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. |
From inside the book
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Page xx
... Cornelia Williams Read ( 1837-1906 ) . WBG's wife . Born into slavery in Charleston , S.C. , she is the daughter of ... Cornelia's XX Dramatis Personae.
... Cornelia Williams Read ( 1837-1906 ) . WBG's wife . Born into slavery in Charleston , S.C. , she is the daughter of ... Cornelia's XX Dramatis Personae.
Page xxi
... Cornelia out of slavery in 1857 and 1858 . William Read . Cornelia's father . He is born in Charleston , S.C. Nothing more is known about him . Medora Williams Gould ( 1866-1944 ) . She is the oldest of WBG's children and is born in ...
... Cornelia out of slavery in 1857 and 1858 . William Read . Cornelia's father . He is born in Charleston , S.C. Nothing more is known about him . Medora Williams Gould ( 1866-1944 ) . She is the oldest of WBG's children and is born in ...
Page xxii
... mother , Elizabeth . Her husband , Thomas H. Jones , and she are the parents of the Jones cousins who exchange many letters with WBG while he is at sea . Julia Ward Williams ( 1811-70 ) . One of Cornelia xxii Dramatis Personae.
... mother , Elizabeth . Her husband , Thomas H. Jones , and she are the parents of the Jones cousins who exchange many letters with WBG while he is at sea . Julia Ward Williams ( 1811-70 ) . One of Cornelia xxii Dramatis Personae.
Page xxiii
... Cornelia Read's aunts . She is born in Charleston , S.C. , but comes to Boston at an early age . She is a teacher and is involved in a number of efforts to aid the freedmen . She marries the Reverend Henry Highland Garnet in 1841 ...
... Cornelia Read's aunts . She is born in Charleston , S.C. , but comes to Boston at an early age . She is a teacher and is involved in a number of efforts to aid the freedmen . She marries the Reverend Henry Highland Garnet in 1841 ...
Page 2
... Cornelia Williams Read , or at the time of his mother's death . For instance , as he returns to Massachusetts at the war's con- clusion , and he hopes that he will soon hear " the cry of Land ho , " he expresses restive frustration over ...
... Cornelia Williams Read , or at the time of his mother's death . For instance , as he returns to Massachusetts at the war's con- clusion , and he hopes that he will soon hear " the cry of Land ho , " he expresses restive frustration over ...
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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