The role of the U.S. Navy in the Civil War is of utmost importance. The US Navy’s basic strategy of blockade, supplemented by encirclement and occupation of the southern Confederate ports, as well as river wars in the west, is a prerequisite for the victory of the Northern Army. The states east of the Mississippi River that are independent from the federal government rely mainly on growing and exporting cotton. The entire Southern Confederation lacks industrial bases, and its eastern part cannot even support itself in food. Initially, the mission of the Federal Navy was to block about 3,500 miles of enemy coastline, patrolling nearly 200 ports and navigable rivers. In terms of its mission, the navy was too small and poorly equipped, but under the leadership of the capable Secretary of the Navy Gideon Wells, its strength doubled between 1861 and 1865. With the cooperation of the Federal Army, it successfully implemented an effective strategy called "Anaconda". The combined army and navy forces, like a giant python, gradually entangled the lifeline of trade and commerce in the South. In the later years of the war, the Confederacy of various consumer goods was extremely scarce and scarce, causing inflation. By the autumn of 1864, one dollar of American gold was worth 2,000 yuan in the Confederate States dollar.
Abandon Fort Sumter
After the declaration of independence, the states of the Southern Confederacy claimed that all military installations of the Northern Confederate Alliance in their territory were required to pay economic compensation after negotiations on the basis of land acquisition rights. Among the seven states that first withdrew from the Union were the Pensacola Naval Pier, 15 port fortresses, six arsenals of the Northern Federal League, and 18 barracks in Texas, where a large amount of weapons and equipment were stored. After Virginia joined the Confederacy, the most important gain was the Norfolk Navy Pier. Once a war breaks out, the southern government cannot even produce small arms, so its thirst for weapons is just like its thirst for real estate.
In February 1861, when the Confederacy was founded, the indecisive President James Buchanan’s term of office was about to expire, but he had no hope of being re-elected. Most property. Because Pickens in Pensacola, Fort Taylor in Key West, and Fort Jefferson in Tortuga are far from the south and have certain strength, they are still in the hands of the federal government. Fort Monroe in Virginia was also controlled by the Federation, and even Fort Charleston was once controlled by the Federation.
Because of South Carolina's important position in the secession movement, the Charleston Fortress has unusual symbolic significance for both the North and the South. Of the three stone fortifications on the north bank of the port entrance, only Murtri Fort had troops. Considering the possibility of a surprise attack, the US Army Major Robert Anderson transferred its 83-man headquarters to Fort Sumter, which is more suitable for defense. The fortress is located on an artificial island opposite the port entrance. The South Carolina militia immediately occupied the Murtree Fortress and the smaller Pinckney Fortress.
On January 9, 1861, a merchant ship chartered by the Army, the Western Star, tried to supply and reinforce the Sumter Fortress. But it was shelled by a new southern fort on Morris Island, south of the port entrance—the first shot of the Civil War was fired. The unarmed rescue ship retreated.
A few months after the truce in Yanqi, the Confederate general and former U.S. Army engineer Pierre Borregard began to prepare to implement his offensive plan and fired artillery into the position. In the early morning of April 12, 1861, the shelling of Fort Sumter began, triggering the most bloody inevitable war in American history.
If all the firepower of the fortress is used, the fortress cannot be conquered, but Anderson used only 1/3 of the available artillery and 1/8 of the total fortress to make a symbolic resistance. After three days of fierce shelling with the artillery of the Southern Army, Anderson felt that his position had no hope of holding on, so he gave up.
At the same time, a small expeditionary rescue team consisting of 200 people has been transported by the US Navy to outside the port of Charleston but is helpless. The completion of its mission mainly depends on the naval guns on the "Poitan". The Navy did not know that a large schooner had secretly changed its course according to President Lincoln's order to help Fort Pickens. Other troops that were unable to perform rescue missions outside of Charleston received the permission of the Southern Army to withdraw the soldiers from the Anderson Command who had been captured and released.
Lincoln's response was quick: On April 15, he enlisted 75,000 national militiamen to serve in the federal army. This coercive threat has prompted Virginia, North Carolina, Arkansas, and Tennessee to join the seven states that have seceded from the federal government.
Lost Norfolk Naval Shipyard
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard is the largest naval shipyard in the United States, and one of the country’s two large dry docks is located here. It also has an munitions warehouse capable of storing more than 300 "Dahlgren" guns, of which 50 or more are 9-inch guns of the latest design. Here, there are some ships under repair, including the "Merrimack" propeller cruiser equipped with 50 artillery.
Secretary of the Navy Wells has noticed the intentions of the Virginia separatists, and he warned the shipyard’s director, Commodore C·S·Macauley, to "high alert." On April 12, Wells ordered U.S. Navy Chief Engineer Benjamin F. Isherwood to go to Norfolk to oversee the repair of the Merrimac’s engine so that it could be transferred to Philadelphia. When Virginia left the federal government, Commodore Ram Paulding was immediately sent to replace Macaulay, because Macaulay was afraid of offending Virginia's militia and dared not take decisive action. Paulding was tasked with removing or destroying all of Norfolk’s naval equipment and ships.
