Diary of a Contraband: The Civil War Passage of a Black SailorThe heart of this book is the remarkable Civil War diary of the author s great-grandfather, William Benjamin Gould, an escaped slave who served in the United States Navy from 1862 until the end of the war. The diary vividly records Gould s activity as part of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron off the coast of North Carolina and Virginia; his visits to New York and Boston; the pursuit to Nova Scotia of a hijacked Confederate cruiser; and service in European waters pursuing Confederate ships constructed in Great Britain and France. Gould s diary is one of only three known diaries of African American sailors in the Civil War. It is distinguished not only by its details and eloquent tone (often deliberately understated and sardonic), but also by its reflections on war, on race, on race relations in the Navy, and on what African Americans might expect after the war. The book includes introductory chapters that establish the context of the diary narrative, an annotated version of the diary, a brief account of Gould s life in Massachusetts after the war, and William B. Gould IV s thoughts about the legacy of his great-grandfather and his own journey of discovery in learning about this remarkable man. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
11 Oclock 9 Oclock anchor Anglo-African Antwerp APRIL arrived ashore Beaufort bells P.M. Benjamin Gould blockade Boat Boston Brooklyn Brooklyn visits calld Cape Fear River Chanel Citty Civil Coaling ship Confederate contrabands Cornelia Corruña crew Cruised as usual deck Dedham Degallant Devine serveace diary Ferrol fired Flag Flushing furl sail Georgia Gloucester goin guns Hampton Roads harbor heard Ibid Inlet July JUNE letter to C.W.R. Lincoln Lisbon Maild A letter MARCH mast Morning Nantucket naval Navy Gideon North Carolina Oclock pass'd Port Quaters Raining Rebel Received A letter received A Mail reported returnd on board S. P. Lee sail salute schooner sent SEPT September 29 Ship'd shore slaves steam steamer Stonewall stood thair THURS took Topsails TUES U.S. Navy U.S.S. Cambridge U.S.S. Niagara Verry cold verry fine day vessel visited WBG's WENS WENSDAY William Benjamin Gould Wilmington wind York