The Grand Idea: George Washington’s Potomac and the Race to the West

By Joel Achenbach. Simon & Schuster, 2004. ISBN 0-684-84857-0.

When George Washington retired to Mount Vernon in 1784, he longed to return to his comfortable life as a Virginia planter. He also had a dream for the future of the new United States.

The Grand Idea is author Joel Achenbach’s fascinating story of the Potomac River and Washington’s dream that it would be the gateway to the fertile western lands. Achenbach has written five other books, including Why Things Are & Why Things Aren’t: The Answers to Life’s Greatest Mysteries (Ballantine, 1996). In this book, he blends history, geography, and biography into a colorful story about American ingenuity, energy, and determination.

Achenbach relates the little-known but far-reaching efforts of Washington to create a navigable transportation link along the Potomac River from Virginia’s Tidewater to the northern headwaters of the Ohio River Valley. As Achenbach states, Washington believed the Potomac River would bind the East with the West, creating commerce and a suitable travel route for expansion into the newly won Western lands. Without such a commercial connection, he feared the Western lands might secede from the East, creating turmoil and strife for the new nation.

Achenbach describes Washington’s 1784 journey from his home up the Potomac, across the Appalachian Mountains into western Pennsylvania, and back through the Shenandoah Valley. The 34-day, 680-mile trip, by horseback and canoe, over appalling roads, rivers, and mountains, convinced Washington his Potomac dream not only was workable but also was essential for the peace and prosperity of the newly forged nation.

Achenbach describes the development and construction of the wildly ambitious canal and lock system that would make the Potomac navigable for barge traffic. He discusses geology, financial schemes, and engineering, as well as the dreamers, crooks, and politicians who helped or hindered the project over the years.

Achenbach concludes technology trumped geography (railroads over barges), and Washington’s dream for the Potomac was never fully realized. Still, the man and the river highlight America’s inability to stand still, revealing the national character of dreaming, inventing, and building.

Reign of Iron: The Story of the First Battling Ironclads, the Monitor and the Merrimack

By James L. Nelson. William Morrow, 2004. ISBN 0-06-052403-0.

It could be argued that the Union was saved during the Civil War not by Gen. Ulysses S. Grant or President Abraham Lincoln but by Swedish inventor John Ericsson. It also could be argued that in March 1862, the Confederacy was one day late in possibly winning the war.

Reign of Iron tells the epic story of the naval battle between the Monitor and the Merrimack, the first ironclad warships ever to fight each other. Although the battle itself was a draw (despite each side claiming victory), it spelled the end of the primacy of wooden-hulled warships.

Author James L. Nelson has written nine successful novels about pirates and colonial and Civil War naval warfare. This is his first nonfiction work, and it is a masterful blend of research, nautical lore, and exciting storytelling.

Nelson offers the full history of ironclad warship development, describing the design and construction for both the Monitor and the Merrimack. The Confederate Merrimack, later renamed the Virginia, actually was built on the wooden hulk of the Union frigate Merrimack, scuttled by the Yankees when Gosport Naval Shipyard near Norfolk, Va., was captured by the rebels. Often described as looking like a barn floating in a river, the Merrimack was iron-plated and armed with 10 cannons.

The Yankees became alarmed when news of the new Confederate ironclad leaked out. In panicked response, Ericsson was contracted to build an ironclad warship intended to counter the Merrimack. He built his unusual ironclad in just 118 days, launching it two weeks before the Confederates launched the Merrimack. The Monitor was a completely iron vessel, with a revolving turret mounting two huge cannons. Observers said it looked like a cheese box on a raft.

But it is Nelson’s descriptions of naval battle that really shine. He tells of the Merrimack’s maiden voyage, straight into battle March 8, 1862, when it attacked the Union fleet in Hampton Roads. Impervious to any Union shot or shell, the Merrimack sank one large Union warship, battered another, and drove a third ship aground. It intended to destroy the rest of the Union fleet the next day.