On April 20, when Paulding arrived in Norfolk on the USS Pawnee, he found that the Merrimac and three other ships had sunk by opening the sea valve according to Macaulay's order. Although the Monroe Fortress provided reinforcements, Paulding lacked the strength to resist the surprise attack. The sailors and marines on the "Pawnee" worked the whole night. They buried mines in the dry dock. On the partially submerged warship, flammable materials were scattered around the superstructure and mast rigging. Attempt to knock off the ears of the cannon with a heavy hammer, but failed. Before dawn, a small dynamite bag was ignited. When the detonation group left, the dock became a sea of flames. After the fire was extinguished, the Southern Army discovered that the largest new armory in North America had not burned down—these cannons were later equipped on newly constructed fortresses to defend the southern ports.
Block announcement
As the North Industries has an absolute advantage, it is obvious that the South cannot match it in terms of naval vessels. Confederate President Jefferson Davis adopted the traditional practice of using small powered boats to conduct trade attacks at sea and announced the issuance of maritime seizure permits to armed privateers. Two days later, President Lincoln announced the blockade of the southern port.
According to international law, neutral countries are not subject to this "declaration but no strength blockade," so the US Navy should implement an effective blockade as soon as possible. With only 7,600 men and 42 ships, the navy seems to be facing a difficult task.
However, the Northern Federation has merchant ships and a large number of people who make a living by sailing, as well as numerous shipyards and machinery and equipment. In addition, Minister Wells has the agility and courage, and has an important military administrative assistant, Gustav. Assisted by Assistant Secretary V. Fox, his naval power grew rapidly. If the floating turrets converted from grain barges and ferries are included, there were 264 warships in service by December 1861. Thousands of new naval "volunteers" lack the agility of veterans, but most of them come from fishing fleets and merchant ships, so they have mastered navigational skills.
Once the blockade begins, it is obvious that all kinds of logistical support different from those previously envisaged will be required to completely besiege. Coastal patrols will be carried out by steamships, so coal carriers and coal filling stations will have to be located near the blockade. As more ships join the squadron, more and larger base equipment will be needed. Although there are enough bases in the north, the Navy also needs to have some bases close to the southern ports for blockade purposes. For example, if there is a base near Charleston and Savannah, ships that perform blockade missions do not need to return to Washington or Philadelphia regularly for maintenance, which can greatly increase the number of Northern warships on the battlefield. In addition, ships can be prepared at any time by loading coal or repairing at forward bases to quickly reinforce patrolling ships.
Therefore, the Navy plans to occupy strategic points as a forward base as soon as sufficient amphibious forces are mobilized. With ships and troops available in 1861, trying to seize military ports such as Charleston, Savannah or Wilmington, North Carolina is not a problem. However, the occupied area must be able to provide a good anchorage with deep draft and the possibility of developing port facilities. In addition, they must be close to the main ports of the Confederacy and be able to withstand attacks from land. Fortunately, the long and winding southern coastline made the blockade very difficult and prompted the navy to seize the necessary bases. The Confederacy has thousands of miles of coastline and nearly 200 ports, so it cannot set up fortifications in every area that the Federal Navy might strike.
Port royal
The Northern Confederation was ready with personnel and ships, and proceeded to occupy the base on the coast of the Southern Confederacy. The most important military operation was Commodore Samuel F. DuPont’s attack on Port Royal between Charleston and Savannah in November 1861. Port Royal is defended by two civil works that face each other at the entrance of the harbour-Walker Fort at Hilton Point and Borregal Fort at Bay Point.
The U.S. Navy lacks the experience of steamboats to capture fortresses. At this time, a well-known question is whether the higher maneuverability can offset the danger of the enemy breaking the steam pipeline and boiler. Therefore, DuPont requested the establishment of a strong fleet. In addition to the supply transport ships that sail alone, the assault force includes 11 large warships, 36 transport ships that can carry 13,000 army forces, and some new "90-day gunboats." Compared with the total number of artillery in the two fortresses, the firepower of the fleet has a 5:1 advantage.
Due to the loss of many boats in the storm off the Carolinas, DuPont turned the originally planned amphibious assault into a single naval operation. After some reconnaissance and detection, DuPont made all the transport ships anchor in the sea far away from the shore, and then bombarded the Volker Fortress with warships. The fort has a large number of cannons on the sea side, while there are only two cannons on the north side. Brigadier General DuPont planned to dispatch a right-wing gunboat detachment after all of his warships passed the fortress in order to shoot longitudinally on the weaker northern side. At the same time, the main fleet sailed on an elliptical course to launch artillery battles with the main battery of the Southern Army.
DuPont’s flagship "Wabash" is a steam frigate with 46 guns. When it sailed a short distance through the fortress, it began to turn the rudder to the left to lead the fleet back, but in fact only 2 of the 9 ships were following it. The remaining ships joined forces with the gunboats that bombarded the north side of the fortress. After the three ships under DuPont's command completed the second elliptical voyage, they began their third voyage. Although other captains were unskilled in maneuvering or did not obey orders, they seemed to have little effect on this battle. The naval fire soon destroyed the fortifications, and the defenders had to abandon the fortress. The weakly defensive Fortress of Borregal was definitely unable to defend at this time, so the Confederacy also abandoned it. Under such circumstances, the Northern Army calmly landed on the ground without letting go. Port Royal will be the main base for blockade ships during the cessation of the war.
