Civil War Navies 1855-1883 (U.S. Navy Warship)
Silverstone is a prolific author of several books on U.S. naval history and also an editor ofWarship International,a quarterly journal. These two books are the first in a five- volume chronological series on U.S. warships.Both references begin with a contents page, a short article on U.S. naval ordnance for the relevant period, an explanation of data, and a list of abbreviations. Aside from this general similarity, the books are organized in differing ways.Civil War Naviesis broken down in two parts: "United States Navy Warships" and "Confederate States Navy." Material inThe Sailing Navyis organized under "The Continental Navy, 1775-1783," "State Navies, 1775-1783," "The United States Navy, 1797-1854," "United States Revenue Cutter Service," and "Texas Navy." Within the chapters of both volumes there are further subdivisions. Ships inCivil Warare generally categorized by propulsion and vessel size, as well as duties; for the most part, ships inSailingare listed by type. Within these divisions, ships are listed alphabetically by name in a letter-by-letter arrangement (e.g.,Emma Henry,Eolus,Fort Donelson). A typical entry has a chart showing the name of the ship, builder, date laid down, date launched, and date commissioned. Entries also also provide information on tonnage, dimensions, machinery, crew complement, armament, and armor. Notes add data such as designer; service record, including engagements; ships captured; and later history.Each volume also has a short bibliography and an index of ship names. A random survey determined the bibliographies to be current and the indexes accurate. Scattered throughout the two volumes and appropriately placed are many black-and-white illustrations, mostly photographs and paintings, of the ships listed. Many of these illustrations were difficult to locate and represent a significant research effort. There is also a list of ships captured.Sailinghas an appendix listing "Royal Navy Losses in North American Waters," andCivil Warhas an appendix that lists shipbuilders.There is only one comparable reference to these two volumes. The eight-volumeDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships(GPO, 1959-80) is arranged alphabetically by ship name and has detailed histories of each ship that are sometimes several pages long. The chronological arrangement of the titles under review makes it easier for users to compare classes of ships from a particular time period, and the chart format and indexes facilitate use. These easy-to-use references will be valuable complements to theDictionary of American Naval Fighting Shipsand popular items in all military collections. REVWRCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved