Gray Phantoms of the Cape Fear : Running the Civil War Blockade [Paperback]

Dawson Carr (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1998

After the elimination of Charleston in 1863 as a viable entry port for running the blockade, Wilmington became the major source of external supply for the Confederacy during the Civil War. The story of blockade running on the Cape Fear River was one of the most important factors determining the fate of the South. Here author Dawson Carr takes a comprehensive look at the men, their ships, their cargoes, and their voyages. Photos, maps.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

In mid-1863, the small city of Wilmington, North Carolina, found itself facing a difficult task: it had to supply Robert E. Lee's army if the South was to continue the Civil War. Guns, ammunition, clothing, and food had to be brought into the Confederacy from Europe, and Wilmington was the last open port. Knowing this, the Union amassed a formidable blockading force off storied Cape Fear.

What followed was a contest unique in the annals of warfare. The blockade runners went unarmed, lest their crews be tried as pirates if captured. Neither did the Union fleet wish to sink the runners, as rich prizes were the reward for captured cargoes. The battle was thus one of wits and stealth more than blood and glory. As the Union naval presence grew stronger, the new breed of blockade runners got faster, quieter, lower to the water, and altogether more ghostly_and their crews more daring and resourceful.

Today, the remains of nearly three dozen runners lie beneath the waters of Cape Fear, their exact whereabouts known to only a few fishermen and boaters. Built for a special mission at a brief moment in time, they faded into history after the war. There had never been ships like the blockade runners, and their kind will never be seen again. Gray Phantoms of the Cape Fear tells the story of their captains, their crews, their cargoes, their opponents, and their many unbelievable escapes.

About the Author

Dawson Carr grew up in Stedman, North Carolina, and holds a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retired from his positions as instructor and associate dean at Sandhills Community College, he is the author of The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse: Sentinel of the Shoals. He lives at Seven Lakes in West End, North Carolina.

Product Details

• Paperback: 227 pages
• Publisher: John F. Blair Publisher; 1ST edition (May 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0895872137
• ISBN-13: 978-0895872135
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #819,242 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely fantastic!, October 5, 2003

By 

Dennis Phillips "The Book Friar" (Bulls Gap, Tennessee USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gray Phantoms of the Cape Fear : Running the Civil War Blockade (Paperback)

The American Civil War has provided countless authors with material for nearly one hundred fifty years. Still, with the thousands of books and articles written about this war, some aspects of the struggle are often overlooked. I have in fact seldom run across a book, which has for its entire subject the blockade of a single southern port. I am sure other such works exist but I haven't seen them. But no matter what other books are out there I doubt they can hold a candle to this work. In fact, I have seldom ever been so enthralled with a book. Dawson Carr has provided us with a concise, thrilling, well-researched, and very understandable look at the wartime activities along the Cape Fear coast. The writing is absolutely wonderful and the story draws the reader in like a classic novel. You will not want to put this book down until you have finished it.

Carr begins his narrative with the early efforts of North Carolina to secure its coast and proceeds from there. The stories of the building of the coastal fortifications are well told and informative but it is his stories of the blockade-runners and their pursuers that will grab the reader's attention. One can almost feel the tension on the decks as the runners try to slip by the Union blockade, which grows in strength every month. As the pilots strain to make out landmarks in the total darkness the runners used for cover one can almost imagine being there and trying to make out some form on land, hoping the first thing you see isn't an enemy ship.

All of Carr's stories aren't of the blockade-runners though, for he also covers events in Wilmington, Richmond, Liverpool, and many other locations that are involved in this story. In one instance for example there is a tense confrontation between Governor Vance and Confederate authorities during which the Carolina Governor is basically placed under house arrest for a short time. Of course all good things must come to an end and for the Confederacy their last port fell shortly after Braxton Bragg was sent to take charge of the area. Infighting in Richmond, squabbles with state authorities, war profiteers, and three plus years of a union navel blockade couldn't close Wilmington, but it only took Bragg a short time to lose the Confederacy's last port.

If you are a civil war enthusiast, are interested in navel history, or just like a well-told story I highly recommend this book. If a six star rating existed this book would easily deserve that rating. Well done Dr. Carr, well done!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read, March 19, 2004

By 

larry olsen (costa mesa, ca United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gray Phantoms of the Cape Fear : Running the Civil War Blockade (Paperback)

I found this book a great read. Dr. Carr did an excellent job in writing a book that was very informative on the blockade runners and the blockaders. I enjoyed the separate stories through out the book on actual events. This really gave the reader a fill for what tactics the blockade runners used and the tacitics used by the US Navy. These little mini stories also were idea for showing the ever changing tactics used by both sides.

As a sailor who served on PBR's in Vietnam I related to the blockaders but admired the skill and daring of the blockade runners. Dr. Carr did an excellent job in showing how both sides tactics evolved during the war with the changes in technology and as more blockading vessels were used.

I highly recommend this book to all readers interested the civil war or naval history. I would like to see Dr. Carr write a book about the blockaders.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wilmington and the Civil War, April 1, 2008

By 

James D. Crabtree "Doc Crabtree" (Fort Leavenworth, Kansas) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gray Phantoms of the Cape Fear : Running the Civil War Blockade (Paperback)

If you've never read anything about the Blockade or the ships which used to evade it you really should read this one. Dawson Carr does a great job discussing the role of Wilmington, the primary destination for blockade runners during the Civil War, and discusses the cat and mouse game between Union warships and the unarmed transports which used to try to slip in and out of the Cape Fear River. Carr supports his book with sidebars which has stories of individual ships and also has an excellent collection of maps and diagrams which makes the material really easy to comprehend.

The blockade of the Confederacy and recent changes in naval technology made for unique vessels for running it. Carr brings the subject alive.