Under the Blue Pennant, or Notes of a Naval Officer (review)

BOOK reviews347 is a worthy contribution to the Civil War historiography and offers new perspectives on the problems that plagued Federal planning and operations on several levels. Guiney diagnosed the flawed military strategy in 1862 as lacking aggressiveness and misdirected at the Confederate capital rather than destroying the Rebel armies. Guiney demonstrated repeatedly his military ability, from his command of a stubborn rearguard defense during the Seven Days battles to his final actions in the Wilderness, where his wounds resulted in the loss of an eye, severe head trauma, and a medical discharge. Samito places the conflict within a larger social context as well—with editorial commentary addressing the intraethnic rivalries that plagued Guiney's command, which were largely the results of his unpopular political and social ideology. Despite his impressive examination ofthe IrishAmerican community, Samito fails to offer a comparable analysis when Guiney reveals his prejudices against other ethnic groups, especially the German-dominated nth Corps. Like many in the army, Guiney holds the "disgraceful flight of the flying Dutchmen" as largely responsible for the Federal defeat at Chancellorsville, yet Samito offers no penetrating discussion ofthis criticism ( 1 88). In other correspondence, Guiney demonstrates contradictory views on African Americans. In one letter Guiney recounts proudly his personal emancipation ofseveral runaway slaves who crossed his picket line, while in another note he promises to send home to his daughter the first "black contraband" he finds (22). Both examples offer opportunities to address the interethnic. rivalries of the Civil War era and reveal different facets of Guiney's character. Unfortunately, Samito fails to explore these issues. There are other small flaws in the work, including duplication of information that appears as both a footnote and in the general text (246, 254). Military historians may quibble with Samito's use of some phrases in his commentary, such as the term "pioneer" where the twentieth-century "engineer" would have been more appropriate (27). However, these faults are overshadowed by Samito's thorough analysis ofnearly every character mentioned in the letters and ofUnion strategy, Guiney's command, and the 9th's overall performance on the battlefield from 1861-64. A worthy contribution to the field of ethnic and military history and the memoir genre, Commanding Boston's Irish Ninth deserves the attention of Civil War scholars and historians of the immigrant experience in nineteenth-century America. Susannah U. Bruce Kansas State University Under the Blue Pennant, or Notes ofa Naval Officer. By John W. Grattan. Edited by Robert J. Schneller Jr. (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1999. Pp. Xi, 239. $27.95.) While conducting research at the Library ofCongress on another project, Robert J. Schneller Jr. stumbled across the hitherto unknown Civil War memoir of John W. 348civil war history Gratton. Thankfully, he took the time to edit the memoir and get it published, enriching the sparse body of available naval primary sources. Gratton, ajunior staffofficer, served as the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron from October 1863 until the end ofthe war. As clerk first to Samuel Phillips Lee and then David Dixon Porter for all but one month of his time with the squadron, Gratton was in a unique position to observe both personal and operational aspects of squadron life. Gratton took full advantage of his vantage point when writing his memoir, drawing upon official reports and squadron records as well as his own diary and memories. In some ways, this is a tricky memoir to read. Most memoirs recall an author's personal experiences. Gratton certainly follows form, but he goes one step further . Drawing on the wealth of information available to him, and making good use of wardroom stories and accounts offered by friends, he periodically digresses by describing events he did not witness. For example, he devotes significant space to operations in the North Carolina sounds and exploits of William B. Cushing without ever having been there. The text is so well written that a casual reader might miss Gratton's absence in the midst of all the excitement. This potential flaw is admirably compensated for by Schneller's introduction. Comprising fully one quarter (fifty pages) of the text, it not only puts Gratton's life and career in perspective but also...