The Union Navy played a vital role in winning the Civil War by blockading Confederate ports; cooperating with the Union Army in amphibious assaults; and operating on the Mississippi River and its tributaries. To wage this multifaceted war; Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles divided the Union Navy into six squadrons. The book examines who Welles assigned to squadron command and why he appointed these officers. Taaffe argues that President Abraham Lincoln gave Welles considerable latitude in picking squadron commanders. Lincoln not only trusted Welles’s judgment; but he also understood that the Navy was not as important to the Union war effort militarily and politically as the Army; so there was less of a need for him to oversee closely its operations. Welles used this authority to make appointments to squadron command based on several criteria. Welles factored into his mental calculations seniority; availability; and political connections; but he was most interested in an officer’s record; character; and abilities. Although some of Welles’s earliest selections left something to be desired; his insight improved markedly as the war continued and he gained a greater understanding of the Navy and its officer corps. Indeed; by the end of the conflict; Welles had become quite ruthless in his search for effective squadron commanders capable of filling the Navy’s increasingly difficult missions. In doing so; he contributed greatly to Union victory in the Civil War. The book covers some of the Civil War’s most important campaigns and battles; such as the Union assaults on New Orleans; Charleston; Mobile Bay; and Fort Fisher; and the fighting on the Mississippi River.
#602182 in Books Naval Institute Press 2004-08-21Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.75 x .50 x 6.00l; .75 #File Name: 1591141303246 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A Different Submarine BookBy Phil SeifertA good read about a boat with great skippers and a great track record that had the misfortune of accidentally sinking a US ship. The author was a crew member on some; but not all of her patrols; unfortunately; he was not on board during the early patrols when the majority of ships sunk was done. He does relay information from other crew members; but not as good as first hand experience on board during these patrols. He was on board; however; during the unfortunate patrol in question and does an excellent job outlining and describing all of the quirks that went wrong that accumulated in the tragedy of the sinking. Fortunately; the loss of life was not severe; a good accounting of what can and does happen in warfare that leads to friendly fire. The court of inquiry and findings are also well documented.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A good readBy ScubabanditAn interesting story and a good account of life on a WW 2 boat. It offers a very factual account of a tragic friendly fire incident. No accusations. No blaming of others. No complaining about the conclusions of the Board of Inquiry. Just honest compassion for their fellow sailors.10 of 10 people found the following review helpful. Appeals to the inner pirateBy Toe TagThis is an interesting book for one reason in particular. It is the only first person account of submarine warfare I know that was written by an enlisted sailor in the navy. It's well written a good story and shouldn't take long to finish.This book centers more on the personal triumphs of the people on board the submarine and less on the strategy of submarines in the war. All in all; a great account of their war patrols.As a radio nut I think it's particularly interesting that the author was a radio man in the service. I can't think of a book written by anyone in the service who played a role in radio service. As a result of mission he was in a key position to observe everything that was going with the ship and its place in history.If you liked this book you might like to find War in the Boats; Wahoo; Clear the Bridge; and Silent Running by Calvert.
