Gray Thunder: Exploits of the Confederate States Navy (review)

272CIVIL WAR HISTORY practice of subleasing was developed whereby prisoners were contracted out and forced to work as intensive laborers in the sugar cane fields and turpentine industries. Third, Mancini argues convincingly that the humanitarians had little influence on the abolishment of convict leasing. What happened occurred not in the human rights sphere but in the economic arena. The cost of convict labor had almost equaled that of nominally free labor. Having to bear all the costs of maintenance for a prisoner, no matter how cheap, made the cost of leasing prisoners similar to that ofhiring wage labor. Thus, public agitation for its cessation could and did reach incredible proportions, but no headway was made until "free" labor ensured its collapse. This is a finely argued, nicely researched work and should remain the standard on convict leasing for decades. Barry A. Crouch Gallaudet University Gray Thunder: Exploits ofthe Confederate States Navy. By R. Thomas Campbell. (White Mane Publishing, 199?. Pp. 216. $19.95.) The subtitle of R. Thomas Campbell's book Gray Thunder aptly sums up the book's content—exploits of the Confederate navy. In his work, Campbell recounts seven thrilling events from the annals ofthe Confederate navy. Because his intention is to highlight the exploits of Southern seamen, he mixes a narrative with firsthand accounts. The technique of tying primary accounts with a connecting story line has been used successfully before in Civil War books, and Campbell does a fine job in linking the battle accounts to well-prepared overviews . The first chapter covers the career of the Manassas, the war's first ironclad. The author follows her from construction as a privateer to her service in the Confederate navy. Campbell uses the narrative written by her commanding officer , Lt. Alexander F. Warley, to describe the vessel's wartime career and her demise at the Battle of New Orleans. The next two chapters follow the construction and life of the CSS Virginia. Here Campbell blends into his narrative accounts written by the Virginia's engineer, Ashtan Ramsey, and Lt. John Taylor Wood. Chapter 4 focuses on confederate blockade running. Campbell uses reminiscences written by John N. Maffitt and John Wilkinson. Maffitt recounts his experiences on the blockade-runnersNassau and Owl, whileWilkinson describes his service running into Wilmington with the Robert E. Lee. From blockaderunners Campbell jumps to the CSS Alabama. In three chapters the voices of Raphael Semmes, John Mc. KeIl, and George T. Sinclair describe theAlabama's outfitting, cruises, and final battle with the Kearsarge. In the seventh chapter Campbell uses John Taylor Wood's description of the expedition of sailors and marines that captured the USS Underwriter in an ex- book reviews273 citing night action off New Berne, North Carolina. Chapter 9 uses W. A. Alexander's memoir about the ill-fated career of the submarine H. L. Hunley, while the final chapter is built around the reports of Charles E. Read, who in April 1865 attempted to run the CSS William H. Webb from the Red River past New Orleans and to the Gulf of Mexico. Though Campbell concentrates on the activities of key people, he does take time to discuss certain topics, such as the Brooke-Porter controversy over who should receive credit for the design of the Virginia. He also offers a nice summary of the recent discovery of the H. L. Hunley, and Campbell rightly names the Manassas as the war's first ironclad. The book, which relies on published sources, is the first ofthree to be penned by Campbell on the Confederate navy. It does not go into policy or strategy, nor does it fully discuss the Confederate Navy Department. These topics may come in the future books. Instead, Gray Thunder is, as the author states, a tale of "officers and men who knew beforehand the great odds that they were about to encounter" and who "conducted themselves with courage and dignity." Stephen R. Wise University of South Carolina-Beaufort Editor 's Note On page 93 ofthe March 1997 issue ofCivil War History, Thomas Ruffin's last name is misspelled. ...