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The Civil War at Sea
This work provides an assessment of the crucial roles played by the Union and Confederate navies in the Civil War.
From Craig Symonds, author of the 2009 Lincoln Prize award-winner Lincoln and His Admirals , comes a fascinating look at the era when American naval power came of age. Thoroughly researched and excitingly written, it brings to light a wealth of new information on a pivotal aspect of the Civil War.
The Civil War at Sea covers navies on both sides of the conflict, examining key issues such as the impact of emergent technologies, the effectiveness of the Union's ambitious strategy of blockading, the odyssey of Confederate commerce raiders, the role of naval forces on the western rivers, and the difficulty of conducting combined sea and ground operations against the major Southern port cities. For Civil War buffs, fans of military and technological history, and other interested readers, it is insightful, essential reading.
From Craig Symonds, author of the 2009 Lincoln Prize award-winner Lincoln and His Admirals , comes a fascinating look at the era when American naval power came of age. Thoroughly researched and excitingly written, it brings to light a wealth of new information on a pivotal aspect of the Civil War.
The Civil War at Sea covers navies on both sides of the conflict, examining key issues such as the impact of emergent technologies, the effectiveness of the Union's ambitious strategy of blockading, the odyssey of Confederate commerce raiders, the role of naval forces on the western rivers, and the difficulty of conducting combined sea and ground operations against the major Southern port cities. For Civil War buffs, fans of military and technological history, and other interested readers, it is insightful, essential reading.
212 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
11 people are currently reading
207 people want to read
About the author
Craig L. Symonds
45 books241 followersCraig Lee Symonds is a retired professor and former chairman of the history department at the United States Naval Academy. He earned both his MA (1969) and Ph.D. (1976) from the University of Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 23, 2013
While this is fairly short, about 200 pgs, this is a good overview of the American Civil War at sea. Dr. Symonds has organized this book by topic/theater rather than chronologically, and I think it works.
The first chapter traces the technological advances in shipbuilding and armament in the 1850s and how they affected both the Confederate and Union Navies. He looks at the lack of heavy industry affected how the Confederate Navy was organized and the strategy it took. This chapter ends with the battle between the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia (to use the CSA name for the Merrimack)
He then looks at the blockade of the confederate ports and the problems the Union had in enforcing the blockade. In addition Dr. Symonds looks at the statistics of the blockade runners and the blockade itself to determine if the blockade was successful. He also looks finances and organization of the blockade runners –a successful run could bring up to 700% profit for the owners of the ships. However since they were all private ventures, needed supplies were not brought in, mainly luxury goods.
The next chapter looks at the commerce raiders and their effect on Union shipping and the Union response. Sec Welles chose not to institute a convoy system, but did send out ships to try and run them down. This culminated with the battle between the USS Kearsarge and the CSS Alabama off of Cherbourg in 1864.
He then goes no to cover the River War in the West and the problems between the Army and Navy about who was going to pay for and man the gun boats.
The blockade of Charleston had its own chapter. This operation was a prestige issue for the Union forces and many attempts were made to capture the city, but they were not successful until the very end of the war.
The final chapter covers the capture of Mobile Bay, Wilmington and the voyage of the commerce raider CSS Shenandoah, which didn’t end until November 1965.
I think this is a good companion book to James McPherson’s book War on the Waters.
The first chapter traces the technological advances in shipbuilding and armament in the 1850s and how they affected both the Confederate and Union Navies. He looks at the lack of heavy industry affected how the Confederate Navy was organized and the strategy it took. This chapter ends with the battle between the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia (to use the CSA name for the Merrimack)
He then looks at the blockade of the confederate ports and the problems the Union had in enforcing the blockade. In addition Dr. Symonds looks at the statistics of the blockade runners and the blockade itself to determine if the blockade was successful. He also looks finances and organization of the blockade runners –a successful run could bring up to 700% profit for the owners of the ships. However since they were all private ventures, needed supplies were not brought in, mainly luxury goods.
The next chapter looks at the commerce raiders and their effect on Union shipping and the Union response. Sec Welles chose not to institute a convoy system, but did send out ships to try and run them down. This culminated with the battle between the USS Kearsarge and the CSS Alabama off of Cherbourg in 1864.
He then goes no to cover the River War in the West and the problems between the Army and Navy about who was going to pay for and man the gun boats.
The blockade of Charleston had its own chapter. This operation was a prestige issue for the Union forces and many attempts were made to capture the city, but they were not successful until the very end of the war.
The final chapter covers the capture of Mobile Bay, Wilmington and the voyage of the commerce raider CSS Shenandoah, which didn’t end until November 1965.
I think this is a good companion book to James McPherson’s book War on the Waters.
December 7, 2017
In this concise volume Symonds explores the role of the Union and Confederate navies. Contrary to what the title suggests, Symonds feels the need to explore the naval action on the rivers. Symonds also devotes a good deal of coverage to questions of strategy, especially the Union blockade, which Symonds, like many recent historians, argues was effective.
The book’s organization is topical rather than chronological, but Symonds’ narrative flows smoothly from such topics as technology, commerce, the river war, the Union blockade, Confederate privateers, and the careers of various naval officers. The book reads basically like a collection of stand-alone essays.
