James Sprunt served on a blockade runner during the Civil War, and later became one of the wealthiest residents of Wilmington, N.C. Noted for his philanthropy, Sprunt loved the Cape Fear region of the Tar Heel State with a fervor that shone through in everything he did. Sprunt was also a much respected historian of the Cape Fear region, and his Chronicles of The Cape Fear River: 1660-1916 is widely recognized as the bible for those interested in the history of southeastern North Carolina. From the native Indians and first white settlers to the American Revolution, Civil War, Reconstruction and the beginning of a new century, Sprunt has written the definitive history of the region. It is undoubtedly the cornerstone of any bookshelf devoted to the Cape Fear.-Print ed.