author
William Watson
1826–1906
A Scottish engineer turned Louisiana businessman, William Watson lived through the American Civil War as a Confederate soldier and blockade runner. His memoirs offer a vivid, firsthand view of military life, Southern society, and the upheaval of wartime America.
1 Audiobook
The adventures of a blockade runner : or, Trade in time of war
by William Watson
About the author
William Watson (1826–1906) was born in Skelmorlie, Scotland. Trained as a shipbuilding engineer, he worked as a civil engineer and sailing-ship captain before moving to Louisiana around 1850, where he became involved in business.
Although he opposed secession, Watson enlisted in the Confederate Army in 1861 and served as a sergeant in the 3rd Louisiana Infantry. After leaving the army, he became a blockade runner, commanding vessels that carried goods between the Confederacy, the Caribbean, and Mexico.
Watson later returned to Scotland and settled in Skelmorlie. He recorded his experiences in Life in the Confederate Army and The Adventures of a Blockade Runner, books valued for their personal perspective on the Civil War and life in the American South.