Portrait of the Past : The Civil War on Hatteras Island North Carolina [Hardcover]

Drew Pullen (Author), Robert V. Drapala (Author)

Book Description

Series: Portrait of the Past | Publication Date: June 11, 2001

Hatteras Island has achieved a well-deserved reputation as a summer getaway and a wildlife refuge on North Carolina's coast. However, most visitors are unaware of the crucial role that Hatteras played in the Civil War. "The Civil War on Hatteras Island" offers a new view of Hatteras' history, interweaving historical facts, archival drawings, and current photography of how the island looks today. In addition, this book reveals the largely unknown journals of Edwin Graves Champney, a Union soldier who was stationed on Hatteras from 1862 to 1863. Champney's prose and artistic talents, along with the quotes of soldier Charles F. Johnson of the Ninth New York, shed new light on the experiences of Civil War soldiers stationed on the Outer Banks during that time. It follows the crucial maritime battles along the Outer Banks and the famous Burnsides Expedition. "The Civil War on Hatteras Island" is a fascinating history of how one of America's most treasured islands played a significant part in the Civil War and is a must for any reader.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Author: Drew Pullen is a graduate of Houghton College and a former history teacher. He currently manages the Hatteras and Ocracoke offices of the East Carolina Bank. As an amateur historian, he has written several articles on the Civil War for local newspapers. His wife Jo Anne is from a local Hatteras family and her great-great grandfather was stationed at Fort Hatteras during the Civil War. Drew continues to research Civil War action in eastern North Carolina for future books.

Photographer: Robert Drapala is a freelance photographer and the publisher of Portrait of the Past -- The Civil War on Hatteras Island North Carolina, as well as two other books: Portrait of the Outer Banks, published in 2000, and Gilded Glory, published in 1997. Robert is a well-known photographer whose work demonstrates his unparalleled talent in capturing his subjects in their most candid environments. Current projects include several pictorial books, such as the Florida Keys and Ireland. He also plans to continue the series on the Outer Banks and North Carolina.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Aerial Perspective Publishing; 1ST edition (June 11, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0966058658
• ISBN-13: 978-0966058659
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 9.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,935,979 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and Thorough!, June 21, 2001

By 

Gina Carley (Newark, DE) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Portrait of the Past : The Civil War on Hatteras Island North Carolina (Hardcover)

I saw Robert Drapala at a book signing last summer on Hatteras Island because I was a fan of his last book, but this one was even more interesting. I did not know that the first amphibious attack of the Civil War was on Hatteras Island--it was absolutely fascinating! The journal drawings are just beautiful, I never knew they existed. As a 12-year summer resident of Hatteras Island, I learned a lot from this book. Just wonderful!

4.0 out of 5 stars Great source on the Union capture of Hatteras Inlet, August 28 - 29, 1861, plus more!, June 27, 2010

By 

CTS 2631 "Timboabwe" (Honolulu, HI USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Portrait of the Past : The Civil War on Hatteras Island North Carolina (Hardcover)

This richly illustrated volume covers all the major events that make up the Civl War history of Hatteras Island, North Carolina. Topics covered include Confederate occupation of Hatteras Island and construction of Forts Clark and Hatteras to protect Hatteras Inlet to Pamlico Sound, Confederate privateering from Hatteras Inlet that coupled with the strategic importance of the North Carolina coast pushed the Lincoln administration to capture Hatteras Inlet, the Union bombardment and capture of both the forts August 28 - 29, 1861, Federal occupation of Hatteras Island, capture of the Union tug Fanny October 1, 1861, the Confederate unsuccesful attempt to re-occupy the island 5 - 6 October, 1861 (Chicamacomico Races), social interaction between the Union occupation forces and Hatteras natives, the Union Burnside's Expedition storm tossed passage of Hatteras Inlet January 13 - February 4, 1862, and the sinking of the U.S.S. Monitor off the seaward coast of Hatteras Island December 30, 1862. Also covered is the strong pro-Union sentiment of Hatteras Island inhabitants. Obviously, quite a bit happened here during the Civil War!

The book is well written and uses lots of firsthand accounts of the events to tell the story. The research is great including the Official Records of the Armies and Navies, diaries, newspaper articles, etc. As previously noted this book is very well illustrated with 180 contemporary pictures, paintings, drawings, maps, and beautiful modern photos of Hatteras Island and other locales. These are of particapants, ships, guns, buildings, layouts of both Confederate forts on the Island, etc. They really do provide "A Pictorial Tour" like the title states.

My only complaints are that even though the book has some maps it needed a couple more, one showing the entire coast of North Carolina 1861-1865, and one showing Hatteras Island 1861-1865. Also the pictures showing the layouts of Forts Clark and Hatteras needed to be bigger to be more legible. The events on Hatteras during the war are interesting enough that I wish the book had gone into more detail, but none of these minor complaints take anything away from this fine book.

Visually stunning, historically accurate, a great overview of the Civil War on this strategically important island on the North Carolina coast. A great addition to any Civil War library or for anyone wishing to learn about this subject. (For further reading I recommend "Battles and Leaders of Civil War" Volume I, and "Ironclads And Colombiads" by William R. Trotter.)