For much of the Civil War, Virginia civilians struggled to keep their homes intact as they faced the threat of Union soldiers on their doorsteps. In this revised and expanded second-edition compilation of stories passed down by word-of-mouth from the generation that experienced that divisive war, Larry Chowning shows his talent for capturing the flavor of an era and the essence of its people. The stories of everyday life in a war zone show not just the fear but the courage, defiance, and ingenuity displayed by the people in Virginia's Tidewater region. While these chronicles are Southern, the same sort of narrative could have come from people in Pennsylvania, where Southern troops roamed.

This second, revised and expanded, edition of this popular collection, including 233 photos and sketches, represents the most comprehensive study of the Chesapeake Bay's fisheries, but it is far more. It records the pictures and recollections of the homespun tales of the hardy men and women who have lived and worked along the shores of the nation's largest estuary. Since the first edition was published in 1990, some of these tools and traditions have disappeared and are now part of Chesapeake Bay lore. Many of the implements and skills used by Chesapeake Bay watermen had their origins in the 1600s, and, until now, much of what is known about the various forms of gear had been passed down orally from generation to generation. Some of these tools and traditions are likely to disappear in the twenty-first century. The text to this fascinating book documents the harvesting of the Bay, including much information gathered by personal interviews with elderly practitioners of the trade, making sure that the crafts and lore of the Bay's harvesters are preserved.

In Deadrise and Cross-planked, author Larry S. Chowning takes readers on a journey into the history of wooden deadrise boat building, highlighting its role in Chesapeake Bay culture, and providing deeper insight into the builders who created these works of nautical ingenuity. More than 150 photographs complement this insider's view of the traditional watermen's lifestyle and offer a glimpse of the history that spans the thousands of nautical miles of the Chesapeake Bay. Written by one of the most notable bay historians, Deadrise and Cross-planked is a must-have for all maritime and Chesapeake Bay enthusiasts.

Meet workboat builders and the versatile boats' owners, captains, and families who bought and sold goods and played aboard them. Illustrations are contributions of many who were directly connected to these distinctive boats.