Charles Dahlgren of Natchez: The Civil War and Dynastic Decline

Gower, Herschel

Richland Press

Chronicles the eventful life of an ambitious Pennsylvanian who fought for the South in the Civil War 
 Illuminates the fascinating story of three glory-seeking brothers and their families, whose personal rivalries and sectional loyalties pitted brother against brother 
 Uses extensive research in diaries, memoirs, and personal papers to convey to the reader the daily life of cotton planters and slave owners in Mississippi and Louisiana 
Charles G. Dahlgren came from a family that played a prominent role in the effort to preserve the Union. His older brother, John, was a rear admiral in the U.S. Navy and enjoyed a measure of fame for inventing naval guns. In 1864, John's son, Col. Ulric Dahlgren, dies in a Union cavalry raid against Richmond. Charles' other brother, William, spent part of the war in England, spying on Confederate purchasing agents. In ironic contrast, Charles' compelling story evolves within the hierarchy of Southern aristocracy. 
Herschel Gower eloquently traces the rise of Charles to social prominence in the South. As a young man, Charles became a protégé of Nicholas Biddle, the prominent Philadelphia financier, who dispatched him to the cotton states to look after his interests. Ambitious and in search of wealth and position, Charles established himself in Natchez, Mississippi, married an heiress, started a family, and prospered. When Mississippi seceded from the Union, he stood in defense of his cotton plantation, his ownership in slaves, and his hard-won security. In July 1861, the governor of Mississippi appointed him brigadier general of volunteers. Under criticism, he resigned the post and took an advisory position overseeing gunboat construction. Charles' fortune evaporated with the fall of the Confederacy, and his family suffered severely. After the war, he was reconciled with his brother John and returned to the North. He died a Confederate carpetbagger practicing law and accounting in New York. 
Readers interested in the antebellum South, an ambitious family's struggle to attain social status, and the consequences of allegiance during the Civil War will be enthralled by Gower's provocative biography.

History

Americas

Brassey's, Inc

As a young man Charles Dahlgren, brother of the famous Union admiral John A. Dahlgren, moved from Pennsylvania to Natchez, Mississippi, in search of glory. He made a spectacular start by acquiring two mansions overlooking the Mississippi River and cultivating acres of cotton fields in Louisiana. Determined to defend his dynasty at the outbreak of the Civil War, Dahlgren accepted an ill-fated commission as brigadier general of volunteers in the Mississippi militia. Ultimately his dreams crumbled with those of the Confederacy, but he survived his losses as a Confederate carpetbagger engaged in business on Wall Street. Herschel Gower's expertly woven narrative proves that sometimes truth challenges the domain of fiction. Charles Dahlgren of Natchez will enthrall readers with its provocative story of honor, violence, and allegiance in the face of crisis.

Biographies & Memoirs

Historical

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