Then call us Rebels if you will we glory in the name, for bending under unjust laws and swearing faith to an unjust cause, we count as greater shame. — Richmond Daily Dispatch, May 12, 1862 April 12, 1861. With one jerk of a lanyard, one shell arching into the sky, years of tension explode into civil war. And for those men who do not know in which direction their loyalty calls them, it is a time for decisions. Such a one is Lieutenant Samuel Bowater, an officer of the U.S. Navy and a native of Charleston, South Carolina. Hard-pressed to abandon the oath he swore to the United States, but unable to fight against his home state, Bowater accepts a commission in the nascent Confederate Navy, where captains who once strode the quarterdecks of the world's most powerful ships are now assuming command of paddle wheelers and towboats. Taking charge of the armed tugboat Cape Fear, and then the ironclad Yazoo River, Bowater and his men, against overwhelming odds, engage in the waterborne fight for Southern independence.

Bestselling author James Nelson brings us another maritime adventure packed with battle, duty, heroism and tragedy. Perfect for readers of Julian Stockwin, CS Forester and Alexander Kent. "A triumph of imagination and good taut writing" — BERNARD CORNWELL "A master both of his period and of the English language" — PATRICK O'BRIAN "Nelson handles deftly the O'Brian dominated maritime genre with...tense action and battle sequences" — PUBLISHERS WEEKLY "Another page turner by James L Nelson. Gripping action with minute attention paid to historical accuracy." — \\\\\* Reader review "A literary masterpiece" — \\\\\* Reader review "Great history, great storytelling." — \\\\\* Reader review \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\* CAN HE FIND THE STRENGTH HE NEEDS, AGAINST ALL ODDS? Having survived the bloody Battle of New Orleans and the loss of his ship, Captain Sam Bowater is given new orders - to take command of an ironclad warship being built in Memphis, Tennessee. Bowater and his men are taken up river by 'Mississippi' Mike Sullivan, one of the wild, undisciplined captains of the River Defence Squadron, only to find, on their arrival, that their ship is not even half-built and the enemy is closing in fast. Against his better judgment, Bowater joins forces with Sullivan on board his river gunship. Outnumbered and outgunned, the Confederates once again fling themselves bravely at the overwhelming power of the Yankee invaders. The deadly fight along the Mississippi ends at last in the massive naval battle of Memphis, as the Confederates attempt to hold back the Northern advance. Thieves of Mercy is the conclusion of James Nelson's Civil War at Sea series. The action started in Glory In The Name .