Seahawk Burning [Hardcover]

A good Civil War naval story as the ships from the north try to track confederate ships, both trying to destroy the other and all ships they find while searching. The locales stretch from the United States coast, inland waters, South America, Africa, Europe, and points in between. You have to remember in those days there was no way to search for a ship except by word of mouth or accidentally finding that ship while transcending the globe. Also in those days the sailors, as well as their captain, were very rough and crude men that were very likely to kill captured crews from ships, burn the ships after looting all the goods aboard, and turn the few of the captured crew members over to the first possible place on land or sea.

Raphael Semmes was captain of the confederate ship, The USS Alabama. The Alabama was a strong and powerful ship. Semmes would take no quarter from any opposing ship and would kill and/or destroy almost any other ship along with its crew just to get a "worse" reputation. Seahawk Burning takes you mostly by sea to many areas of the earth to fight others, get provisions, have ship repairs made, unload crew members who's time was up and find new crew members, while making those stops. Most of all the ships officers and crews in those days were not very healthy, some from not eating correctly, drinking far too much alcohol, associating with wild women that gave them more than they bargained for, and of course the normal sailors brawls.

The many areas traversed by the USS Alabama took them through many a bad storm that damaged ships and their crews quite bad. Weather; another item they knew little about and had no idea what lies ahead. Meanwhile back in Washington, DC, President Lincoln, the various government leaders including the Secretary of the Navy, the Yankee leaders, and all of their cohorts, schemed as to how to capture and destroy this Confederate ship that was wreaking havoc on their ships. So far Semmes has eluded them but the word of mouth was starting to narrow his travel path. The ship that was closest on his trail now was the USS Kearsarge Captained by an ex shipmate of Semmes, John Winslow, who wanted his former friend and opponent very much. Winslow was not in good health, having only one eye and it pained him much of the time. Semmes had his gal, Maude, constantly on his mind. The Yankee government to obtain information about Semmes was also tracking her. Maude had two babies with her, one white and one black. She loved them both, as did Semmes. She had to keep on the run throughout the eastern United States and through Canada to avoid capture.

The action is great as are the characters, some of which were actually involved in the war and in the leading of our nation. You will learn history and some facts about some of these men and women as the author brings them in and out of the story. If you like sea adventure stories intertwined with history, you will love this book, as I did.

The author is telling four stories in one novel, but by doing so each story lacks action, excitement, and connection to the other. There are big gaps in each of the four story lines as the author jumps back and forth between them, thus creating many short chapters with many empty half pages.

Based during the Civil War in 1963 and 1964 around the actions of the Confederate Captain Semmes on the CSS Alabama who raises hell with Union shipping all over the world even to India. All the while the USS Kearsarge with Captain Winslow waits in the English Channel for a year and a half hoping to ambush Semmes. Not that this isn't boring enough the author leaves each story line when the action begins.

The other two story lines involve an Irish woman, who has Semmes' baby, as she struggles to survive and avoid capture by Confederate and Union operatives. As well as President Lincoln and Secnav Wiles as they struggle to save the Union with it's nest of spies.

As a lifetime reader and student of U.S. history, I looked forward to delving into one of the lesser-known corners of the Civil War. The naval battles of the Civil War, outside of the duel between the Monitor and the Merrimac and the adventures of the CSS Hunley, are not to be found in many history books.

I have not read the other volumes in Randall Peffer's "Seahawk" trilogy - and at this point I am not likely to do so in the future either. Even given the license that historical fiction is allowed to take in the name of storytelling, I found the thread here stretched a little too thin for my taste.

I have no issues with mixing real historical characters with fictional ones; not all of the participants in our past were as well documented as the principal characters, and without a doubt there were those who played an important part yet missed the historian's notice. So if an author wants to add in these 'bit players' as a plot device, I have no problem with that.

What bothered me in "Seahawk Burning" was the lack of depth of the well-known historical figures. The fictional characters seem unable to move without bumping up against one of the selected central figures of the Civil War, each of whom seem caricatures in comparison. It would seem that the entire war was orchestrated and masterminded by a handful of little minded decision-makers fulfilling personal agendas of their own.

In short, I felt that the package was just a little too neat. The supporting cast ends up taking the lead roles, so that Harriet Tubman and Abraham Lincoln serve as furtive backups to the decisive actions of the fictional characters. In my opinion, historical fiction should give life to history, not attempt to rewrite it. Without a doubt, there are Civil War stories that have never been told. Too much of "Seahawk Burning" is history that never happened.