Clyde Built

‘An enthralling account of a remarkable but until now neglected episode of Scottish history.’ – Scotsman

‘Well-researched and highly readable…a major contribution to a little-know aspect of Scottish history.’ – Scots Magazine

‘This is a fascinating and very full account of Scotland’s part in a very private war.’ – Scotland Magazine

The Civil War of 1861–65 was one of the defining moments in the history of America, and the role of the blockade runners in providing the lifeline to the Confederacy is well known. Far less understood is the role Scotland played in this ‘peculiar trade’. By launching the fastest steamers in the world, it was inevitable that Confederate agents should be drawn to Clydeside in their quest to beat the ever-tightening blockade. Their clandestine operation stripped the Clyde of its existing stock of ‘racers’ while their orders for new custom-built ‘runners’ of even greater speed forced the pace of marine technology. The outcome was that over one third of the steamers running the blockade were Clyde-built.