'The moment they fell into the water the waves caught them and dashed them violently against the rocks; and the survivors on shore could perceive the unfortunate creatures...struggling amidst the waves; and one by one sinking under them.' (Hereford Times; 28 January 1854) The wrecking of the RMS Tayleur made headlines nearly 60 years before the Titanic. Both were run by the White Star Line; both were heralded as the most splendid ships of their time - and both sank in tragic circumstances on their maiden voyages. On 19 January 1854 the Tayleur; a large merchant vessel; left Liverpool for Australia; packed with hopeful emigrants; her hold stuffed with cargo. On the 160th anniversary of the disaster; Gill Hoffs reveals new theories behind the disaster and tells the stories of the passengers and crew on the ill-fated vessel: Captain John Noble; record breaking hero of the Gold Rush era. Ship surgeon Robert Hannay Cunningham and his young family; on their way to a new life among the prospectors of Tent City. Samuel Carby; ex-convict; returning to the gold fields with his new wife - and a fortune sewn into her corsets.But the ship's revolutionary iron hull prevented its compasses from working. Lost in the Irish Sea; a storm swept the Tayleur and the 650 people aboard towards a cliff; studded with rocks 'black as death'. What happened next shocked the world.
#1128679 in Books Osprey 2015-03-24 2015-03-24Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.84 x 6.73 x 7.25l; .79 #File Name: 147280751096 pages
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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy William Hazlettnice book0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy RAYMOND C. CLAYthank you6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. The road to Appomattox Courthouse...By HMS WarspiteBy the spring of 1865; General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia; long the scourge of its Union opponents; had been pinned to the trenches outside Petersburg and Richmond for months. Attrition had made it a wasting asset; while Union armies commanded by General U.S. Grant continued to grow stronger. A time would come when Lee would have to make the decision to abandon Petersburg and Richmond if he was to save what was left of his army and of the Confederate cause..."Appomattox 1865" is an Osprey Campaign Series book by experienced historian Ron Field; with illustrations by Adam Hook. It captures; in surprising detail for the short length of this book; the final Civil War campaign in Virginia; as Grant's armies pursued Lee's dwindling force to a fateful meeting at Appomattox Court House. The narrative quickly sketches the opposing commanders; their forces; and their plans. The heart of the story is the short period time between March 29th and April 9th; as Confederate defenses collapsed and as Lee's army attempted to escape. A series of running battles on the roads between Petersburg and Appomattox are each described. The text is supported by a excellent selection of maps; battle diagrams; period photographs and art; and modern illustrations.Field's narrative captures the drama of the moment; and a sense of the inevitability of the conclusion; as Lee's option are foreclosed; one by one. In the scramble that followed the fall of Petersburg; both sides made mistakes; but Lee's army had less margin for error. Highly recommended as a very readable and informative introduction to the Appomattox campaign for the general reader and the student of the conflict.
