author
J. (John) Wilkinson
1821–1891
A naval officer turned memoirist, he left one of the vivid firsthand accounts of blockade-running during the American Civil War. His writing draws readers straight into the risk, speed, and improvisation of wartime life at sea.
1 Audiobook
The Narrative of a Blockade-Runner
by J. (John) Wilkinson
About the author
Born in Norfolk, Virginia, in 1821, he served first in the United States Navy and later in the Confederate States Navy during the American Civil War. He is most often remembered for commanding blockade runners, including the Robert E. Lee, and for his connection with vessels such as the Chickamauga.
His best-known book, The Narrative of a Blockade-Runner (published in 1877), is a firsthand memoir of wartime service. It has remained the main reason modern readers encounter his name, because it offers a direct, personal view of Confederate naval operations and the dangers of slipping through the Union blockade.
He died in 1891. I could confirm his military career and his memoir, but I could not reliably confirm a suitable portrait image from the sources I checked, so no profile image is included here.