Heroism comes in many forms. From the grasp of the union juggernauts, emerges one of the last Civil war ships, The CSS Shenandoah. In John Baldwin and Ron Powers’ book, Last Flag Down, the final span of the war ship Shenandoah’s life is brought into play and the efforts of the crew to keep it alive are put to the test. When the Confederacy began slipping and falling prey to the Union’s overwhelming power, a Confederate States Navy Lieutenant Commander strives to claim this warship as his own, along with Captain William Conway Whittle. With these men and what little crew they have, they plan to turn the war between the divided nation around, and take back the Confederate power. Before Whittle can accomplish this task, he must first learn more
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At the time, British ship Sea King was supposedly carrying an extremely valuable cargo. Sea King was said to have been carrying 800 long tons of smokeless Welsh coal. This cargo was so expensive that its owners sent a man along with it on its voyage to look after it and make sure it wasn’t misused. The man in charge of this task was William Conway Whittle, however at the time, he assumed the alias of “George Brown.” However, the cargo had been a ruse. A dangerous move set into play by confederate forces. If stopped for a cargo check or for other reasons, Whittle and his crew’s live would have been at stake.Despite this, Whittle had been able to make off with Sea King, the vessel now being reported as lost. In reality, the vessel had been sold the the Confederacy and named CSS Shenandoah. Knowing entirely what dangers and perils Whittle had laid out for not only him, but his crew and passengers as well, he continued on with trust in his loyal crew and trust in himself. Whittle had been a risk taker and war was his …show more content…
Captain William Conway Whittle and James Waddel led a cause worth fighting for into the depths of enemy territory again and again, yet managing to escape unscathed. In her lifetime the CSS Shenandoah traveled 58,000 miles, seized or burned thirty-eight ships, and carried on as a beacon in the Confederate movement. Having fired the last shot of the Civil War at a Whaling ship on November 6, 1865, Shenandoah led a dream and a movement until the bitter end. On that day, CSS Shenandoah was extinguished from the Confederacy, but all she stood for, burned
At the time, British ship Sea King was supposedly carrying an extremely valuable cargo. Sea King was said to have been carrying 800 long tons of smokeless Welsh coal. This cargo was so expensive that its owners sent a man along with it on its voyage to look after it and make sure it wasn’t misused. The man in charge of this task was William Conway Whittle, however at the time, he assumed the alias of “George Brown.” However, the cargo had been a ruse. A dangerous move set into play by confederate forces. If stopped for a cargo check or for other reasons, Whittle and his crew’s live would have been at stake.Despite this, Whittle had been able to make off with Sea King, the vessel now being reported as lost. In reality, the vessel had been sold the the Confederacy and named CSS Shenandoah. Knowing entirely what dangers and perils Whittle had laid out for not only him, but his crew and passengers as well, he continued on with trust in his loyal crew and trust in himself. Whittle had been a risk taker and war was his …show more content…
Captain William Conway Whittle and James Waddel led a cause worth fighting for into the depths of enemy territory again and again, yet managing to escape unscathed. In her lifetime the CSS Shenandoah traveled 58,000 miles, seized or burned thirty-eight ships, and carried on as a beacon in the Confederate movement. Having fired the last shot of the Civil War at a Whaling ship on November 6, 1865, Shenandoah led a dream and a movement until the bitter end. On that day, CSS Shenandoah was extinguished from the Confederacy, but all she stood for, burned