Many aspects of the Battle of Port Royal have become the main combat styles of the Federal Navy: some combat troops are not bloody; some are large-scale battles that include landing battles. Hatteras Bay, Roanoke Island, Elizabeth City, New Berne, Amelia Island, Jacksonville, Ship Island, Pensacola were surrounded in turn. The Northern Army’s recovery of St. Augustine and Norfolk weakened the Confederate’s control of the Atlantic coast to the fortress of Savannah, and extended the coastline blockade between Charleston, South Carolina and Wilmington, and North Carolina. .
"Trent" incident
The basic strategy of the Confederacy is to defend the territory, and hopes that war-weariness in the North will eventually bring about peace. And the leaders of the South were convinced that the protracted war and effective blockade would force Britain or France to intervene to obtain the lint needed by their textile mills. But the myth of the "cotton king" in the past no longer exists, because Europe has a large stock of cotton, cotton cultivation in Egypt and India is developing rapidly, and the propaganda of the abolitionist of slavery in the north has been effective in the United Kingdom.
In fact, Britain almost intervened at one time, but not for economic reasons. The Confederacy was eager to seek foreign recognition, so it sent two former U.S. Congressmen James M. Mason and John Slidell as its plenipotentiary representatives in Europe. The two envoys took their relatives and staff to Havana over the blockade, where they boarded the British cruise ship "Trent". After learning of this information, US Navy Captain Charles Wilkes commanded the propeller sloop "San Jacinto" and intercepted the "Trent" at sea on November 8, 1861, and boarded it. The ship abducted the eye-catching passengers on board. Although this was entirely Wilkes' own claim, it almost triggered a war with Britain.
In accordance with legal provisions, Wilkes' behavior has violated the principle of neutral rights. This principle states that the flag on the ship represents a country. The United States was involved in a war in 1812 for this creed. In the UK, people and hostile newspapers were angered, accusing such behavior as an insult to their flag. President Lincoln pertinently emphasized that Wilkes did not get the approval of the government and he did it without authorization. Secretary of State Seward sent a note of apology and reconciliation to the British envoy in Washington, and Mason and Slidell were also released from the dungeon in Boston Harbor.
Armored ship
The plantation economy in the South obviously cannot compete with the shipyards in the North. But the 1860s was an era of technological and military invention and rapid development. Perhaps relying on quality and technological improvements, the Confederate Confederate's use of a small number of advanced ships is enough to offset the quantitative advantage of the North. Stephen R. Mallory, Secretary of the Navy of the Confederacy, was previously chairman of the US Senate Committee on Naval Affairs. He was sober aware of the technological revolution that the navy ships began to develop. Long before Secretary Wells proposed that the Federal Navy establish an ironclad committee, he tried to produce armored warships.
In order to achieve this goal as soon as possible, the best solution is to modify the existing ships. The old ship "Merrimack" that sank at Norfolk Naval Pier seemed particularly suitable. The ship is about 260 feet long and has a displacement of 4,500 tons. It is powered by two 600-horsepower engines. The ship is also equipped with 40 Dahlgren guns. In early July 1861, Mallory ordered it to be converted into an ironclad ship. After the hull was salvaged, the burned structure was removed and the power plant was repaired.
The engineer responsible for the "Merrimack" project encountered obstacles due to the lack of an industrial base in the South. There is only one rolling mill in the Confederacy that can produce 2-inch side armor plates. As there is nowhere to obtain raw materials for steelmaking, the factory has to use old railroad tracks as raw materials. But a few months later, this converted armored battleship basically took shape and was renamed the "Virginia". The main improvement is the turret, which is 178 feet long, equipped with two layers of iron armor, and the vertical angle of the two sides is about 35 degrees. The turret is equipped with 7 guns with a caliber of 69 inches, 4 of which are rifled guns. The top of the turret is a thick iron grille for ventilation. In addition, a hard iron horn is installed in the bow of the ship. The unarmored parts of the hull, bow and stern of the ship are only about 1 foot high. When it was sailing, it was almost covered by sea water.
Mallory hoped that the USS Virginia would at least eliminate the wooden warships used to blockade the Federal Navy downstream of the Chesapeake and cut off the maritime supplies and reinforcements of the Federal Forces at Monroe Fortress. In addition, the Confederacy received reliable information that General George McClellan of the U.S. Army intends to pass the Yorktown Peninsula from the Chesapeake Bay wing to Richmond. If the federal government loses control of the navy in the Hampton Anchorage area, the plan will be aborted.
This threat forced Secretary Wells to look for measures against the "Virginia". According to his order, an ironclad ship review committee was convened in August 1861 to review more than 100 armored ship proposals and reported that the armored battleship could not fight in deep water, but was very suitable for fighting near shores and rivers. They proposed a contract for the construction of three ships: "Galina" is a gunboat with weaker protection capabilities; "New Ironsides" is an all-board gunship, which was later used by Charles Dayton performed well; the "squad leader" was an innovative design by John Eriksson.
The "Squad Leader" is probably the most original design in the history of shipbuilding. In mid-September, Eriksson started work under only one contract. With his talent, drive and dedication, he supervises the construction every day. The ship was launched in only 101 working days. There is no complete comprehensive design book and scale model for the ship. Only during the construction process, Eriksson personally drew 100 detailed drawings as needed. The first engineer of the "squad leader" estimated that at least more than 40 effective inventions were adopted in the construction of the ship.
