Biography of Reigart B. Lowry who was a career naval officer who spent 40 years in the U.S. Navy. He played an active role in many of the major operations of the Navy from 1840 to 1880. He graduated from the first class at Annapolis, fought in the Mexican War, went to Japan with Commodore Perry, and was in a ship off of Fort Sumter when the first shots of the Civil War were fired. He played an active role in many of the important naval operations of the Civil War. After the Civil War, military operations lessened, government corruption increased, and politicians tried to gain more influence in the Navy. Reigart Lowry fought against these influences, and in his last year, he led the fight against a fellow naval officer who was trying to take advantage of this atmosphere.
This book is a story about the struggle of a man against political influence and corruption, and it is also a story about the man himself and about the Navy in which he served.
The book is about a struggle of sixteen senior Captains trying to prevent another Captain with less seniority from being promoted ahead of them. Politics and corruption had become common in government, but had been largely kept out of the Navy. The 16 Captains were fighting to keep that corruption out of the Navy.
The book is also a story of Reigart Bolivar Lowry who joined the Navy when he was 14 years old and served until his death. He served in many ways and was at the scene of most of the important events of the Navy over that 40 year period.
Since Reigart Lowry was present at most of the important events of the Navy, the book is also a history of the Navy from 1840 to 1880, including the Civil War right in middle of the period.