A Year on a Monitor and the Destruction of Fort Sumter

"In November of 1862, Alvan Hunter, then a youth of sixteen, signed on as 'ship's boy' aboard the monitor Nahant. His year's service aboard the warship allowed the young man to witness, among other things, the abortive April 1863 Union attack on Fort Sumter, the capture of the Confederate ram Atlanta, and the naval and military actions against Fort Wagner and Morris Island. A Year on a Monitor and the Destruction of Fort Sumter is his memoir of this exciting time."—Southern Historian

". . . It is a pleasure to welcome the publication of A Year on a Monitor. This account of an individual's experiences and observations is a truly important contribution to naval history."—American Neptune

"Memoirs of Civil War naval service by enlisted men are rare. The publication of this volume. . . is a major contribution to such collections. As a 'boy,' Hunter was permitted more freedom than most sailors; he explored the ironclad vessel, observing the ship's machinery, naval tactics, and shipboardlife. During his year in the navy, Hunter kept a diary; it recorded such vivid entries that 60 years later he was able to write this memoir as a gift to his grandchildren. Civil War students and scholars at all levels will rejoice in this worthy addition to the literature."—Choice