The armor designed and installed on the "squad leader" and its successors of the same type is thicker than that of the small turrets equipped with large-caliber artillery. The ship’s reserve buoyancy and freeboard height are very small; its well-protected turret is the only target of enemy fire. All other dispensable upper-level facilities have been removed.
The completed "Squad Leader" hull is 124 feet long, with a 172-foot x 41.5-foot deck riveted on the hull. The side walls are equipped with 4.5-inch thick iron armor, which is lined with oak. The plane is protected by a 1-inch thick deck to withstand subduction shots. The turret is 9 feet high and 20 feet in diameter. It is installed in a copper ring on the deck, surrounded by eight layers of 1-inch thick iron plates to make cylindrical laminated side walls. The top of the turret is a grille made of rails. The 140-ton turret is placed on a rotating shaft, which extends down to the keel. The shaft is equipped with gears and is connected to the steam auxiliary engine, which can make the turret rotate 360 degrees.
There are two 11-inch "Dahlgren" smoothbore guns in the turret. When the muzzle is in the cannon door, it is protected by a thick iron cannon door, which hangs on it like a pendulum. Eriksson’s opinion is to turn the turret towards the enemy ship just before the actual launch, so that the gunner can minimize the exposure time in the open gun door.
At that time, the ship’s engine was an ordinary double-cylinder, with 36-inch cylinders inside each casting. The ship is equipped with two flame-back box boilers. The first captain of the "Squad Leader" was Captain John L. Warden of the United States Navy. Although he lacked the technical foundation required to operate this new ship, he was a brave man and a respectable leader. On February 25, 1862, the "Squad Leader" began to enter active service. After a short trial, it was ordered to enter the Hampton Anchorage.
Battle of Hampton Anchorage
The Hampton Anchorage is located at the mouth of the James River, which is 6 miles wide. The North Shore is controlled by the Northern Confederate Army. It houses the Monroe Fortress in Old Point Campfort and a new fort at Newport News. The Confederacy controlled the South Bank, and they built fortifications west of Cape Severe and Point Pigg. The North Atlantic Interdiction Squadron, commanded by Admiral Louis M. Goldsboro, is an eye-catching and valiant force. It has 50-gun propeller frigates "Minnesota" and "Roanoke". ”; each with 44-gun sailing frigates “St. Lawrence” and “Congress”, 24-gun sloop “Cumberland”, as well as tugs and auxiliary ships. The commander of the Northern Army Squadron is always aware of the threat posed by the "Virginia". If the "Virginia" dares to venture out of the Elizabeth River, he hopes to destroy it by impact.
On March 8, 1862, Franklin Buchanan, admiral of the Confederacy of the Confederacy, led the USS Virginia and its newly formed command to sea and entered the Hampton Anchorage. Without sea trials, engine tests, and live fire training, the "Virginia" will go directly into combat. Hybrid ships that rely on steam to navigate in deep water quickly revealed their shortcomings. In calm sea conditions, its maximum speed is 5 knots. It turns very slowly, and it takes more than half an hour to make a full turn.
In order to rescue the small southern gunboats that were blocked in the upper reaches of the James River, Buchanan first aimed at the "Congress" and "Cumberland" anchored off the coast of Newport News. The Federation ships hurriedly left port to fight. When the "Virginia" bombarded the "Cumberland" violently, the "Congress" and the "Virginia" also shelled each other. When the heavy shells jumped away from the buttered turret, the metal horn of the "Virginia" plunged deeply into the starboard side of the bow of the "Cumberland"-the "Cumberland" quickly discarded some supplies. The sinking was barely prevented. Fortunately, the corner of the "Virginia" broke so that it could retreat from the "Cumberland". Buchanan ordered the sinking "Cumberland" to continue shooting. The unimmersed artillery of the "Cumberland" continued to fire. Finally, it ran aground at the bottom of the shoal, but the flag was still hung on the topmast above the water.
With the support of the armed tugboats Beaufort and Raleigh, the Virginia turned to the Congress and blasted it into flames with incendiary bombs. The burning clipper lowered its flag and surrendered. In this battle, Buchanan boarded the upper deck in order to better observe, but was shot and wounded by a musket from the EFF on the shore. Captain Catesby A Roger Jones immediately took over the command.
At the same time, the "Minnesota" was seriously stranded in order to reach a support position close to the wing ship. When the flames reached the ammunition bay, the "Congress" exploded.
The "Virginia" had a draft of 23 feet. After Jones failed to approach the grounded "Minnesota" at a distance of 2,000 yards, he finally withdrew to an anchorage near Severe Point.
Except for the damage to the collision angle, some damage to the upper deck, and the broken muzzle of the two artillery pieces, the "Virginia" has withstood the test of the artillery fire and its armor is indestructible. It is ready to continue fighting on the second day. This armored ship and small frigate sank a large dhow and a heavy frigate at the cost of 21 casualties. A fatal fire broke out and 250 northern federal sailors were killed or drowned.
However, just as the "Virginia" was gaining absolute victory, the "Squad Leader" was going to battle, often towed by a tug, and the "Squad Leader" sailed along the coast from New York. For the crew, they experienced a terrible voyage. The violent waves caused by the violent storm in the Delaware waters violently hit the severely damaged anchor chain drum, and the exhaust engine and engine were also submerged. The steering rope was blocked, so that the safety of the ship was entirely dependent on the traction rope connected to the tug. At 4 o'clock in the afternoon on March 8, the "Squad Leader" arrived at Cape Charles, sailing in the calm waters of the Chesapeake, guided by the sound of Norfolk shelling. Captain John Marston, the top commander of the "Roanoke", received the report and ordered the commander of the "Squad Leader" Captain Warden to cover the stranded "Minnesota". At this time it was anchored to the west of the "Minnesota".
