From the April 18th Springfield (Mo.) News Leader "Civil War not confined to land" by Cliff Sain. Part of the News in Education series.
The Civil War is best-known for its land battles. As a matter of fact, most people know little if anything about the sea aspect other than perhaps the blockade or the Monitor versus the Merrimack.
But, there was quite a bit of history at sea.
The Naval portion of the war started a week after Fort Sumter was fired upon, when, on April 19, 1861, President Lincoln declared a blockade of the entire Confederacy, even though his Navy was in no way up to the task. To blockade 3,500 miles of coastline, the US had just 90, mostly outdated ships. Most of those were overseas or awaiting repairs. Actually, there were just three ships able to take up positions off Southern ports.
The Confederacy relied on blockade-runners to bring in much needed supplies. It's Navy started from absolutely nothing with few shipbuilding facilities. However, it did have the services of an innovative and tireless Secretary of the Navy, Stephen Mallory.
IRONCLADS
One of Mallory's innovations was the use of ironclads to break the blockade. Knowing that the South could not keep up with the North in warships, Mallory ordered one of the newest Naval technologies, the ironclad ship, to be used. The South had recovered the burned hulk of one of the North's most powerful warships, the USS Merrimack, when they captured Gosport Naval Yard in Virginia.
The Confederacy quickly set about rebuilding the ship as the CSS Virginia.
More to Come. --Old B-Runner
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