War on the Waters

Archival Summary & Scope

Often undervalued, the Union and Confederate navies were crucial to the Civil War's outcome. In *War on the Waters*, James M. McPherson delivers a gripping account of these naval campaigns and their leaders. McPherson details how the Union's initially porous blockade became increasingly effective, choking off vital Confederate trade. He also recounts the Confederate navy's daring innovations, from commerce raiders that devastated Union shipping to ironclads, naval mines, and the deployment of the world's first combat submarine. Ultimately, the Union navy achieved key strategic victories—both independently and as an essential partner to the army at sites like Vicksburg and Mobile Bay—decisively influencing the war's course.