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Dwight Sturtevant Hughes
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The Civil War on the Water: Favorite Stories and Fresh Perspectives from the Historians at Emerging Civil War (Emerging Civil War Series) Kindle Edition

by Dwight Sturtevant Hughes (Editor), Chris Mackowski (Editor) Format: Kindle Edition
4.8 out of 5 stars 9 ratings
The Civil War was primarily a land conflict, but it was not only that. “Nor must Uncle Sam’s web-feet be forgotten,” wrote Abraham Lincoln. “At all the watery margins they have been present. Not only on the deep sea, the broad bay, and the rapid river, but also up the narrow, muddy bayou, and wherever the ground was a little damp, they have been and made their tracks.” From the Arctic Circle to the Caribbean, swift Rebel raiders decimated Union commerce pursued by the U. S. Navy. Offshore, storm-tossed blockaders in hundreds of vessels patrolled from Hatteras to Galveston while occasionally lobbing a few shots at a speeding Rebel runner. Around the continental periphery, it was ships vs. powerful fortifications as titanic clashes erupted: Port Royal, New Orleans, Charleston, Mobile. Massive army-navy amphibious operations presaged twentieth-century conflicts: The Peninsula, North Carolina Sounds, Fort Fisher. In the heartland, the two services invented riverine warfare: Forts Henry and Donelson, Island No. 10, Memphis, Vicksburg. And through it all, emerging technology of the machine age played a critical role: iron armor, torpedoes, steam propulsion, heavy naval artillery. However, nothing in the history and traditions of the United States Navy had prepared it for civil war. The sea service would expand tenfold from a third-rate force to (temporarily) one of the most powerful and advanced navies. Meanwhile, former shipmates in the Confederacy struggled to construct a fleet from nothing, applying innovative technologies and underdog strategies to achieve more than anyone thought possible. Both sides faced unprecedented strategic, tactical, and technological challenges that made their navies indispensable—even as the navies themselves faced those same sorts of challenges. The Civil War on the Water: Favorite Stories and Fresh Perspectives from the Historians at Emerging Civil War compiles favorite navy tales and obscure narratives by distinguished public historians of the Emerging Civil War in celebration of the organization’s tenth anniversary. This eclectic collection presents new stories and familiar battles from a unique perspective—from the water—sea, surf, and stream.
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  1. Part of series
    Emerging Civil War
  2. Print length
    323 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Savas Beatie
  5. Publication date
    May 15, 2023
  6. File size
    12.1 MB
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Each of the more than 40 short papers . . . offers some valuable insights or interesting commentary on the war on the waters, the people, the ships, strategy, naval organization, or other matters related to the war on the waters. . . . An informative and often insightful read for anyone curious about the naval side of the war, The Civil War on the Water is also likely to be of value to the more serious student of the subject as well, throwing light on matters often overlooked."
The NYMAS Review

“ECW’s The Civil War on the Water contains a treasure trove of naval and maritime Civil War stories and heroes. From the famous to the obscure, these stories should fascinate those interested in the Civil War who have never turned their attention toward the sea, as well as those who are familiar with the importance of the war at sea. In particular, this book should interest and inspire those serving in our Navy today to learn more about their forebears and the important service they rendered in saving the Union so long ago.”
Mark T. Weber, former managing director, National Museum of the U.S. Navy and curator of the U.S. Navy Memorial

“The Civil War on the Water is another fine publication in the Emerging Civil War series and continues that series’ high standards of scholarship, interesting and varied topics, and readability. It is highly recommended to those with an especial interest in the Civil War afloat, as well as those who want some different reading about the Civil War.”
Civil War News

“On rare occasions the best meals are served up in bite-size portions and so it is with The Civil War on the Water. The forty-five pieces included in this book, running from three to rarely more than ten pages in length, are not sea stories nor are they an articulated naval history of the Civil War. Instead, they are essays focused on myriad events that occurred on the water during the American Republic’s hard-fought new birth of freedom. A host of familiar historians associated with this era—John Coski, Chris Kolakowski, John Quarstein to name a few—together with the book’s doughty editor, Dwight Hughes, are among the many authors who have contributed a broad range of scholarship to produce this satisfying volume. Dip into The Civil War on the Water and savor their creative skills one slice at a time.”
Stephen Chapin Kinnaman, naval historian and author of John Lenthall and Merrimack, the Biography of a Steam Frigate