Well-written, if dense and dry in a few places.
The book’s organization is topical rather than chronological, but Symonds’ narrative flows smoothly from such topics as technology, commerce, the river war, the Union blockade, Confederate privateers, and the careers of various naval officers. The book reads basically like a collection of stand-alone essays.
Well-written, if dense and dry in a few places.
June 5, 2020
A short yet engaging overview of naval operations during the American Civil War. The author’s writing style and use of interesting illustrations and stories capture the reader’s attention.
November 10, 2023
If there is any writer that can make naval history amusing, it’s Symonds. My 3 stars is mostly because this was an assigned reading that I didn’t particularly have interest in, but the book was well done and had some encouragingly funny moments through Symonds’ turn of phrase.
August 25, 2013
An informative book chock-a-block full of interesting facts about this transitional time of naval warfare. For instance, with the advent of screw propellers and more accurate guns ships went from fighting at half a cable apart to 2,000 feet.
June 29, 2020
This is a short (248 pp) book on, as the title says, the Civil War at Sea as played by both North and South. Most of the works was done by the Union as it had much the larger and better navy. The book’s chapters cover the nature of the navies themselves, blockade and blockade-runners, commerce raiders, the naval war on the Mississippi, the siege of Charleston (Beauregard’s finest assignment), and the final moments. The technology of the “modern” ships described in the first chapter may make one furrow his brows, but the rest of the story reads simply. The reader will gain a fine idea of why the Union won and what went right for it, without neglecting such Southern achievements as the commerce raiders, C.S.S. Virginia, defense of Charleston, and ship acquisition. On the Union side, credit the splendid cooperation (early “joint operations”) between Grant and Foote/Porter, the size and variation of its navy, the success of the blockade (as much as what it caused the South not to do as in what itself did), and Admiral Farragut’s deeds. In short, here’s all one needs to know.
September 2, 2021
While comparatively short it is a good history of the Civil War at sea. Organized topically rather than chronologically it gives the reader a general overview of the important aspects of the naval part of the Civil War. Lastly, while easy to read, and enjoyable, it sufficed well enough to be used as an assigned reading for a 4000-level maritime history class that I taught.
September 27, 2020
Excellent and well written non linear analysis of the significant battles for the US Navy during the Civil War.
November 18, 2020
Good but several times it lost me, or perhaps I, it. This was my own doing because of particular distractants in my life at the time.
January 13, 2013
The Civil War at Sea is made of 5 sections (6, really): the naval technology revolution, the Union blockade of Confederate ports, privateering sponsored by the Confederacy, the River War, the Siege of Charleston, and a section on the end of the war covering siege of Mobile, the siege of Wilmington, and the Confederate privateer Shenandoah. It’s an academic historiography, lack of a hyphenated title notwithstanding.
“The Civil War marked the culmination of an era of technological innovation that had a dramatic impact on the way Americans lived their lives, and eventually how they fought their wars.” It also marked a sea change in warfare. “[T]he Civil War took place precisely at the time when steam-powered ships armed with heavy rifled guns had shifted the historical balance of power between ships and forts.” After the Civil War, global power would be determined by naval power for the next hundred years.
Symonds adopts a simple metric for judging the success of the Union blockade of the Confederate ports. Blockade running notwithstanding, the loss of Southern cotton exports surpassed the entire cost of the Union navy, so the blockade was successful.
On the other hand, Confederate privateering was very successful. It drove insurances rates up from 1.5% to 6%. Just eight Confederate privateers captured and destroyed almost 300 merchant ships valued at over $25 million.
The title notwithstanding, much of the “Civil War at sea” was fought on inland rivers. Inland rivers were initially the responsibility of the army, a point of contention and confusion. But the Union had the same industrial advantages over the South by river as it did by sea, and eventually the Union was able to use the inland rivers to cut the Confederacy in half.
Symonds chooses to highlight the siege of Charleston for good reason. It was a symbol of Southern rebellion. It was the second most active blockade-running port. At 3 years, the siege was the longest American military history. Most interestingly, it featured the first, feeble attempts at submarine warfare.
The final section on the end game covers two more sieges, of mobile and of Wilmington, and the Confederate privateer Shenandoah, which cruised 58,000 miles and captured 38 prizes, much of it after the Civil War had officially ended.
The Civil War was the nation’s first modern war: first to employ railroad, telegraph, and rifled musket; first to feature massed artillery barrages and trench warfare; first where strength of national economy was as important as the national will because the materials of war were mass produced in factories. I do think Symonds overstates the newfound importance of the national economy—it has always been difficult to wage war if you couldn’t pay for it. Industrial capacity is another story.
Disclosure: I received an e-copy of The Civil War at Sea through NetGalley.
“The Civil War marked the culmination of an era of technological innovation that had a dramatic impact on the way Americans lived their lives, and eventually how they fought their wars.” It also marked a sea change in warfare. “[T]he Civil War took place precisely at the time when steam-powered ships armed with heavy rifled guns had shifted the historical balance of power between ships and forts.” After the Civil War, global power would be determined by naval power for the next hundred years.
