F. Jenkins]

It's a great time to be a Civil War Naval buff.

The Monitor lab is up and operating again, the Hunley conservation and research project is progressing, and we've got some very nice new books coming out soon.

Here are the titles I'm aware of:

• Browning, Robert M., Jr. Lincoln's Trident: The West Gulf Blockading Squadron during the Civil War. Tuscaloosa, Ala.: Univ. of Alabama Press, 2014. 712 pp. (Forthcoming; expected 15 Feb 2015.)
• Canney, Donald L. The Confederate Steam Navy, 1861-1865. Atglenn, Penn.: Schiffer Publishing, 2015. 192 pp. (Forthcoming: expected 28 Sep 2015.)
• Frazier, Donald. Blood on the Bayou: Vicksburg, Port Hudson, and the Trans-Mississippi. Buffalo Gap, Tex.: State House/McWhiney Foundation Press, 2014. (Forthcoming; expected 28 Jan 2015)
• Hicks, Brian. Sea of Darkness: Unravelling the Mysteries of the H.L. Hunley. Spry Publishing, 2015. 256 pp. (Forthcoming: expected 24 Mar 2015)
• Smith, Myron J., Jr. Civil War Biographies from the Western Waters: 980 Confederate and Union Naval and Military Personnel, Contractors, Politicians, Officials, Steamboat Pilots and Others. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, 2014. (Forthcoming; expected 2 Mar 2015)
• Williams, Paul. Last Confederate Ship at Sea, The: The Wayward Voyage of the CSS Shenandoah. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co., 2015. (Forthcoming; expected 1 Jul 2015.)

In addition to those, I understand that there are three projects in the works by authors whom I do not feel at liberty to name-- and I do not know the timing of potential release of these-- but the subjects should whet naval fans' appetites:

• A new history and analysis of the Confederate States Marine Corps;
• A technical and political history of the Casco class monitor project;
• A study of the Brown-built riverine ironclads Indianola, Tuscumbia, and Chillicothe.

And, while I can't in all honesty place myself among those ranks, I do hope to progress on (and perhaps even publish at long last) my biography of Henry Walke. Please keep your fingers crossed for me!

Here's to a fascinating and fortunate '15!

 

[Cilla]

I wish you the best of luck with your new book and I hope you have a great 2015

 

[nitrofd]

Good luck on your book mark.

 

[chellers]

That's great news, Mark. My fingers are crossed!

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

I should probably amplify for those who don't recognize those authors' names on sight...

• Robert M. Browning (Lincoln's Trident) has previously written books centering on the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron (From Cape Charles to Cape Fear) and the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron (Success Is All That Is Expected), both of which deserve the description of "tour de force" as operational histories of the blockading squadrons. His venture into the Gulf (and, presumably, up the Mississippi), if on the same level (and there's no reason to think it won't be) should be tremendous.
• Donald L. Canney (Confederate Steam Navy) has written The American Sailing Navy, The Old Steam Navy Volume One: Frigates, Sloops and Gunboats, 1815-1885, and The Old Steam Navy Volume Two: The Ironclads, 1842-1885 (as well as a number of other great books). The chief lack has been the coverage of the Confederate ships; he's clearly addressing that lack now.
• Donald Frazier's Blood on the Bayou is the third out of a planned four installments in his "Louisiana Quadrille," and the first two (Fire in the Cane Field and Thunder Across the Swamp) were both excellent.
• This is not Brian Hicks' (Sea of Darkness) first venture into the world of the Hunley; he collaborated on the well-considered Raising the Hunley (with Schuyler Kropf) and the new book promises to bring us more up to date with what we've learned in some of the intervening time since the raising.
• Myron J. "Jack" Smith, Jr.'s work on the Western rivers is already extensive, and his coming compilation of short biographies should be a treat. (* Disclaimer: I had a very small role in checking and providing information for a couple of his entries, notably Henry Walke of course, so perhaps I have a slight bias. But still... *)

As for Paul Williams, this will be my first acquaintance with his writing so far as I know; but he picked an interesting topic in the Shenandoah, and although his won't be the first book out on that ship, I doubt that all of her stories have been fully told-- and McFarland seems to have a good track record of publishing good ACW naval material, so it's probably a safe bet that Last Confederate Ship at Sea will be a worthwhile read.

Hence my excitement!

 

[vikingbear]

Finally! Knew DL C would make one of his books on the Confederate Navy some day. As have the rest of his books, this will complete the set. Should include the 3 books of the "Army's navy" series (which was real dumb luck that ever found those!)


GRIZZ

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

And, while I can't in all honesty place myself among those ranks, I do hope to progress on (and perhaps even publish at long last) my biography of Henry Walke. Please keep your fingers crossed for me!

Been waiting for the preorder on Amazon! It'll be so nice to not have to hear ' Henry Who '? anymore. He'll be included in regular knowledge banks for we beginners, they can print T-Shirt with his paintings on them now, for inside-cult status all because you've done his bio!

