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A Civil War Gunboat in Pacific Waters - (New Perspectives on Maritime History and Nautical Archaeolog) by Hans Konrad Van Tilburg (Paperback)
About this item
Highlights
- "An epic shipwreck tale.
- About the Author: Hans Konrad Van Tilburg, maritime heritage coordinator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is the author of Chinese Junks on the Pacific.
- 380 Pages
- History, Military
- Series Name: New Perspectives on Maritime History and Nautical Archaeolog
Description
About the Book
A vivid retelling of a classic naval shipwreck and its archaeological discovery
retelling of a classic naval shipwreck and its archaeological discovery, Hans
Van Tilburg provides a fascinating perspective on the watershed events in
history that reshaped the Pacific between 1860 and 1870.
Book Synopsis
"An epic shipwreck tale. Sacrifice and heroism are recounted in a comprehensive study of a ship that embodied America's role in the nineteenth-century Pacific as Yankee enterprise helped open Asia to trade. Well-researched, well-written, this book also takes readers for the first time intoSaginaw's long-lost grave beneath the sea."--James P. Delgado, president, The Institute of Nautical Archaeology
"An impressive study of a naval vessel from construction to destruction."--William Still Jr., author of Crisis at Sea
The USS Saginaw was a Civil War gunboat that served in Pacific and Asian waters between 1860 and 1870. During this decade, the crew witnessed the trade disruptions of the Opium Wars, the Taiping Rebellion, the transportation of Confederate sailors to Central America, the French intervention in Mexico, and the growing presence of American naval forces in Hawaii.
In 1870, the ship sank at one of the world's most remote coral reefs; her crew was rescued sixty-eight days later after a dramatic open-boat voyage. More than 130 years later, Hans Van Tilburg led the team that discovered and recorded the Saginaw's remains near the Kure Atoll reef.
Van Tilburg's narrative provides fresh insights and a vivid retelling of a classic naval shipwreck. He provides a fascinating perspective on the watershed events in history that reshaped the Pacific during these years. And the tale of archaeological search and discovery reveals that adventure is still to be found on the high seas.
Review Quotes
"Saginaw's
story is expertly told. . . . [The] book will appeal to anyone who has an
interest in steam boating history, the history of the United States Navy and
its activities in the Pacific Ocean, the history of the American Civil War, as
well as economic, technological, and social history."--Journal of Maritime
Archaeology "Utilizing
the ship's logs and letters written by its crew members, Van Tilburg provides a
detailed picture of life in the early US steam navy. . . . This is an
exceptionally fine, thorough study."--International Journal of Maritime
History "An
excellent overview of a largely, and undeservedly, forgotten aspect of the
Union navy's wartime operations. . . . A fine contribution to our understanding
of the Civil War in the Pacific theater."--Civil War Books and Authors "Van
Tilburg brings to light the important roles the Saginaw fulfilled in the
Pacific in the mid-nineteenth century [and] illuminates the importance of the
Pacific world to national and international events. . . . Engaging and
informative."--Northern Mariner "Where this book really shines is in its
presentation of the gunboat's life at sea, especially the final, thrilling tale
of shipwreck on a remote atoll in the north Pacific."--Journal of Southern
History
About the Author
Hans Konrad Van Tilburg, maritime heritage coordinator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is the author of Chinese Junks on the Pacific.