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Harrison Raines is estranged from his Tidewater Virginia family because he cannot espouse the family's slave ownership. He is in Washington, D.C. as a member of Allen Pinkerton's Secret Service. Accompaning him in his exile is Caesar Augustus, former slave given to him as a present on his 21st birthday. Harry's first act on receiving the gift was to take Caesar Augustus to Richmond to secure emancipation papers required for his freedom.This caused estrangement between Harry and his father. Now the two are back in Richmond on a mission for the Secret Service. Lincoln and Pinkerton want to know how close the Confederate iron sided ship is to being ready, how well armed it is, its strengths and weaknesses. Harry learns that the husband of his first love, Amanda Mills, is in charge of the ship, but before he can investigate further Amanda's nude body is found hanging in his hotel room. Caesar Augustus is arrested for the crime. It is up to Harry to find the real murderer, rescue Caesar Augustus from the Confederate prison, in addition to finding the details of the Confederate ship, the Merrimac. In his pursuit of these goals he finds himself on board the Merrimac and witnesses first hand its deadly menace. The exciting climax is the assault of the Merrimac (CSS Virginia) against the Union fleet in Hampton Roads and the arrival of the Union Monitor. This is a well developed plot with characters true to life. The author has successfully evoked the vivid picture of wartime Richmond: the military, the privation of the people, the prison conditions. It is rich in detail about the undercover activities of Northern sympathizers in the South who work to help the slaves escape to the North. This is well worth reading not just for Civil War buffs but for anyone wanting a fast paced narrative.
Reviewed by Barbara Buhrer, February 2003
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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