Hate to sidebar the thread but been very curious ( nosy ), didn't want to be intrusive. How has the insight into his personality been progressing? Was going to say he was an enigma but to be that he'd have had to behave inexplicably- maybe he did according to Naval dictates but sounds like a thorough going humanitarian towards sailors, nothing mysterious there. Sorry- didn't mean to blah blah blah all over your thread, Mark! Your fault for bringing it up. ( That's me trying to look like I know what I'm talking about. )

Anyway, Happy 2015!

 

[Kazziga]

Since I have pre-ordered all the books Mark mentioned (apart from "Last Confederate Ship at Sea"), I am waiting for the author of a study devoted to the Brown-built riverine ironclads Indianola, Tuscumbia, and Chillicothe to reveal himself/herself. I hope this work will have some new, previously unpublished information about the Indianola.

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

The first of 'em has arrived!

• Smith, Myron J., Jr. Civil War Biographies from the Western Waters: 980 Confederate and Union Naval and Military Personnel, Contractors, Politicians, Officials, Steamboat Pilots and Others. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, 2014.

Even delivered it on President's Day for me!

 

[Kazziga]

Got the news from Mr. Canney himself. "The Confederate Steam Navy: 1861-1865" has finally been published!

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

Hey... he lives here in central Ohio, and you found out about it in Poland?!?

(I noted that the publisher's website says it's released-- I dropped a note to Amazon to tell them to get with the program, as I've had it on pre-order for precisely 358 days today!)

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

(I need to find out where he lives, and get him to autograph the books of his that I have. Terrific researcher and author...)

 

[caller]

(I need to find out where he lives, and get him to autograph the books of his that I have. Terrific researcher and author...)

Don't they call that "stalking" in the legal world?

I actually have always intended to contact Myron Smith since reading his book on the Carondelet... but I believe I am in awe based on his ridiculous level of knowledge and research skill compared to my own.

EDIT - Forgot to include: How is the progress going with your own effort?

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

lol, yeah... which is one reason I haven't done it! I did get Dr. William H. Roberts to autograph my copies of his books, though-- he's also local. But I had the advantage of a friend of my wife being his co-worker in that instance.

"Jack" Smith is a very friendly person, albeit a busy one-- I'm sure he'll answer any courteous communication, though it might be a bit till he responds.

My own effort is in idle mode at the moment. I got burned out while transcribing Walke's wartime scrapbook... Jack Smith pointed out that it would behoove me to act as if I'd never get another crack at it once I donated it to the museum, so I was being very scrupulously detailed-- and sort of exhausted myself, 100 pages in (of 180). My New Year's resolution will be to get moving on it again.

 

[caller]

I do recall seeing "Jack" posting here a while ago and being pleasantly surprised, but I am sure he is extremely busy.

Sorry to hear about your own effort. 2016 will be the year ... perhaps for us both. And I will give you a standing offer to type things up for you at no charge if you ever desire. I'm sure you prefer doing it on your own, but know that I am always willing to help.

As to the original topic of this thread, any chance you intend to do a 2016 version of the list above? Inquiring minds want to know!

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

I'll look into it. I'm not aware as of many things coming down the pipe for 2016, unfortunately, but I'll take a look and see what I can find!

Thanks for the offer on the typing... but what I really need is more time in the day, and maybe a motivational mantra to keep me going!

 

[rosefiend]

(I need to find out where he lives, and get him to autograph the books of his that I have. Terrific researcher and author...)

Or you might see if he will be giving any lectures or readings in the area so it doesn't seem like you've been waiting outside his door for the right moment to pounce.

I hope you get that book written one of these days. I know very little about the seafaring (or riverfaring) side of the war, but look forward to being enlightened!

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

I hope you get that book written one of these days.

Me too. It'd be a shame if I turned up all this interesting stuff and didn't get a chance to share it.

(Mind you, it's not my contention that Henry Walke won the war or anything close to it. I just find that he lived an interesting life and was witness to-- and participant in-- many historic moments, and had some skill at illustrating and describing those moments for others.)

 

[rebelatsea]

Got the news from Mr. Canney himself. "The Confederate Steam Navy: 1861-1865" has finally been published!

I put in a pre order for it here in England ,but haven't been notified either.

 

[rosefiend]

Me too. It'd be a shame if I turned up all this interesting stuff and didn't get a chance to share it.

(Mind you, it's not my contention that Henry Walke won the war or anything close to it. I just find that he lived an interesting life and was witness to-- and participant in-- many historic moments, and had some skill at illustrating and describing those moments for others.)

That's what I've been thinking about the women soldiers -- so much good stuff, lots of good stories that I want to follow up on. And you know, it's not like Henry Walke or the women soldiers won the war, but their lives and struggles were part of the war, and all had interesting lives worthy of a closer look. The scholarship pendulum seems to have been swinging away from military strategies and great generals and more toward the human sides of the war -- and hopefully toward the naval side of it too.