In the early morning of the next day, when the "Virginia" returned to destroy the "Minnesota" that was still stranded there, the "Squad Leader" greeted her and challenged it. The warring parties got closer and bombarded each other, but there was no major damage. Like a dog teasing a bull, the handy maneuvering "Squad Leader" is always close to the "Virginia". The draft of the "Squad Leader" is only 12 feet, so the anchorage shoal can provide it with considerable space for movement. After a two-hour close-range artillery battle, John attempted to hit the "squad leader", but the "squad leader" turned flexibly, suffered only abrasions, and did not suffer any damage at all, and "Virginia" was at the damaged bow. A crack was opened. The frustrated Confederate commander tried to rely on the "squad leader". However, the "squad leader" with good maneuverability maintained its own distance and course. As a result, the "Virginia" tried to eliminate the stranded "Minnesota" and maneuvered to a closer and more effective combat position. As a result, she also ran aground suddenly.
Due to the continuous shelling of the "Virginia" by the "Minnesota" and the "Squad Leader" at close range, it is obvious that its armor will be destroyed even if it is not penetrated. At the moment of victory, the "squad leader" was about to be within 10 or 15 yards, using an 11-inch naval gun to deliver a powerful blow to the enemy, and the Confederate artillery shells hit the "squad leader"'s cab. A narrow slit had to be cracked, causing Captain Warden not only to be injured, but also to temporarily blinded eyes. The "squad leader" lost effective command for 20 minutes. Because Captain Samuel D. Green, the deputy captain of the "squad leader", was busy shooting, he didn't come to take over until the helmsman had taken the ship out of effective range.
At the same time, the vigilant Confederate commander released his boat and used the method of anchoring and moving the boat to escape from the shallows. As the tide receded and the water flowing out of the "Virginia" bilge hole was increasing, John retreated cautiously. Green, who took over the command, used the "squad leader" to drag the "Minnesota" back, and after leaving the "Virginia", he fired two or three shells at it. At this point, the battle of the Hampton Anchorage is over.
Except for the slight damage to the cab, the "squad leader" is intact. The turret of the "Virginia" was not destroyed, but the deck was cracked in many places, and the strong oak liner was also broken. The superstructure of the "Virginia" was destroyed, and the hull was severely damaged and needed to be repaired in the dry dock. There is no doubt that if the new "Dalgren" gun on the "Squad Leader" is not restricted by the Naval Ordnance Bureau-each load cannot exceed 15 pounds, the "Squad Leader" gunfire would have quickly penetrated the "Virginia". "The armor of the number is gone.
In fact, the Confederate confederate was equipped with a warship that hit the corner and stayed in Norfolk for 2 months. There is only one type of ship in this fleet. After repairs, the fleet will be anchored on April 11th, May 8th and 9th. A strong reinforcements under the command of Goldsboro, including the armored ships Galena and Nogatak, took further offensive actions. The blockade was maintained. In addition, as planned, as early as April 5, McClellan transported 120,000 Army soldiers from the Potomac to Pinisula in Yorktown.
Although the Northern Army had won tactical victories in some fierce battles, McClellan was stopped by the Northern Virginia Army as he advanced towards Richmond. However, because the Northern Army Major General Ambrose Burnside's troops were advancing from North Carolina to the north and McClellan's troops were approaching the city, the Confederate Command decided to abandon Norfolk. On May 10, they abandoned Norfolk City and the extremely important Navy Pier. The "Virginia" engine was poor in reliability and airworthiness, so the attempt to use it to fight in the open sea became a fantasy. Unfortunately, the Confederate Navy blew up this famous battleship in history. The squad leader, which could not withstand wind and waves, sank not far from Cape Carolina at the end of the same year.
Mines and submarines of the Confederacy
The "Virginia" is the only ironclad ship in the Confederacy that can have a major impact on the outcome of the war. Although many iron-clad ships have been built in various parts of the South, and some of them have won some small battles, they cannot match the large number of improved ships built in the north of the "Squad Leader".
Due to the weakness of the southern navy, they naturally turned their attention to technological innovation. The most successful of these is the mine, which is the direct detonation of fixed underwater explosives by triggering fuzes or shore electric pulses. Matthew Fontaine Morrie resigned from the Federal Navy and became the commander of the Confederate submarine artillery. Faced with huge obstacles such as the extreme lack of copper wires in the south, he managed to plant mines at important ports and entrances to the Confederacy. Thirty-one ships of the Northern Federation were destroyed by mines—a number more than ships damaged by any other means.
The Confederate also tried to use a strange small hybrid attack ship called "Davids", propelled by steam, and carrying a trigger mine at the end of the long pole in the bow of the ship. Except for the lifts and vents, the boat is completely immersed in water to dive. It hopes to take advantage of the darkness and quietly approach the anchored ship. In Charleston in 1863, a "Davids" attacked the "New Cromwell Iron Armor". As a result, only some damage was caused, and it was not sunk.
