At the outbreak of the American Civil War Read resigned his commission with the United States Navy and accepted a position with the Confederate States Navy. Read was initially assigned to the at New Orleans, Louisiana as a midshipman and participated in the battle between batteries on Ship Island and the on July 9, 1861. On October 12, 1861, he participated in the attack on the Union blockading squadron at Head of the Passes on the Mississippi River. When the commander of the CSS McRae was wounded on April 24, 1862, Read took command of the ship. Read then served as executive officer of the during its actions against a blockading fleet of over 30 ships on the Mississippi River near Vicksburg, Mississippi on 13 July 1862. Read served as acting commander of the Arkansas during her final battle supporting the Confederate Army assaulting Baton Rouge, Louisiana on 6 August 1862. After the sinking of the Arkansas, Read travelled by foot to Port Hudson, Louisiana and assisted with the emplacement of shore guns there. Read was soon ordered to Mobile, Alabama and was assigned to the which set sail on 15 January 1863. He transferred to the, a captured prize of the Florida, and set out on his own. During this raiding mission, which lasted from 6 June 1863 to 27 June 1863, Read transferred his command to prize vessels twice more, once to the and finally to the. At the end of the raid, Lieutenant Read had captured or destroyed twenty-two United States vessels. He and his crew were captured off Portland, Maine on June 27, 1863, while attempting to take the. Read was held at Fort Warren, Massachusetts, until he was exchanged at Cox Wharf, Virginia, on October 18, 1864. After his release, Read participated in naval and land operations on the James River, he commanded the and two other torpedo boats at the Battle of Trent's Reach. In January 1865, he was assigned to the at Shreveport, Louisiana with the intention that she become a raider in the Pacific Ocean. Read did not reach the Webb until 22 April 1865. Read attempted to break out to the Gulf of Mexico but grounded in shallow waters near New Orleans on April 23, 1865. Read fired the ship to prevent its capture by Federal forces. Read surrendered to Federal naval authorities in New Orleans and was transported again to Fort Warren. He was released on July 24, 1865.
After the war
In 1867, Read was second officer aboard a ship involved in an effort to help Cuban rebels overthrow the Spanish government of the island. Read and others were arrested by the US government but were quickly released. He was later hired by Charles Flynt to train Peru in the use of torpedoes. Read was commissioned as an Commander in the Peruvian Navy and much like John Randolph Tucker, received disdain from within the Peruvian Navy due to their jealousy of a foreigner being hired in a position of command. Read earned his nickname "Savvy" or "Savez" due to his constant use of the term. Charles Read died at Meridian, Mississippi, where he is buried.
