The Rest I Will Kill: William Tillman and the Unforgettable Story of How a Free Black Man Refused to Become a Slave

by Brian McGinty Narrated by Sean Crisden

Overview

On July 4, 1861, the schooner S.J. Waring set sail from New York on a routine voyage to South America. Seventeen days later, it limped back into New York's harbor with the ship's black cook and steward at the helm. While the story of that ill-fated voyage is one of the most harrowing tales of captivity and survival on the high seas, it has been tragically lost to history. Now reclaiming William Tillman as the American hero he deserves to be, historian Brian McGinty takes readers on a courageous journey that recounts how a free black man was able to recapture his commandeered ship from Confederate privateers, defy their efforts to make him a slave, and become an unlikely glimmer of hope for a disheartened Union army in the war-battered North. The Rest I Will Kill emerges as a thrilling yet historically significant work about race, patriotism, and personal heroism during the Civil War.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

06/06/2016
Attorney McGinty (Lincoln’s Greatest Case) unsuccessfully attempts to add heft and tension to a little-known Civil War episode of courage on the high seas. He argues that William Tillman, a free black man from the slave state of Delaware, deserves to be remembered as one of the first heroes of the war. In 1861, Tillman had been working as a cook on the S.J. Waring, a merchant ship, for four years. This routine job turned dangerous at the outbreak of war because the Confederacy authorized privateers to seize whatever Union vessels they could. When they captured the Waring that summer, Tillman knew his freedom was forfeit. He would be sold along with the rest of the cargo once the confiscated ship reached the South. Rather than face one day as an enslaved person, Tillman killed three privateers and took back the Waring. These events are described in brisk order, as is the subsequent court case that dealt with the legalities of salvage. Though Tillman struck a decisive blow for individual liberty, McGinty’s claim that he’s a hero comes across as a stretch. Instead of a richly textured story about the importance of freedom, McGinty delivers a wispy sliver of legal history. Illus. (Aug.)

Minneapolis Star Tribune - Michael Kleber-Diggs

"Spectacular. . . . [A] carefully researched and expertly crafted book . . . . The Rest I Will Kill should enchant a wide audience: history buffs, Civil War enthusiasts, pirate junkies, readers who love action and adventure, and those interested in the seemingly unending quest for liberty. It’s difficult to imagine the person who can’t find something to admire in these pages"

Library Journal

★ 06/01/2016
McGinty (Lincoln's Greatest Case) shares a little-known story from the Civil War. William Tillman (b. 1826), a free African American, worked as a cook and steward on the schooner S.J. Waring. In July 1861, the ship was captured by Confederate privateers who planned to reap financial rewards from the cargo—and also from selling Tillman as a slave when they returned to the South. Tillman refused to accept this fate. With courage and tenacity, he recaptured the ship and returned it to its home port in New York. The author recounts the story within the context of the Civil War, including its military battles, maritime laws, and slavery, the very reason for the conflict. Vivid writing creates an exciting read, and McGinty's use of primary sources such as newspapers and government documents is exceptional. There is scant information as to Tillman's life after he received a financial award for recapturing the ship. Nonetheless, McGinty dubs Tillman a hero and a patriot, one of the first during the Civil War. VERDICT An important contribution to the shelf of Civil War histories, this story will transfix readers. [See Prepub Alert, 2/29/16.]—Patricia Ann Owens, formerly with Illinois Eastern Community Colls., Mt. Carmel

Kirkus Reviews

2016-05-05
A Civil War tale starring a free black sailor. Attorney and historian McGinty (Lincoln's Greatest Case: The River, the Bridge, and the Making of America, 2015, etc.) has uncovered another compelling, little-known gem of American history, though it's not as bloodthirsty as the title would suggest. William Tillman, an illiterate, 27-year-old, free black man from Rhode Island, worked as a ship's cook and steward. On July 4, 1861, Tillman and a small crew left New York Harbor on the S.J. Waring, a schooner bound for Uruguay. The Civil War had just broken out, and Abraham Lincoln ordered a blockade of the Southern coast. Less than a week into the voyage, they were stopped and boarded by the crew of the Jefferson Davis, a Confederate privateer. They claimed the ship, cargo, and crew as Yankee prizes of war. Tillman would fetch a substantial amount of money when sold into slavery in Charleston. The crew kept him and two others onboard to help sail the Waring. At night, when most were sleeping, Tillman used a hatchet he kept hidden to kill the Confederate captain and two others. The rest were put in irons. As Tillman later told an official inquiry, "I will get all I can back alive, and the rest I will kill." They now began the dangerous journey home. Captain-less, Tillman's experience and knowledge helped them navigate coastal waters and elude other privateers. After five harrowing days at sea, they sailed into New York Harbor, 17 days after they had left. Tillman, writes the author, received a "hero's welcome." His story was covered by Northern and Southern publications, and after the inquiry, he was awarded salvage money. Tillman then "slipped out of the public eye and was soon forgotten." McGinty impressively recounts this extraordinary story of a remarkable man, the "first real hero of the conflict." Race, patriotism, and personal heroism come together in this eye-opening early episode in Civil War history.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170157204
Publisher:	HighBridge Company
Publication date:	08/16/2016
Edition description:	Unabridged

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