In Mobile, a real submarine was also developed, a small coastal survey ship "Henry". This is a human-driven iron tube that can seat 9 people. After drowning two occupants one after another in the test, the angry general Boregarde ordered that such boats not be allowed to dive into the water. However, in subsequent battles, it sank the federal propeller sloop "Husatonic" just like "Davidz", and 1/3 of its crew drowned to death. The first submarine to participate in the naval battle was the "Turtle". This submarine, mainly made of oak, was built during the American Revolutionary War and was designed by David Bushnell of Connecticut. Because it looks like a sea turtle, it is leaning sideways, its tail is down, and its head is a command tower made of brass, so it is named "turtle". The boat is manually rotated by a manipulator to implement horizontal and up-and-down movement of the corresponding propeller. The "Turtle" once attacked the British ship in New York Harbor, but it was unsuccessful. In 1800, Robert Fulton built a more practical submarine "Nautilus", but he could not find a sponsor who could provide funding.
trade war
The weak industrial base in the south determines that it is doomed to fail. In addition to pinning its hopes on new weapons, the only viable offensive strategy for the Confederate Navy is a trade war. This is a stopgap policy traditionally adopted by the weak navy. The leaders of the Confederate Army realized that they did not have enough merchant ships to use, so they pinned their hopes on the April 1862 Declaration by President Davis. This declaration approves the issuance of a permit for arresting enemy ships and arresting enemy people. It will attract foreign adventurers and European ships to engage in armed looting. Through the establishment of legal provisions to carry out maritime plunder and provide a basis for protection of its ships. The South not only wanted to strike at the foundation of the North’s economic power, but also wanted to force the federal naval ships scattered on the high seas to search for privateers, thereby disintegrating the blockade. Once the sovereignty of the Confederacy is widely recognized abroad, consular courts dealing with spoils will be established in foreign ports, and captured ships can be auctioned off at ports far from the Confederacy.
We can see that this policy seems to be consistent with the tradition of the U.S. Navy. In the American War of Independence and the War of 1812, plundering each other's merchant ships has become the most important offensive strategy of the United States on the high seas. However, world public opinion has changed since then. The Paris Declaration of 1856 declared the looting of merchant ships illegal. In fact, Britain does not allow military courts to deal with spoils in its remote territories, and France has followed suit. Under this circumstance, foreigners are not interested in seeing that the risks taken are far greater than the benefits gained.
However, the Confederate States and some of their independent states requisitioned some looting ships at the beginning of the war, most of which were poorly equipped small ships. But after a few weeks, it has become increasingly difficult to capture enemy ships through blockades. By the middle of 1862, maritime plunder had completely disappeared. Even so, the 30 or so privateers dispatched by the Confederacy over a period of time really disturbed the Northern Confederation and paid the price. For example, the "Jefferson Davis" brig with five guns, 74 men and a displacement of 230 tons was captured during a seven-week cruise from Cape Cod to Trinidad. 10 federal merchant ships were ordered. During a period, the Northern Federal Navy sent eight ships to hunt down privateers. This shows that if they are dealt with in the same number as privateers, the effectiveness of blockades and other maritime operations will be greatly reduced. In fact, during the first five months of the war, the Confederate privateers lost only 2 ships and captured 50 to 60 Northern Confederate merchant ships. Due to the increase in marine insurance taxes on US merchant ships, it has become common for private US ships to switch to foreign nationalities.
However, due to the rising tax rate of loot, no new privateers will appear. Most people with capital and adventurous interest have been attracted to the illegal immigration and blockade industry with high risk, filial piety and high returns.
However, the Southern Army has no shortage of emergency measures. When the privateers had disappointing results, the cruiser, the regular naval vessel of the Confederacy, took part in this activity. Most of these ships were built by foreigners and operated by foreigners, but equipped with southern officers. In fact, they also caused huge losses to the northern merchant fleet. The following facts illustrate some of the "direct losses". The Geneva court ruled that the "Alabama" was required to compensate the federal merchant ship for damages of US$15.5 million after the war. These damaged merchant ships were destroyed by cruisers built by Britain.
In addition, the indirect losses caused by privateers are also huge. As a result, marine insurance payments have greatly increased. Many shipping companies in the United States have sold a large number of ships, and some companies do not even engage in shipping business at all. In 1861, 126 U.S. merchant ships were registered with foreign companies, and in 1862 there were 135. When the cruiser "Alabama" was at the peak of the raid in 1863, 348 U.S. merchant ships were registered with foreign companies.
For the South, the important purpose is to lure most of the Federal Navy's ships from the blockade, and go to the ocean to search for the nemesis of those merchant ships like a needle in a haystack. For example, in the Caribbean alone, there is a squadron of 7 ships dedicated to chasing down the "Alabama". Because the Federal Navy has some ocean cruising under any circumstances, it is difficult to specify exactly how much force needs to be drawn from the ships that block the southern coast and nearshore operations to chase down privateers. But it is no exaggeration to say that although the number of Confederate cruisers is very small, they contain at least ten times their own tonnage.
The first navy ship dedicated to commercial ship looting was the "Sumter", which was a 500-ton steamship converted from a regular liner. After the Confederate government bought it from a shipping company in New Orleans, it was modified to cope with the war, with an 8-inch rotating gun and four short-range guns capable of firing 24-pound shells on the side.
