The Civil War at Sea

Lincoln Prize-winner Symonds (Lincoln and His Admirals) examines naval strategies and tactics as illustrated by the Civil War, rather than presenting a history of the naval war itself. He tells three basic stories. The first details how technology changed the way navies fought in the Civil War. The most important technological developments included rifled guns and explosive shells, protective iron plating, and advances in steam propulsion with screw propellers. Second, Symonds analyzes Union blockading efforts and Confederate responses as well as Confederate commerce raiding and Union responses, devoting special attention to the effectiveness of overall strategy. The third story, over the last three chapters, is about combined actions and cooperation with ground forces, with accounts of action around Charleston, Mobile, and Wilmington.