The next day, however, was one day too late. The Monitor, rushed down the coast from New York, arrived the next morning in time to fight the Merrimack in a violent, four-hour battle. Nelson tells of the wild smoke- and shot-filled melee in the wide, shallow waters of Hampton Roads, with both ironclads, other warships, and shore batteries all blasting away at each other. When the exhausted combatants finally separated, the Union fleet had been saved. Neither ironclad would fight again, but Union naval supremacy was never again challenged. This is, without a doubt, one of the best histories of Civil War naval warfare.

 — Reviews by William D. Bushnell

Member Books

FICTION

Joint Task Force: France. By Capt.David E. Meadows, USN.
Over the waters of the Ivory Coast, a routine exercise turns into a mysterious disaster, when a fleet of F-16 fighters simply vanishes. Someone has gotten a hold of an experimental weapon being developed by the American Missile Defense Office – and all signs point to the French. And when a secret mission to destroy the weapon goes wrong, it leads to a covert battle along the coast of Africa that could bring the world to war.
Berkley Books, 375 Hudson Street, NY, NY 10014. (212) 366-2153. www.penguin.com. ISBN 0-425-19799-9. 305 pp. $6.99 plus postage.

Joe Hakkala’s Luck. By Lt. Col. Hugo W. Matson, USA-Ret.
Joe Hakkala lost his parents in an accident as a child and was placed in an orphanage. He never expected as a teenager that when a judge gave him a choice of time in a juvenile facility or enlistment in the Army that it would lead to an uncle, a Finnish immigrant, who became his family and gave him the means to become a fast food entrepreneur when Joe retired form the Army. Nor did he expect that Maddy, the woman he loved as an enlisted man, would become the mistress of Earl J. Stokes, ex-preacher and founder of Daddy’s, a small fast food chain. What he did find was that running a business presented a different set of challenges than what he’d encountered in the Army.
Xlibris Corp., 436 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19101. (888) 795-4274. www.xlibris.com. ISBN 1-4134-4104-1. 318 pp. $19.00 postpaid.

The Sampan War. By Maj. Gen. Robert E. Wagner, USA-Ret.
Wagner’s novel is based on historical events and personal observation. It tells the story of people on both sides pulled into the vortex of violent conflict for Hoa Luu District in the year before Tet ’68. In a wider context, the novel describes the central tragedy of the Viet Nam War, the dashed hope of thousands of simple people who trusted us. Even today the specter of Viet Nam provides a sobering backdrop for the war on terrorism.
PublishAmerica, P.O. Box 151, Frederick, MD 21705. (301-695-1707. www.publishamerica.com. ISBN 1-4137-1801-9. 216 pp. $19.95 postpaid.

Tender Duty. By Lt. Cmdr. Neil G. Carey, USNR-Ret.
Daniels and her always-changing nest of damaged destroyers swelter in the Southwest Pacific. Problems, afloat and ashore, involve reserve and mustang ensigns, a recalled commander, and an “Asiatic” CPO. The captain is killed, a sailor is murdered ashore, senior reserves depart, and the ensigns become department heads.
Trafford Publishing, Suite 6E, 2333 Government St.., Victoria, B.C. V8T 4P4, Canada. (888) 232-4444. www.trafford.com. ISBN 1-4120-3402-7. 316 pp. $25.28 plus postage.

NON-FICTION

The Fighting Flying Boat: A History of the Martin PBM Mariner. By Capt. Richard A. Hoffman. USN-Ret.
Detailing a proud chapter in naval aviation history, former PBM pilot Hoffman has written the first comprehensive history of Mariner operations. In combat, Mariners participated in every major offensive campaign from the Mariana Islands to Iwo Jima and Okinawa, sinking enemy submarines, ships, and aircraft. This book recognizes the Martin PBM Mariner not only for its contributions to World War II but also the post-war years, when it was involved in the Korean War and with the exploration of the Arctic and Antarctic.
Naval Institute Press, 291 Wood Road, Annapolis, MD 21402. (800) 233-8764. www.navalinstitute.org. ISBN 1-59114-375-6. 272 pp. $32.95 plus postage.

