John Low came to America from England in 1856 at the suggestion of his uncle, Andrew Low, a prosperous Savannah- Liverpool businessman. Just as he established himself in nautical businesses in Savannah the Civil War broke out. Low was ordered to England to help in the undercover task of buying, building, and convoying warships to the South. William Stanley Hoole traces Low's adventures in the service of the Confederacy. Low aided in the acquisition and delivery of the ironclad "Fingal" and the "Florida." He served with Admiral Semmes aboard the famed raider "Alabama" and was involved in the capture, commissioning, voyage, and detention of the "Tuscaloosa." His final task was to deliver the "Ajax" in the last days of the war.