Captain Rafael Sims sailed the ship down the Mississippi River in June 1861 to deal with the ship "Brooklyn" which was on a blockade mission. The draft of the "Brooklyn" was too deep to cross the sandbar. When the "Brooklyn" pursued a certain sea area, the opportunity for the "Sumter" to break through came. The "Sumter" increased its speed drastically, and the "Brooklyn" was just trying to correct the mistake, but was left far behind. "Sumter" captured 17 ships while cruising in the Caribbean, as well as off Spain and Portugal, of which 6 were burned, 2 were captured twice, and 2 were redeemed. Seven ships that were put on Cuba’s ports were seized by the Spanish authorities, who later released them to the northern ship owners.
After the "Sumter" escaped under the eyes of the "Brooklyn", the Gulf Squadron dispatched the "Niagara" and the "Poitan", and later the "San Jacinto" and "San Jacinto" were dispatched. "Iroquois", "Richmond", and "Keystone State" went to the Caribbean for an invalid search. In January 1862, the "Sumter" was finally found in Gibraltar by the Northern Union warship "Tuscarola". The "Kissach" and "Ino" also rendezvous with the "Tascarola" soon. Captain Sams considered that if he ventured out of the neutral refuge, he would be entangled with many other issues besides the obvious expulsion from the sea. He did not supply coal in Gibraltar, the boiler had all rusted, and the engine needed repair. So Sims considered selling the "Sumter" again and again. But then the British shipowner sold it back to someone who crossed the blockade, so the ship continued to serve the Confederacy.
The looting experience of the "Sumter" is very representative in cruising motor ships. The significance is that the terrible Rafael Sims inherited the mantle of all privateer veterans. During the cruise of the "Sumter", Sims learned to avoid the anchorages frequently visited by ships like Gibraltar. At the same time, he also learned to destroy the captured merchant ships rather than let himself be looted by force. The incoming property was taken away by others using diplomatic means at the port of a neutral country. And he can control the cruise time very accurately, so that the tracker's every move can be predicted for a long period of time.
"Sumter" was changed from a steamship owned by the South to a battleship, which is also rare. Because of the lack of shipbuilding equipment, the South had to rely on overseas agents to buy ships and let them build ships on their behalf. Soon after the fortress of Sumter was bombarded, the Confederate Assembly approved and allocated funds for the purchase of 6 mast-sail steam cruisers, each at a cost of US$165,000, and US$2 million was allocated for the construction of the iron-clad corner collision ship. James D. Block and James H. North, two former US naval officers were sent to the UK to purchase these ships. This task was involved in a series of conspiracies and British cumbersome and protracted official procedures, but the capable and indomitable Bullock proved to be fully capable of dealing with these problems. Charles Francis Adams, the U.S. Minister to the United Kingdom, and the U.S. consul in the British Shipbuilding Port, used every possible diplomatic means and British law to try to thwart the efforts of the Confederate agents.
Britain’s neutral laws, like all civilized countries in 1861, prohibit “renovating, rebuilding and arming” any ship that is ready to wage war against friendly countries. It is permissible to manufacture or sell arms and other prohibited items to the warring parties, but this is at personal risk. As far as the British court is concerned, evidence that the ship has engaged in combat must be provided to determine the arrest. This legal provision opened the door for trade privateers to be built in British shipyards and then sold as unarmed ships to fake foreign merchants. The Confederate States of America has agents in many ports in Europe and the Caribbean, some of which are foreign nationals. At the same time, ordnance can also be manufactured in the UK and transported to a pre-agreed assembly site. There, the privateer was armed and placed into active service. They don't need to see the ports of the Confederacy from start to finish. Under the specific guidance of British lawyers, Bullock successfully followed these steps until the end of the war, and successively purchased the "Florida", "Alabama" and "Shenandoah" to join the ranks of privateers.
The purchase of an imperial armored ship is another major issue, because the military use of this type of ship can be proved by the details of its construction. Even the resourceful Brock proved to be powerless. The Reders Company of Birkenhead signed a contract to build two warships with collision angles. The ship also carried a set of 9-inch rifled guns, initially claiming to be built for the French government, and later for Pasha, Egypt. , And finally said it was built for a French private company. Lord Russell, the British Foreign Secretary, ordered the ships to be seized immediately before they were completed in 1863. If these ships are delivered to the Southern Confederation, they will pose a serious threat to the Northern Confederate Navy.
The "Florida" was completed in March 1862. It drove to Nassau, where it was acquiesced by the colonial authorities, equipped with 2 7-inch and 6 6-inch rifled guns, and joined active service under the command of Commander John N. Muffett. The ship had a glorious and successful experience, but was finally captured by the Federal Navy "Vachusset" in the Bahia harbour in Brazil in October 1864. This blatant violation of the neutral country Brazil was later resolved by the federal government by means of large indemnities. However, the "Florida" sank in an "accident" at the Hampton Anchorage before being returned to Brazil.
"Alabama"
The "Alabama" deserves to be the most famous privateer of the Confederacy. It was converted from a three-masted ship with a length of 230 feet, a width of 32 feet, and a full-load draft of 15 feet. The ship’s 300-horsepower propellers allowed its trial speed to reach 13.5 knots. It usually relies mainly on sails when cruising to save coal.