Rod Cook’s How to Start Your Network Marketing Or Internet Multi-Affiliate Company! By Maj. Rod Cook, USA-Ret.
This book is the best way to quickly grow sales using NetWork Marketing (MLM) or Web Multi-Affiliate Marketing. This MLM Startup Book gives detailed information in an easy to understand consulting format. There are over 500 diagramed pages of pure, distilled, powerful illustrated information. Moreover, you get an hour of personal complimentary consulting from the industry’s top consultant.
America’s MLM Consultants, 2410 Cinco Woods Plaza, San Antonio, TX 78259. (210) 494-3884. www.mlmconsultant.com. ISBN 0-9672915-1-8. 294 pp. $169.00 plus postage.

MLM Compensation Pay Plans. By Maj. Rod Cook, USA-Ret.
For both beginners and experts, this book has easy to understand diagrams with full explanations on the opposite page. It contains secrets to understanding MLM pay plans, tricks to maximize your income, avoiding MLM pay plan traps, and how to dodge illegal pyramid schemes. It includes all MLM compensation pay plans, Network Marketing compensation pay plans, Party Plans, Internet Affiliate and Multi-Affiliate pay plans, Mortgage MLM plans and Real Estate MLM base plans.
America’s MLM Consultants, 2410 Cinco Woods Plaza, San Antonio, TX 78259. (210) 494-3884. www.mlmconsultant.com. ISBN 0-9672915-3-4. 80 pp. $17.95 plus postage.

The Midshipman Culture and Educational Reform: The U.S. Naval Academy 1946-76. By Todd A. Forney.
Forney examines the effect of educational and professional reforms on the culture of the Naval Academy from 1946-76. The post-World War II era was a turning point in academy history; new technology and operational requirements forced Annapolis to reevaluate the emphasis paid to academics.
Associated University Presses, 2010 Eastpark Blvd., Cranbury, NJ 08512. (609) 655-4770. www.2.lib.udel.edu/udpress. ISBN 0-87413-864-7. 409 pp. $65.00 plus postage.

Courage and Country: James Shields, More than Irish Luck. By Col. J. P. Sean Callan, USAF-Ret.
Before Abraham Lincoln met his end in Ford Theater, he almost engaged in a sword duel to the death on the banks of the Mississippi with an Irishman named James Shields. This new biography is a psychological history of Shields, an important but often overlooked figure of the 1800s.
IrishQuill Publishing, P.O. Box 955, Libertyville, IL 60048-0955. (847) 735-0811. irishquill@aol.com. 0-9759351-0-0. 293 pp. $29.95 plus postage.

America’s Secret War: Inside the Hidden Worldwide Struggle Between America and Its Enemies. By Capt. George Friedman, USN-Ret.
Dubbed by Barron’s as “The Shadow CIA,” Friedman’s global intelligence company, Stratfor, has provided analysis to Fortune 500 companies, news outlets, and even the U.S. government. Now Friedman delivers the geopolitical story that the mainstream media have been unable to uncover – the startling truth behind America’s foreign policy and war effort in Afghanistan, Iraq, and beyond.
Doubleday, 1745 Broadway, NY, NY 10019. (212) 782-9000. www.doubleday.com. ISBN 0-385-51245-7. 354 pp. $25.95 plus postage.

On Hallowed Ground: The Last Battle for Pork Chop Hill. By Col. Bill McWilliams, USAF-Ret.
The book is an extraordinarily powerful, true story, and a fresh Korean War history. Drawing on official records, letters, and written and oral recollections, it places readers in the middle of wrenching crosscurrents of emotion as American soldiers fight one of the crucial last battles of the Korean War.
Berkley Caliber Books, 375 Hudson Street, NY, NY 10014. (212) 366-2153. www.penguin.com. ISBN 0-425-19926-6. 494 pp. $16.00 plus postage.

