This historical novel set during the American Civil War is written as a first person account of a British sailor who chose to join the crew of the Confederate States Navy's most notorious cruiser, and explains why he and his mates did so. The author spent years to research the topics of 1860's commerce raiding, neutrality law, international politics, mannerisms, jargon, and general nautical knowledge to make the reader feel immersed in this accurate depiction of a sailor's life aboard a Confederate States steamer.