The Sea King: The Life of James Iredell Waddell

by Gary McKay

Based on documents never before publicly accessible from the US Navy, the National Archives of the United States of America and the British Home Office, 'The Sea King' is the first biography of one of the Civil War’s most fascinating players. As the rogue captain of the last Confederate commerce raider, the Shenandoah, James Waddell was a huge thorn in the side of the post-Civil war administration (they branded him a pirate and an enemy of the state), who single-handedly destroyed the US whaling fleet, almost brought Britain and America to war, and finally surrendered after a 22,000-mile journey at Liverpool. Proclaimed an American hero upon his death in 1886 he was given the only state funeral ever awarded for a former Confederate officer.

225 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Ty McDaniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely informational, great read.

[Clinton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can see why Waddell is considered a mentor for Captain Paul Watson. With a successful record of 32 vessels destroyed (38 captured), the unique twist of this story is how Waddell attained this record whilst maintaining lawful actions, out-manuveured his opponents using a vast knowledge of international law, captured over 1,100, and without a single fatality (neither confederate nor union).
How different battles of today would be if they strived for these same goals. And what better of a model to follow for our environmentalists...