Aviation in the Santa Maria Valley: World War II. By Lt. Col. Bill McKee, USAF-Ret.
The history of aviation in the Santa Maria Valley includes an incredible record of training airmen for duty with the Army Air Force during World War II. This training was conducted at Hancock Field, home of the Hancock College of Aeronautics, and at the Santa Maria Army Air Field, built in 1942 for advanced pilot training. While much of this book is about pilots, instructors, and airplanes, it also includes the story of the people who supported them and the community of Santa Maria who hosted them.
Trafford Publishing, 6E-2333 Government Street, Victoria, BC V8T 4P4, Canada. (888) 232-4444. www.trafford.com. ISBN 141203590-2. 134 pp. $15.00 plus postage.

The Boise Massacre on the Oregon Trail: Attack on the Ward Party in 1854 and Massacres of 1859. By Lt. Col. Donald H. Shannon, USAF-Ret.
Shannon details the background of the Indians of the Snake Country and the events of three of the few actual massacres that occurred during attacks on Oregon Trail wagon trains. He recounts the 1854 and 1855 Army expeditions to chastise and overawe the Shoshoni, the Wallen Expedition, Shepherd and Miltimore massacres of 1859, and the 1860 Steen Expedition in central Oregon.
Snake Country Publishing, 16748 W. Linden, Caldwell, ID 83605-9720. (208) 459-9233. Snakecountry@mindspring.com. ISBN 0-9635828-1-X. 287 pp. $20.45 postpaid.

MEMOIRS

Gods of Tin: The Flying Years. By James Salter.
A riveting combination of fiction, journals, and memoir, Gods of Tin is Salter’s own story. Gathering selections from The Hunters, Cassada, and Burning the Days, it also includes, published here for the first time, selections from a journal Salter kept during the war. As the editors comment in the introduction, “It is, as a record of the day-to day, mission-to-mission life of a young fighter pilot, a remarkable document by any standard. But it provides as well a view into the crucible of a writer’s beginnings, like pencil studies that precede a painting, in which the essential qualities of the artists hand are unmistakable.”
Shoemaker & Hoard, 3704 Macomb Street, NW, Suite 4, Washington, DC 20016. (202) 364-4464. www.shoemakerhoard.com. ISBN 1-59376-006-X. 176 pp. $24.00 plus postage.

How to Stay Afloat Wearing Army Boots. By Lt. Col. William T. Melms, AUS-Ret.
In mid-WWII, Melms was completely “at sea” when, due to a military goof-up, he was given command of a 200 foot Army transport ship. Without marine experience beyond a leaky 16 foot sailboat on Lake Ste. Clair, he and an equally untrained crew headed across the Pacific. A well-intentioned voyage became a comedy of errors. Only innocent ignorance saved the day. After years of entertaining service clubs someone said to Melms, “Why not write a book?” And so he did, and the result is a humorous inside saga of the Army’s Navy, warts and all.
Heritage Books, 65 East Main Street, Westminster, MD 21157-5026. (800) 876-6103. www.heritagebooks.com. ISBN 0-7884-2532-3. 218 pp. $16.95 postpaid.

My Story. By Maj. Fred Lincoln, USAF-Ret.
Lincoln shares the events of his 23 years in the U.S. Army Air Corps through its transition into the U.S. Army Air Force and later the U.S. Air Force. He recounts the different training schools he attended and various assignments during his progression from enlisted man to the rank of major at the time of his retirement.
RoseDog Books, 701 Smithfield Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. (800) 834-1803. www.rosedogbookstore.com ISBN 0-8059-9276-6. 257 pp. $23.00 plus postage.

Journey to Freedom and Beyond. By Col. Robert M. Slane, USAF-Ret.
This is a true-life story of combat during World War II. Slane describes the action that led up to the loss of his combat crew when their aircraft was downed by German forces. Events after he crash-landed his aircraft provide a narrative history that leads the reader into the emotional life of a prisoner of war.
Trafford Publishing, Suite 6E, 2333 Government Street, Victoria, BC V8T 4P4 Canada. (888) 232-4444. www.trafford.com. ISBN 141201672-X. 283 pp. $25.95 plus postage.