Rankins, Walter (ed). The Queen of the West Runs The Blockade February 3,1863. [And] The Diary of a Union Soldier 1864-1865. Frankfort, KY.: Roberts Printing Co., 1952-1955. 11,34 pp., plates, illus. Two pamphlets bound together i period cloth with cover title: Gunboats in the Civil War. Signed by Walter Rankins and most likely his personal copies. The first item was printed in a limited edition of only forty copies. It prints a manuscript eye-witness account of the Queen of the West's daring run past the Vicksburg batteries on February 2,1863. The "Queen" rammed a Confederate steamer, was hit several times, and caught fire, but succeeded in making it past the batteries. She then made several successful raids on Confederate shipping and plantations until run aground in the Red River. Afterwards, the "Queen" became a Confederate ship, was used to capture the U.S.S. Gunboat Indianola, and was finally sunk by the U.S.S. gunboat Calhoun. The other work included in the offering was printed in a limited edition of only 100 copies. It prints an Augusta, Kentucky natives's manuscript diary kept while serving on board the U.S.S. NYMPH. This work contains information on the movements and happenings of the Federal fleets that was blockading the Mississippi, keeping supplies from reaching the Confederate Army from the West, and thus playing an important part in the closing conflicts of the War. Both of these works appear to be previously unrecorded as they are not cited in Broadfoots, Coleman, Nevins or other Bibliographies consulted.

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