CONFEDERATE NAVAL HISTORY
Books and CDs by R. Thomas Campbell| In the second
year of the Civil War, Tad Lynch, the son of a carpenter, tags
along with his father who is helping to build the Confederate ironclad
warship CSS Virginia (the Merrimack). Tad follows
a stray cat below deck and becomes trapped on board as the ship
leaves Portsmouth, Virginia, and steams down the Elizabeth River
toward the bay of Hampton Roads. Unbeknown to him and many others,
the ironclad is headed for battle. Although discovered and bullied
by James Shever, the cook, Tad is taken to Captain Franklin Buchanan
who gives the boy the dangerous job of carrying powder to the guns
as the sailors shell the Union warships Cumberland, Congress,
and Monitor. The two day battle feels like weeks to Tad,
who longs for his family, his dog, and his friends, Becky and Jimmy.
He struggles to perform his duties amid the noise, smoke, and fire
of the battle, and even helps to take care of the wounded captain.
Triple surprises at the end of the story add further excitement.
Real places, people, and events make this historical re-creation
a captivating tale.
Both girls and boys can enjoy the adventures of Tad while he
proves himself as a powder monkey aboard the ironclad Virginia
during her battle with the USS Monitor. |
The Powder Monkey, Chapter 1. The Hatch was Closed! |
Copyright © 2008 R. Thomas Campbell and his licensors. All rights reserved.