Our Favorite Books: Dwight Hughes’ Top 5 Books

Raphael Semmes, Memoirs of Service Afloat During the War Between the States (Baltimore, 1869)

Raphael Semmes, captain of the infamous commerce raider CSS Alabama, composed his memoir not only as a preeminent naval warrior, but as an accomplished international lawyer, dedicated Southern patriot, and superb narrator. The first six chapters delineate the antebellum argument for Constitutional compact theory, the right of secession, and the roles of culture, economics, and slavery. This is an erudite, compelling portrait of the educated Confederate mind well worth studying for its own sake.

Semmes then interprets the cruises of CSS Sumter and Alabama as microcosms in which his ships and men personify the entire conflict—its causes, progression, and outcome. In easily comprehended prose for general audiences, Semmes also discourses on seamanship, meteorology, oceanography, geography, naval technology, diplomacy, and international law.

The memoir is a travelogue with picturesque portraits of nineteenth century life at sea and in foreign lands along with an enlightening view of the conflict from afar. Memoirs of Service Afloat ranks in the top tier of memoirs for all students of the Civil War.

Admiral Porter, Incidents and Anecdotes of the Civil War (D. Appleton and Company, 1885)

Unlike Raphel Semmes, who openly admitted his bias but strove for objectivity and accuracy, Admiral David D. Porter was a shameless self-promoter and exaggerator, often careless with his facts. He records dialog from years past with detail that—lacking a stenographer or recording—can be doubted. However, the prose is irresistibly colorful and eminently quotable as it illuminates critical events through the eyes and mind of one of the conflict’s most important leaders. Incidents and Anecdotes should be consulted concerning any of the actions described, as long as one confirms the details. It’s also a fun read either front to back or just browsing.

Allen C. Guelzo, Lincoln and Douglas: The Debates That Defined America (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2008)

The Lincoln-Douglas debates for the U.S. Senate seat from Illinois in 1858 were unlike political debates we see on television today, but fundamental themes underlying them demonstrate historical continuity. Preeminent Lincoln historian Allen Guelzo expertly analyzes and illuminates those long-ago verbal contests in their specific historical context as well as within timeless controversies on foundational principles. Many of the debaters’ arguments tolerating or condemning slavery echo loudly in modern disagreements over topics of equal moral significance. Readers gain from this book a deeper understanding of the political, cultural, and moral issues then and now.

River Warcraft Books by Myron J. Smith, Jr.

I’m going to cheat a bit and recommend several related books by one prolific author. Naval history is necessarily technical; ships always have been the largest and most complex of human creations, and seamen are by nature technicians in an esoteric profession. The Civil War witnessed dramatic revolutions in warship design, armor, armament, strategy, and tactics. Our challenge as historians is to weave obscure technical context into comprehensible narrative for general audiences. For such reference purposes (and for anyone seeking deeper understanding), Myron Smith provides fascinating works on river warcraft and related campaign studies.

Representative titles include: The Old War Horse: The USS Benton on Western Waters, 1853-1865; The CSS Arkansas: A Confederate Ironclad on Western Waters; The USS Carondelet: A Civil War Ironclad on Western Waters; Tinclads in the Civil War: Union Light-Draught Gunboat Operations on Western Waters, 1862-1865; The Timberclads in the Civil War: The Lexington, Conestoga and Tyler on the Western Waters.

Owen Parry, Honor’s Kingdom: A Novel of Historical Suspense

How about a Civil War murder mystery for a change of pace? With so much good history to absorb, I have not indulged much in Civil War fiction other than the great Killer Angels. But being also a dedicated detective story fan, particularly when in a historical context, I found this one eminently enjoyable. Owen Perry’s 6-book series features the enigmatic and talented Captain (and later Major) Abel Jones, a transplanted Welshman, pursuing dastardly murderers from Washington to New Orleans and Pittsburg Landing while encountering many leading characters engaged in the conflict’s most dramatic events.

Owen’s colorful prose is addictive; his interpretations of locale, character, and epoch are immersive and precise. I began with Honor’s Kingdom, the fourth volume, because it takes place in London and Glasgow amidst international politics, espionage, and chicanery surrounding the origin of the CSS Alabama. Its depiction of nineteenth-century London evokes Dickens and Sherlock Holmes.

You might find it helpful for Jones’s backstory (but not necessary) to begin with the first book, Faded Coat of Blue, in which Jones becomes a confidential agent to General George McClellan while investigating a murder amongst intrigues and battles around the Union capital in 1861.

Happy reading!

Part of a series.