Confederate Torpedoes

<p> Hoping to deter the Union navy from aggressive action on southern waterways during the Civil War the Confederacy led the way in developing torpedoes a term that in the nineteenth century referred to contact mines floating on or just below the water's service. With this book two little-known but important manuscripts related to these valuable weapons become available for the first time. General Gabriel J. Rains director of the Confederate Torpedo Bureau penned his <I>Torpedo Book</I> as a manual for the fabrication and use of land mines and offensive and defensive water mines. With 21 scale drawings <I>Notes Explaining Rebel Torpedoes and Ordnance</I> by Captain Peter S. Michie documents from the Federal perspective the construction and use of these infernal machines. A detailed accounting by the editor of the vessels sunk or damaged by Confederate torpedoes and numerous photographs of existing specimens from museums and private collections complete this significant compilation.</p>