A Short History of the Civil War at Sea: 5 (The American Crisis Series: Books on the Civil War Era)

The Civil War was the bloodiest conflict in our country's history and Americans still debate every dimension of it. Yet only a few have explored the naval side, where it can be argued that the war was won. Spencer Tucker's much-needed Short History broadens our view of the conflict by illustrating exactly how naval operations decided the outcome of the war. Tucker describes how technology revolutionized naval warfare; he explains how Union blockades prevented much-needed supplies from reaching the Confederacy, ultimately permitting the Union war of attrition to succeed; and he tells how Confederate commerce raiders, while very active, did not alter the balance of the conflict. Finally, he shows how naval as well as joint army-navy operations reduced important Confederate strongholds, further demoralizing the Southern war effort. -- Gene A. Smith, Texas Christian University As this succinct and thoughtful treatment shows, the US. Civil War at sea looks remarkably relevant today. Spencer Tucker demonstrates the strategic advantages conferred by control of the littoral regions, the leverage gained by well-conducted joint operations, and the problems and possibilities inherent in a revolution in naval technology. All in all, a fascinating tale ably told. -- Malcolm Muir, Jr., Austin Peay State University Professor Tucker has put together a thorough and dramatic account of the American Civil War at sea and on the rivers. This book is ideal for one wanting a short and concise view of the war at sea or it can be used in the classroom. Readers can go from river warfare to clashes of ironclads; from blockade runners to shipyards; from submarine and mine warfare to the ships, the guns, and the brave men behind them on both sides of that tragic war. -- Jack Greene, co-author of Ironclads at War and Naval War in the Mediterranean, 1940-1943

While fighting on land continues to hold center stage, recently much more attention has been focused on the Civil War at sea. And for good reason. Naval operations decided the outcome of the war as the North exploited its significant naval and maritime advantage to turn the war on land in its favor. In A Short History of the Civil War at Sea, Spencer C. Tucker, eminent naval and military historian and endowed chair at the Virginia Military Institute, provides a concise and lively overview of the "blue water" Civil War, or fighting on the seas and attacks directed from the sea. This volume covers the drama of significant naval battles, like the first clash of ironclads at Hampton Roads, the Union capture of New Orleans, fierce action in the Charleston Harbor, and the Battle of Mobile Bay. A Short History of the Civil War at Sea also discusses important themes, like the technological revolution in naval warfare; the impact of naval operations on U.S. and Confederate foreign relations; the Confederate use of torpedoes, submarines, and commerce raiders; and the Union's successful strategy of blockade. The struggle at sea might not have been as bloody as the fighting on land, but it was every bit as interesting and included a colorful cast of characters, like David G. Farragut, the North's highest ranking and most accomplished naval officer, and Confederate naval officer, commerce raider, and "Rebel Seadog" Raphael Semmes. And the advances of naval technology during the Civil War are fascinating-from the use of new Dahlgren guns to the design and redesign of the ironclads to the extensive use of mines and the development of submarines. Prof. Tucker covers it all in this new book, and his knowledge and skills as a storyteller shine. A Short History of the Civil War at Sea will entertain and inform students, scholars, and Civil War enthusiasts.