Capital Navy: The Men, Ships And Operations Of The James River Squadron [Hardcover]

John M. Coski (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 21, 1996

The James River led to Richmond and the improvised Confederate flotilla played a role in many Civil War battles in the region. Under the command of the daring John Randolph Tucker, the sailors fought to the bitter end as infantrymen in the Appomattox campaign.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 366 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press (July 21, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1882810031
• ISBN-13: 978-1882810031
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #418,456 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The ultimate book pertaining to the H.Q. of the C.S. Navy., March 17, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Capital Navy: The Men, Ships And Operations Of The James River Squadron (Hardcover)

Dr. John M. Coski of Philadelphia wrote perhaps one of the finest sources of information about the Confederate States Navy (1861-1865) that was Headquartered (H.Q'd) in the South's 2nd Capitol--Richmond, Virginia.

The research and documentation about what the C.S. Navy did is clearly detailed, even to the most obscure of topics.
For example no one knew how a young Jewish boy, who had lived in Richmond and had been allowed to go aboard the C.S. Virginia II while she was constructed before his family fled to the North in 1862, became one of Allen C. Pinkerton's top spies about how the C.S. ironclads were built.
Also a Mrs. Baker spied on the progress of the first submarine of its type, that was designed by Commander Matthew Fontaine Maury "The Pathfider of the Seas," at the secret experimetal station below the cliffs of Ft. Darling at Drewry's Bluff 5 miles south of Richmond on the James River.

The experiments and research by Commander M. F. Maury, Lt. John Mercer Brooke, Hunter Davidson, William A. Graves to Joseph R. Anderson drastically changed naval warfare on an international level.
From Cmdr. Maury's ship (hull research that was patly done later in London,England,), spar torpedo and mine designs to Lt. Brooke's naval artillery to the first armored railroad car designs that would permanently change history.
The spar torpedo and mine designs were quickly taken in by the North and used at battles such as: Memphis to Mobile Bay.
The armored R.R. car design was to be the Grandfather to the T.A.N.K. that was invented by the British based on a design from an Armoured Car that was used in the Sudan in the late 1870's to the 1880's. That idea was Brooke's.

As for the civilian innovator's, Mr. Davidson developed the first electrical mine (please keep in mind that torpedoes were called "mines" and mines were called "torpedoes'") that was based on one of Cmdr. Maury's plans and it was first launched to attack submarines.
Meanwhile Mr. Anderson experimented with bolts, hull designs, plate production and metal alloys at the Tredegar Iron Works and Brown's (Neilson's) Island sometimes alongside of Cmdr. Maury.

These technolgies would be used up to World War II, and the protocols, techniques and applications are sometimes used to this very day

The intricate command structure of the James River Squadron was extremely well detailed and Dr. Coski put the puzzle of who(or whom) commanded what, where, when and at times why.
The C.S. Secretary of the Navy, Stephen Russell Mallory, was obscurely qouted by Dr. Coski.
Mallory described the Union ironclads as "'chained and sulky bulldogs...,'"that were basically unable to sail up the James River because of Cmdr. Maury's obstructions to all nautical navigation.[Coski, p.159.]

This is a MUST read book for those who like to read a book that has 'all of the pieces of the naval puzzle' during the American Civil War.
Superb research.
This book will serve throughout perpituity as the one book for both Confedrate and Union Navy authorities.
I spoke with the internationally acclaimed Historian Virgil "Pat" Carrington Jones--the author of "The Civil War At Sea," etc.,--and he said that "This is an outstanding piece of work."

I gave this book a 10 and a KUDOS for a job with high merit extremely well done.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the way nonfiction should be written!, January 6, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Capital Navy: The Men, Ships And Operations Of The James River Squadron (Hardcover)

Just finished this book and it's NOT the kind of quick overview most CW books are. Coski goes as deep as I've ever seen in this outstanding work of creative nonfiction. I was fascinated by such characters as "Savez" Read, USNA Class of 1860, and the rumors (?) of a Confederate submarine built in Richmond in 1861. Plan for several riveting evenings with this one.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Tour de Force work of the James River Squadron, March 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Capital Navy: The Men, Ships And Operations Of The James River Squadron (Hardcover)

Much has been said about the CSS Virginia (ex-Merrimack). Much less has been said about the naval operations in Virginia waters after her demise. "Capital Navy" fills a previous void in Civil War naval history with well-researched and very readable text, with the added bonus of fine illustrations by David Meagher. An excellent work, all the way around.