Review by Choice Review
Pulitzer Prize winner McPherson (emer., Princeton Univ.) offers a general review of the nautical war on ocean and stream. Earlier students and others seeking details of the naval or riverine operations of the Civil War were forced to rely on old standbys published at the end of the 19th century--some memoirs, several rather popular chronicles--and the Navy Official Records (ORN). Now, within a span of six years, three excellent histories have appeared, all demonstrating the impact of the sea services on the war. The first was Spencer C. Tucker's Blue and Gray Navies: The Civil War Afloat (2006), the second Craig Symonds' The Civil War at Sea (CH, Jan'10, 47-2785). The third is the present title. While attempting to remedy a perceived lack of attention by writers on the topic, none of the three offers new information or startling interpretation, though McPherson seems to pay slightly closer attention to the Mississippi River campaigns than do the others. These three works are well written and footnoted, and have bibliographies and photos, thus complementing one another so as to be equally recommended for undergraduates, Civil War buffs, and anyone seeking introductions. Summing Up: Recommended. General/public/undergraduate collections. M. J. Smith Jr. Tusculum College
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Booklist Review
The author of Battle Cry of Freedom (1988), a superlative single-volume account of the Civil War, argues here that the naval war had more importance in the Union victory than tends to be acknowledged by historians. Certainly by 1865, the North's maritime blockade was effective, but that achievement entailed years of operations to defeat the South's navy, which developed into a redoubtable organization, considering its meager resources. Attributing its successes in part to its secretary, Stephen Mallory, McPherson recounts his administration along with that of Gideon Welles, Lincoln's navy secretary. Both identified the importance of ironclads, which factored into many of the battles McPherson narrates, most famously the draw between the Monitor and the Merrimac in 1862. And each secretary had to find intrepid commanders, whose names (e.g., Raphael Semmes, David Farragut), though now known from Civil War annals, initially meant nothing. With martial verve, McPherson's prose dramatizes their battles and places those within strategic contexts, such as the U.S. Navy's campaigns to control the Mississippi River. As always, McPherson's latest is a sound collection-development investment.--Taylor, Gilbert Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
McPherson, professor emeritus of Princeton and dean of Civil War historians, enhances our knowledge with this history of the conflict's naval aspects. As definitive as it is economical, the work establishes beyond question the decisive contributions of maritime power to Union victory. The Confederate Navy, though materially outnumbered tenfold, was technologically advanced in such fields as mines and ironclads. Its commerce raiders devastated Union merchant shipping. Nevertheless, on the sea, along the coasts, and on the inland river systems, the North's warships and landing parties independently achieved politically and strategically important victories: Port Royal, S.C., and Fort Henry, Tenn., Memphis and New Orleans. The fleet synergized with the army in combined operations from North Carolina to the Mississippi River and Texas. The Union Navy established and sustained a blockade without which "the Confederacy might well have prevailed," These achievements were above all a product of pragmatism. From Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles, through admirals like David Farragut and D.D. Porter, to the seamen and rivermen who joined for the duration, the Union Navy designed ships and developed doctrines to fit circumstances. Not everything worked. But as McPherson indisputably shows, the Civil War's outcome was in good part shaped by Northern naval power A Main Selection of the History Book Club and a selection of the Military Book Club, BOMC, and BOMC2 online, (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
Beyond the history surrounding the Monitor and the Merrimack, most people other than historians and history buffs are clueless as to the importance and impact of the naval war between the Federal and Confederate navies during the American Civil War. McPherson has written a popular history that is both approachable and fairly thorough. Joe Barrett, who is well known to audio aficionados, gives yet another laudable reading. His voice is steady, clear, and consistent, and his deep, resonant baritone does well in reading quotes-usually affecting a credible accent. His narration is appropriately expressive throughout. -VERDICT Military and public libraries may wish to consider. ["McPherson's well-researched book is too dense and detailed for general readers...[but as an] important addition to scholarship on the naval aspects of the Civil War is recommended for academic audiences," read the review of the Univ. of North Carolina hc, LJ 9/1/12.-Ed.]-Michael T. Fein, Central Virginia Community Coll., Lynchburg (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Pulitzer and Lincoln Prize winner McPherson (Abraham Lincoln, 2009, etc.) displays his massive knowledge of the Civil War, this time specifically concerning the naval battles. The Union Navy far outnumbered the Confederate, but it was still much too small to effectively blockade the coastline from Chesapeake Bay to Texas. In addition, the forces were required to patrol in the rivers, which were so vital to transportation. Union Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles was lucky in that Congress quickly eliminated the requirement to promote according to seniority of service before older leaders did too much damage. Cooperation with the Army was another hurdle, as traditional rivalry between forces made teamwork difficult. Samuel Francis Du Pont managed to take Port Royal in South Carolina without help from the Army, and other actions at Hatteras Inlet, New Orleans and Memphis proved the Navy's value. Actions in North Carolina in 1862 and on the Southern coast, especially Mobile Bay, were examples of the most successful combined operations. David Farragut's success in taking New Orleans enabled his push up the Mississippi in order to connect with Andrew Foote's Western Flotilla. These two navies opened the Mississippi and aided Grant's attack on Vicksburg. The use of ironclads, timberclads and even tinclads proved to be of more use in defending the Union ships and ramming the Confederates. However, when they met up with each other, it was usually a draw. While the navies may not be on the top of the list for most Civil War enthusiasts, this is a solid contribution to Civil War scholarship.]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