Symonds adopts a simple metric for judging the success of the Union blockade of the Confederate ports. Blockade running notwithstanding, the loss of Southern cotton exports surpassed the entire cost of the Union navy, so the blockade was successful.
On the other hand, Confederate privateering was very successful. It drove insurances rates up from 1.5% to 6%. Just eight Confederate privateers captured and destroyed almost 300 merchant ships valued at over $25 million.
The title notwithstanding, much of the “Civil War at sea” was fought on inland rivers. Inland rivers were initially the responsibility of the army, a point of contention and confusion. But the Union had the same industrial advantages over the South by river as it did by sea, and eventually the Union was able to use the inland rivers to cut the Confederacy in half.
Symonds chooses to highlight the siege of Charleston for good reason. It was a symbol of Southern rebellion. It was the second most active blockade-running port. At 3 years, the siege was the longest American military history. Most interestingly, it featured the first, feeble attempts at submarine warfare.
The final section on the end game covers two more sieges, of mobile and of Wilmington, and the Confederate privateer Shenandoah, which cruised 58,000 miles and captured 38 prizes, much of it after the Civil War had officially ended.
The Civil War was the nation’s first modern war: first to employ railroad, telegraph, and rifled musket; first to feature massed artillery barrages and trench warfare; first where strength of national economy was as important as the national will because the materials of war were mass produced in factories. I do think Symonds overstates the newfound importance of the national economy—it has always been difficult to wage war if you couldn’t pay for it. Industrial capacity is another story.
Disclosure: I received an e-copy of The Civil War at Sea through NetGalley.
July 14, 2014
An excellent overview of the impact of the Federal blockade on Southern ports and its impact on the war. It emphasizes how profitable it was for blockade runners: the average ship would be captured after four trips, but still have handsomely paid back its investment to the owners. Symonds gets exasperated with those who argue that the blockade wasn't successful because it imported enough guns and gunpowder to keep its army equipped. He argues that shortages everywhere were a result, not the least of it in armor plate and engines needed to build ships to defend its harbors.
Noting that statistics indicate that blockade runners made it through Union warships 77 percent of the time, he notes that 73 percent of the steam-powered ships were destroyed or captured. Of equal import, coastal trade shut down completely -- a phenomenon that the United States would repeat against Japan in World War II. Writes Symonds, "In other words, both the following statements are true: three quarters of all attempt to run the blockade were successful, and three quarters of all ships that tried were destroyed or captured."
Maps in the book are good, though sometimes type is small and hard to read. With the dramatic change in naval armament that Symonds describes at the outset, a few more drawings or photos of Dahlgren, Parrott and other guns would have been helpful.
Noting that statistics indicate that blockade runners made it through Union warships 77 percent of the time, he notes that 73 percent of the steam-powered ships were destroyed or captured. Of equal import, coastal trade shut down completely -- a phenomenon that the United States would repeat against Japan in World War II. Writes Symonds, "In other words, both the following statements are true: three quarters of all attempt to run the blockade were successful, and three quarters of all ships that tried were destroyed or captured."
Maps in the book are good, though sometimes type is small and hard to read. With the dramatic change in naval armament that Symonds describes at the outset, a few more drawings or photos of Dahlgren, Parrott and other guns would have been helpful.
October 10, 2012
A readable and cohesive account of the Civil War's nautical theaters---exciting at times and acerbic (sort of horribly, considering the inevitably elevated body counts) in the many passages chronicling the stubborn, self serving, enduring rivalry between the Union army and navy. I would have liked more detail about the designs of the ships and weapons, as well as more and better quality illustrations (I did read this in an ARC, though) but the author's descriptions of battles and strategic maneuvers never get bogged down in inconsequentials, and from my nonexpert's point of view, his scholarship seems impeccable. Good stuff!
February 17, 2021
When you think of the American Civil War the image of pitched battles between men in blue and gray uniforms comes to mind. But there is a whole side of the conflict beyond land battles, the war on the sea. This book covers everything from river operations in the Western Theater to the seizure of Southern ports to Confederate commerce raiders. This book is an excellent resource for an overview of the Civil War on the water but does not cover in exacting detail the operations undertaken by the Union. If you want to learn about specific ships or a specific battle then you would probably be better off tracking down a book on that topic.
April 7, 2013
I dragged this out because I enjoyed the book so much.
If you (like me) don't know from ordinance or ships, fret not. This is about stories. The author, an eminence grise of US Naval Academy, gets the hardware out of the way early and tells really compelling stories of right around here.
Read this book. Highly recommended.
If you (like me) don't know from ordinance or ships, fret not. This is about stories. The author, an eminence grise of US Naval Academy, gets the hardware out of the way early and tells really compelling stories of right around here.
Read this book. Highly recommended.
September 10, 2013
Good general history of the Civil War at sea. Gives the reader a general overview of the important aspects of the naval part of the Civil War. Easy to read, and enjoyable.
January 10, 2014
A good primer for the Civil War at sea. Covers everything from naval comats to iron clads to blockade running and merchant raiders.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews