Just Finished Reading: Glory in the Name by James Nelson (FP: 2003) [660pp] 

Charleston, South Carolina, 1861. It was the only honourable thing to do.  With the situation in his home State deteriorating by the week, Lieutenant Samuel Bowater (United States Navy) was on extended leave. As he watched the first shells fall on Fort Sumter he knew his duty. Returned home he informed his father that he would immediately, if with a heavy heart, resign his commission and instead offer his services to whatever task he was assigned within the new Confederacy. His father, as always, was well ahead of him and had already drafted a letter to the head of the Confederate Naval Department. Pleased at last to get a ‘ship’ his pleasure was tempered somewhat by the vessel itself. The unarmed river tug CSS Cape Fear, despite being well maintained by its rag-tag crew and rather plain-speaking chief engineer, wasn’t exactly what Sam had hoped for. If this was the best they could offer to even the few experienced naval officers willing and able to join the South’s fighting forces he knew that the Confederacy would face an uphill struggle against the much more potent US Navy. But after weeks of requesting a combat command whilst providing much needed logistical support for the inevitable encounters with the ‘enemy’ Samuel gets his wish. He is to report immediately to Virginia and assist in the taking of a vital Strategic installation – the Norfolk Naval Yard.  

A year or so ago I had a sudden passion for tales of naval daring do (where these things come from I have no idea). So, inevitably, I started hitting Amazon and other sites looking for books – both fiction and non-fiction – to assuage the craving. I liked the look of some of this author’s books mostly because he didn’t seem to be stuck, like so many others it seemed, in the age of sail. Now there’s nothing wrong with wood and sail but I do like a bit of iron and steam to leaven things out a bit from time to time. Of course, one of the great things about the period and conflict covered in this excellent novel is the swift transition from wood to iron which was an added spice to an already well told tale. Indeed, the main character himself both laments the lost romance of sail but also realises the reality behind the move to steam as inevitable. As always (as you should know by now) character is a very important determinant of whether I’m going to like a novel, or in this case a short series, or not. Thankfully the characterisation throughout this quite chunky novel is very good indeed. The main, Samuel Bowater, is very well drawn. He’s understandably conflicted with the idea of fighting people he served with on other ships but has no issue in the heat of combat fighting against ships he had previously served on. The chief engineer is a great foil for the new captain and the growing relationship is fun to watch – complete with the occasional spark of heated conflict between their world views. Even the inevitable love interest – indeed almost love triangle – is very well handled if at least once rather unrealistic (I think!). One of the things that I was regularly reminded of – being the kind of novel it is and the time/conflict it portrayed – was learning not to get too attached to anyone! Bullets and shells fly and no one is immune or immortal between these pages so beware! 

The fighting itself – both on the rivers of the South and, briefly at Manassas (First Bull Run) - is very well done indeed. Told mostly from the Confederate viewpoint (with brief moments on Union blockade ships and during the attack on New Orleans) it showed both the confidence in the Southern cause and the fact that, almost from the outset, how outclassed the Confederacy was most especially at sea. I’ll be the first to admit that my knowledge of the American Civil War is scanty but still even I realise that on the face of things it would prove very difficult indeed for Confederate forces to decisively defeat those from the North unless, and probably only unless, they could inflict an early and decisive victory against them knocking them back on their heels and causing them to rethink any war of reunification. Once this failed to materialise, Bull Run essentially being a tie or at least a Confederate tactical victory but a Union strategic one, it was only a matter of time before the North got its act together and crushed the South with its numerical and industrial might. The novel does interestingly go into some of this – mostly through Confederate scratch naval units fighting MUCH superior forces from the Union – with everyone (still alive) realising that this is going to be neither a quick or easy fight. I’m looking forward to part two and, after reading this page turner, everything else from this author I can get my hands on. Definitely highly recommended for all historical (and especially naval) combat enthusiasts.