The Sea Shall Embrace Them

The Tragic Story of the Steamship Arctic

By: David W. Shaw

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Paperback | 6 May 2003

At a Glance

Paperback
256 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
22.86 x 15.24 x 1.78

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The 1854 collision at sea between the American ship Arctic and the Vesta, a much smaller French steamship, set in motion one of the most harrowing events in maritime history. David W. Shaw has based this fascinating account on the firsthand testimony of the few who survived the wreck, including the Arctic's heroic captain, James C. Luce, who was forced to fight his mutinous crew as they took the lifeboats and left hundreds of passengers to suffer a cruel and painful death. Not only did 400 people -- including Luce's own frail son -- die by daybreak, but the wreck also ended the domination of the seas by the American maritime fleet for the rest of the nineteenth century.
Utterly compelling, The Sea Shall Embrace Them is a stirring slice of heretofore little-known American history. Beautifully written, it puts the reader on deck as a ship full of men, women, and children do battle both with a mighty ocean and with their own baser instincts.

Industry Reviews

Walter Lord Author of A Night to Remember A riveting story told by a superb writer.

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You Can Find This Book In

Non-Fiction Transportation Ships & Boats in General History Regional & National History History of the Americas Travel & Holidays Specific Events & Topics in History Maritime History Biographies & True Stories True Stories Earliest Times to Present Day

Modern History from 1700 to 1900

Preface	p. xi
Prologue: September 28, 1854	p. 1
Gentlemanly Demeanor	p. 7
Symmetry of Form	p. 19
Sea Trial	p. 29
Speed at All Costs	p. 39
Fortune of War	p. 51
Portent	p. 63
Unwitting Passengers	p. 75
Collision Course	p. 85
The Fisherman's Escape	p. 101
A Noble Gesture	p. 107
Deadly Damage	p. 115
Bravery Tested	p. 125
Cowardice	p. 133
Final Moments	p. 143
Death's Cold Grasp	p. 153
Battle for Life	p. 163
Rescue	p. 173
Distressing News	p. 181
Resurrection	p. 193
Aftermath	p. 201
Author's Note	p. 215
"The Loss of the Arctic"	p. 221
Glossary	p. 225
Bibliography	p. 231
Acknowledgments	p. 233
Index	p. 235
Table of Contents provided by Rittenhouse. All Rights Reserved.

The Sea Shall Embrace Them

The Tragic Story of the Steamship Arctic

At a Glance

Paperback

Industry Reviews

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

You Can Find This Book In

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