Four Years in the Confederate Navy - by William Stanley Hoole (Paperback)

About the Book

Hoole traces Low's adventures in the service of the Confederacy. Low aided in the acquisition and delivery of the ironclad Fingal and the Florida and served with Admiral Semmes aboard the famed raider Alabama and was involved in the capture, commissioning, voyage, and detention of the Tuscaloosa.

Book Synopsis

John Low came to America from England in 1856 at the suggestion of his uncle, Andrew Low, a prosperous Savannah- Liverpool businessman. Just as he established himself in nautical businesses in Savannah the Civil War broke out. Low was ordered to England to help in the undercover task of buying, building, and convoying warships to the South. William Stanley Hoole traces Low's adventures in the service of the Confederacy. Low aided in the acquisition and delivery of the ironclad Fingal and the Florida. He served with Admiral Semmes aboard the famed raider Alabama and was involved in the capture, commissioning, voyage, and detention of the Tuscaloosa. His final task was to deliver the Ajax in the last days of the war.

Review Quotes

The clandestine world of the 'Ghost Navy' of the Confederacy is the special province of Four Years in the Confederate Navy. Hoole, a trained researcher, had the good fortune of finding in England the logbooks of Captain John Low, who served on five Confederate ships, including the famous Alabama, in the years from 1861 to 1865. The author shares with his readers the interesting research problem associated with his subject and, as a result, imparts a freshness to his work.--Journal of Southern History

About the Author

WILLIAM STANLEY HOOLE (1903-1990) was a librarian at the University of Alabama and oversaw widespread improvements in its library system. He was a founding member of the Alabama Historical Association and editor of the Alabama Review.