“Tall tales of the Civil War at sea echo throughout The Civil War on the Water. Leadership lessons abound in this collection of essays documenting how the navies strived to defend or capture river ports and major harbors. Yet, the North’s industrial strength enabled the Union to employ revolutionary technology that would define naval warfare for the remainder of the 19th century. The use of steam power, screw propellers, shell guns, rifled ordnance, and submarines, and the return of the ram resulted in bloody and vicious battles determining America’s future. The Civil War on the Water encompasses heroes, naval battles, leadership lessons, and innovative designs, providing the reader with thrilling stories that shaped our nation’s future.”
John V. Quarstein, director emeritus, USS Monitor Center, The Mariners’ Museum & Park

“…a fun and thought-provoking read and is recommended for every Civil War naval historian’s bookshelf.”
Civil War Navy, The Magazine

“This eclectic collection of more than three dozen essays offers fresh accounts on unfamiliar topics as well as second looks at familiar battles, ships, leaders, and events. There is something here for everyone, neophyte and veteran reader alike.”
Civil War Book Review

About the Author

Dwight Hughes is a public historian, author, and speaker in Civil War naval history. Lt. Cmdr. Hughes graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1967 and served 20 years aboard warships, on navy staffs, and with river forces in Vietnam. He is the author of Unlike Anything That Ever Floated: The Monitor and Virginia and the Battle of Hampton Roads, March 8–9, 1862 (Savas Beatie, 2021) and a contributing author at the Emerging Civil War blog.

Chris Mackowski, Ph.D., is the editor-in-chief and cofounder of Emerging Civil War (www.emergingcivilwar.com). He is historian-in-residence at Stevenson Ridge, a historic property on the Spotsylvania battlefield (www.stevensonridge.com), and he has authored or edited more than two dozen books on the Civil War. Chris teaches writing at St. Bonaventure University’s Jandoli School of Communication.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C4WFX4YY
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Savas Beatie (May 15, 2023)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 15, 2023
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 12.1 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 323 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 out of 5 stars 9 ratings

About the author

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Dwight Sturtevant Hughes

Dwight Sturtevant Hughes

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Dwight Hughes is a public historian, author, and speaker in Civil War naval history. He graduated from the Naval Academy in 1967 and served twenty years as a U.S. Navy surface warfare officer on most of the world's oceans in ships ranging from destroyer to aircraft carrier and with river forces in Vietnam. He planned and conducted convoy exercises with over twenty ships of the Maritime Prepositioned Force at Diego Garcia, Indian Ocean. Hughes taught Naval ROTC at the University of Rochester where he earned an MA in Political Science and later completed an MS in Information Systems Management from USC. Following a second career as a senior software engineer, he was honored by having a ridge in Antarctica named for him in recognition of contributions to Antarctic databases and information services. In addition to his books, Hughes is a contributing author at the Emerging Civil War blog (https://emergingcivilwar.com/author/dwightshughes/). He has presented at numerous Civil War Roundtables, historical conferences, and other venues. (See his website: https://civilwarnavyhistory.com/)

