Naval Strategies of the Civil War: Confederate Innovations and Federal Opportunism (Paperback)

by Jay W. Simson (Author) "AT ITS MOST BASIC element, the story of the Confederate and Union naval strategies in the Civil War is the story of the struggle between..." (more)
Key Phrases: coastal defense strategy, stationary torpedoes, provisional navy, New Orleans, North Carolina, Mobile Bay (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
One of the most overlooked aspects of the American Civil War is the naval strategy played out by the U.S. Navy and the fledgling Confederate Navy, which may make this the first book to compare and contrast the strategic concepts of the Southern Secretary of the Navy Stephen R. Mallory against his Northern counterpart, Gideon Welles. Both men had to accomplish much and were given great latitude in achieving their goals. Mallory's vision of seapower emphasised technological innovation and individual competence as he sought to match quality against the Union Navy's numerical superiority. Welles had to deal with more bureaucratic structure and to some degree a national strategy dictated by the White House. The naval blockade of the South was one of his first tasks - for which he had but few ships available - and although he followed the national strategy, he did not limit himself to it when opportunities arose. Mallory's dedication to ironclads is well known, but he also defined the roles of commerce raiders, submarines, and naval mines. Welles's contributions to the Union effort were rooted in his organisational skills and his willingness to cooperate with the other military departments of his government. This led to successes through combined army and naval units in several campaigns on and around the Mississippi River. Naval Strategies of the Civil War then is the story of the very different approaches cach man took in defining and executing the naval struggles of the conflict. Until now, it has been mostly an untold story lost in the general histories of the war. In the end, the author concludes that success favoured flexible organisation rather than desperate, albeit creative, measures.

Product Details

• Paperback: 242 pages
• Publisher: Cumberland House Publishing (July 17, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581821956
• ISBN-13: 978-1581821956
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #279,233 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A much appreciated contribution to Civil War studies, December 13, 2001

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Journalist and Civil War expert Jay Simson's Naval Strategies Of The Civil War: Confederate Innovations And Federal Opportunism is the first book to compare and contrast the strategies of the Southern Secretary of the Navy, Stephen R. Mallory, against his rival in the North, Gideon Welles. Mallory had to use technological innovation and the skill of individuals to bolster the South's seapower against the Union Navy's superior numbers. Meanwhile, Welles had to adapt to the more bureaucratic dictates of the Union's White House. One of Welles' first tasks was the naval blockade of the South, but he did not limit himself to just that. Naval Strategies of the Civil War looks at the very different approaches of two men, with historical lessons about the art and the horror of war to be derived from close study. Naval Strategies Of The Civil War is a much appreciated contribution to Civil War studies and very highly recommended for both Civil War and American naval history buffs.

5.0 out of 5 stars The Book for Naval Strategy, March 31, 2009

By	Alexandre Dumas, III "xanman50" (MD, USA) - See all my reviews

This book, which is not a definitive history of either the Union or Confederate navies but goes into detail with the personalities and the overall strategies of leaders of each navy and how each strategy was implemented, using both successes and failures of each strategy. The subject matter paints an overall portrayal of how life in the south and the north was affected by both the victories and defeats of both sides.