Naval Contributions To The American Civil War

There is no argument that the naval contributions to the American Civil War are largely ignored in Civil War history books. James M. McPherson’s War on the Waters: the Union and Confederate navies gives us a view of both the Union and Confederate Navies and explains both their organizations and the government involvement into the departments. McPherson makes a point that the Union Navy deserves more credit for Northern victory than it initially received. McPherson mentions both Grant and Lincolns praise on the Union navy and their contribution to significant victories. McPhersons also touches on the CSA technological naval advances such as the torpedoes (naval mines), and a submarine that sank a Union warship. McPherson makes a point that although the Union navy consisted of only 5% of military personnel that the “navy’s contribution to the Northern victory was much greater than 5 percent’ (pg. 8) Many of the naval operations were carried out against shore fortifications and were instrumental in the success at both Hatteras Inlet and Port Royal Bay. They also forced the surrender of New Orleans city and port all without help from the army ground troops. McPherson also mentions the Union Navy’s massive blockade that weakened the south enough to turn the war.
McPherson supplies information on how the Navy maintained an active (if only gradually effective) blockade, and either contributed to or was the sole participant in the capture of …show more content…
His Conclusion and attitudes on certain individuals can also be debated between historians. The main shortcoming of the book is its length at only 227 pages it leaves little room for more than a broad history of both Navies.

Mcpherson, James M. War on the Waters: the Union and Confederate navies, 1861-1865. Chapel Hill: Univ Of North Carolina Pr, 2015. Accessed May 27,