“Entertaining from beginning to end… For fans of O’Brian and Forester, it is a welcome addition to the lore of navies whose sailors braved storms and shrapnel in a war for America’s destiny.” — Wall Street Journal On June 19, 1864, just off the coast of France, one of the most dramatic naval battles in history took place. On a clear day with windswept skies, the dreaded Confederate raider Alabama faced the Union warship Kearsarge in an all-or-nothing fight to the finish, the outcome of which would effectively end the threat of the Confederacy on the high seas. Award-winning and bestselling historians Phil Keith and Tom Clavin introduce some of the crucial but historically overlooked players in the deciding clash . Readers will sail aboard the Kearsarge as Winslow embarks for Europe with a set of simple orders from the secretary of the navy: "Travel to the uttermost ends of the earth, if necessary, to find and destroy the Alabama ." “An accomplished history of an iconic battle.” — Kirkus Reviews “Naval history buffs will be enthralled.” — Publishers Weekly Phil Keith is an award-winning author and former navy aviator. During three tours in Vietnam, he served with distinction and was awarded, among other decorations, the Purple Heart, Air Medal, Presidential Unit Citation and the Navy Commendation Medal. His book Blackhorse Riders won the 2012 USA Best Book Award for Military History; was a finalist for the 2013 Colby Award; and earned a 2013 silver medal from the Military Writers Society. Tom Clavin is the author of eighteen nonfiction books and has worked as a newspaper and website editor, magazine writer, TV and radio commentator, and reporter for the New York Times covering entertainment, sports and the environment. Four of his books have been New York Times bestsellers: Dodge City ; and, with Bob Drury, The Heart of Everything That Is , The Last Stand of Fox Company and Halsey’s Typhoon .