Back in January, I came across a book review in the Greenville (Tn) Sun about a new book by Myron J. "Jack" Smith "Tinclads in the Civil War-- Union Light-Draught Gunboat Operations on Western Waters, 1862-1865."
Smith is director of Tusculum College's Thomas J. Garland Library and quite a prolific author, having now written eighty books since 1972.
Slow and heavy ironclads proved ineffective at patrolling the narrow and shallow rivers in western theater of operations. It was found that steamboats fitted with thin armor filled the need. They could easily operate in shallow water and the Confederates launched many operations against them resulting in many ship-to-shore fights.
Though they were often attacked from the banks, they provided convoy protection for merchant ships, enforced revenue measures, towed vessels, delivered dispatches and provided other vital fleet services.
This is actually the third book in a series.
The first was "Le Roy Fitch: The Civil War Career of a Union River Boat Commander" from 2007.
The second was "The Timberclads in the Civil War: The Lexington, Conestoga and Tyler in Western Waters" in 2008.
The Old Brown Water Navy. --Old B-Runner
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