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4.8 out of 5 stars
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Christopher J. Army
    5.0 out of 5 stars Damn the torpedo's pick this book up and read full speed ahead!!
    Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    The Civil War on the Water
    Favorite Stories and Fresh Perspectives from the Historians of Emerging Civil War edited by Dwight Sturtevant Hughes and Chris Mackowski.
    If you are looking to get a better understanding of the Civil War on the water, then this book is for you! Hughes & Mackowski have compiled a wealth of essays on the subject interesting to both the naval novice and expert alike and one they will enjoy.
    Self-indicating this collection is not “intended to serve as a complete narrative of events or a comprehensive overview” nevertheless, the editors have provided multiple articles to wet the appetite of the Civil War student looking to increase their knowledge of the Navy in the Civil War. The stories aren’t limited to the ocean, but include harbors, rivers and beaches.
    Maps by Edward Alexandar, as always, provide another level of detail important in understanding the strategies & tactics. Some nice photos enhance the subject matter as well.
    Any Civil War student lacking in some basic knowledge of the Civil War maritime topic would do well to pick up this volume! Another nice project in the Emerging Civil War series!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Scott Mingus
    5.0 out of 5 stars An interesting mix of stories!
    Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I enjoy reading anthologies and essays on subjects that interest me. I wargame Civil War riverine battles, so that has been a particular interest. In this new book, Hughes and his team have assembled a diverse collection of short accounts of riverine topics, as well as oceanic and coastal warfare, as well as the technology, men, ships, weapons, and politics that impact the war on the water. I was privileged to write one of the essays, one on Robert Smalls and the seizure of the Planter, but knew very little about the other topics before reading this book in Kindle format. Well done!
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  • C H Daniels
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book of essays from Emerging Civil War
    Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I really enjoyed this book of essays. It makes you stop and think about what sailors and seafaring folk went through, especially the essay on “There Are No Monuments At Sea.” Also, most people never stop to think about “theaters of war” at sea but they are there. I really enjoyed the essay by Meg Groeling on the Hunley and the DNA technology brought into use over the last 20 years on the remains found in it. As she said, “the monuments to the unknown are rather chilling” because they were known to someone once.
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Happy
    Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2024
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    Happy
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  • David Marshall
    5.0 out of 5 stars An Outstanding New Book That Readers Will Enjoy.
    Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2023
    Dwight Hughes and Chris Mackowski have edited an outstanding group of forty-five essays by eighteen writers, plus maps by outstanding cartographers Hal Jespersen and Edward Alexander, as well as numerous images, that have primarily been “published on blogs at the Emerging Civil War site, podcast transcripts; and transcripts of talks given at the ECW Symposium”. Additionally, as the primary editor asserted, readers will benefit from original material about “a good, comprehensive overview of naval operations spiced up with a lot of cool individual stories”. Hughes the author of Unlike Anything That Ever Floated: The Monitor and Virginia and the Battle of Hampton Roads, March 8–9, 1862, contributed by himself or partnered nineteen of the outstanding monographs. Chris Mackowski, Ph.D., is the editor-in-chief and a co-founder of the outstanding Emerging Civil War.

    Buffs, students, and scholars will gain a great deal from reading this new title published by Savas Beatie. Included are different types of writings that concentrate on war related stories that deal with the ocean, harbors, rivers, beaches, and the offshore Union blockade. This is not a comprehensive study but will provide an increase of information on a subject that many readers are not experts on. Many of the contributors are not only talented writers but public historians. However, the writing does not unswervingly deal with battles, or campaigns.

    Buying this interesting new Civil War related volume will allow interested parties to gain from the outstanding writing, as well as a clear understanding that will provide readers with an increased understanding of what happened during the great conflict that led to a Union victory. This collection is not “intended to serve as a complete narrative of events or a comprehensive overview” yet, the editors have provided several articles to excite Civil War students desiring to learn about the Navy in the Civil War.

    Reading this wonderful volume provided this reviewer with an opportunity to get excited from viewing the fabulous photographs of famed photographer, Chris Heisey, and reading the interesting stories from Dwight Hughes, Neil Chatelain, Brian Swartz, John Quarstein, and Scott Mingus. Fascinating were the examinations dealing with the strategic goals, successes, and failures of the Union blockade and Confederate ability to break throughs. For some readers, they will learn about new technologies such as torpedoes and submersibles. On a personal note, I learned about captains, who made a difference during the fighting. Finally, a shout out goes to the essay by Scott Mingus, who shared Robert Smalls and his seven mates who contributed to fight and end slavery.

    This book reviewer highly recommends this examination. Readers, buffs, and students will love this book.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Kazimierz Zygadlo
    5.0 out of 5 stars An interesting blend of stories covering the naval aspect of the American Civil War.
    Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2023
    I would consider myself a serious researcher of 19th century navies with special interest in the naval side of the American Civil War. I am always curious to read new publications concerning the topic, therefore, I had to check this book.
    It is a collection of 45 short essays covering various aspects of the American Civil War. These cover well-known subjects including battles of Hampton Roads, Memphis, short career of the CSS Arkansas and the loss of the USS Monitor, to name a few, but also quite a few obscure topics, like a miniature Monitor used during fundrising events. The story of the slaver Clotilda's final voyage seemed out of place as it predates the ACW, but it's a well-written piece that one can enjoy reading.
    Most illustrations would probably be familiar to those interested in the subject, but maps drawn by Edward Alexander are a true gem (especially the one of battle of Portland Harbor).
    I would definitely recommend this book to both serious students of the conflict and those who would just like to read something interesting.
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