In order to avoid being caught by the British authorities, the "Alabama" did not return after getting off the water. Instead, it drove to the designated assembly place in the Azores, where Bullock had already transferred the necessary weapons and coal. And reserve officers. When the Portuguese port supervisors of Puerto Praia were fooled into thinking that the "Enreca" was only supplying coal from the leased "Agripina", a group of 6 guns fired 32-pound shells on the side The long-range gun, a rifled gun that fired a 100-pound shell, and an 8-inch gun were hoisted to the cruise ship. 83 sailors have already been brought to the ship from the United Kingdom, most of them are British and Irish adventurers from the Liverpool waterfront, as the backbone of voluntary participation, and then recruit volunteer recruits from the captured ships to fill the vacancies. Rafael Sims led his ship out of the territorial waters for a service ceremony: summon the crew, read the order, and raise the flag of the Confederacy. The disguise phase of the "Alabama" has ended. It has become a battleship, ready to complete its mission.
Sims is a strict and capable manager, almost no one can deal with his rogue sailors in Liverpool. He captured 20 ships in the first two months of the North Atlantic. Drawing on the experience of the "Sumter", he took the necessary supplies from the captured merchant ship, and then burned the merchant ship. When the increase in the number of captives on the "Alabama" ship became a major problem, Sims unloaded the rigging of a captive ship to make it a captive-changing ship and let the excess crew ashore.
After the "Alabama" cruised as far as the shallows, the coal on board was almost exhausted, so it drove to Fort de France on Martinique, which was a pre-arranged coal refueling point. The "Agripina" was waiting for it, but the coal did not fill up. The EFF ship "San Jacinto" appeared and was patrolling just beyond the 3 nautical mile boundary. Sims sent a supply ship as a pilot, used the night to slip past the "San Jacinto" and refilled enough coal in a small remote port in Venezuela.
Sims was cruising in the Caribbean, hoping to intercept a "jewel steamship" carrying California gold on the route from Cologne to New York. The gold captured will enable him to pay the long-delayed wages of crew members who have tried to mutiny. He did not encounter such luck. Among the ships captured in the waters, the most valuable was a large passenger liner from New York, which delivered less than 10,000 U.S. silver dollars and U.S. securities.
Then Sims drove "Alabama" into the Gulf of Mexico in order to intervene in a planned amphibious operation off the coast of Texas. On the coast of Galveston, a federal squadron is bombarding Galveston. The "Alabama" sailed slowly and attracted the attention of a Northern Federation warship. Soon, the federal gunboat "Hartres" set sail for investigation. When it was 20 nautical miles away from the other ships of the squadron, "Hartress" sent an inquiry to the "Alabama", and the "Alabama" initially replied that it was a British ship. But when the federal gunboat sent a team to check its documents, the navy captain on the ship roared: "This is the Confederate steamship "Alabama"." Sims immediately ordered a salvo of gunboats. The dominant "Alabama" on the armament board only briefly shelled the gunboats of the Northern Union. The "Hartres" was hit, and when it sank, it fired a shot to the wind to signify surrender. Sims quickly transferred the surviving crew to his ship, and the "Hartres" sank a few minutes later. The "Alabama" sailed quickly to Kingston, Jamaica, and released the captives and sent them ashore before the panic spread.
For the next 18 months, Sims played hide-and-seek with the Federal Cruiser, making the Federal Ship search everywhere on the world's waterways, but it was in vain. "Alabama" successfully operated in the Caribbean, South Atlantic, Indian Ocean, South China Sea and Bay of Bengal, but it gradually became a victim of its own victory. As the battlefield of Sims got farther and farther, he found fewer and fewer northern merchant ships. The "Alabama" returned to the South Atlantic, and when it cruised to Europe for repairs, it also captured the last two ships. On June 11, 1864, Symes led the ship into Cherbourg and asked the French government to provide dock equipment.
In the early days of Ocean Operations, Sims was able to preemptively act before intercepting his federal ships. Because there is no submarine cable, the ship that hunts it down is usually days or even weeks behind in time. But when the "Alabama" was anchored in Cherbourg, the American consul was able to send a telegram to John A. Winslow, the captain of the federal propeller dhow "Kissach", which was anchored away from the Netherlands. On the sea not far from Flacing Harbor. Three days later, the Federal Warship appeared off Cherbourg. The “Kissach” did not drop anchor, but established a patrol position outside the port.
Sims originally planned to put the ship into the dock and give his crew a vacation reward. But it became clear right away that the docking maintenance equipment he needed was not available, and the viable choice for him was to be detained in Cherbourg or go to sea to fight. As the "Alabama" and "Kissach" seemed to be evenly matched, Sims's impulsive character prompted him to set sail. He challenged Winslow through the U.S. Consulate, and once the "Alabama" had finished refueling, he would conduct a single ship to single ship duel.
In the early morning of June 19, the "Alabama" was the first to go to sea, and the "Kissach" also sailed out of the territorial waters. The new French armored ship "Couronne" followed closely behind and anchored in the 3 nautical mile territorial waters. The British-registered private yacht "Deerhound" wandered nearby and witnessed the upcoming battle. Thousands of spectators stood on the shore and watched.
The "Kissach" turned about 7 nautical miles away from the coast, backed up, and then bravely rushed towards the "Alabama". At this time, the "Alabama" was turning to the left so that its starboard gun was aimed at the enemy ship. The "Alabama" fired its first salvo at 2,000 yards. Most of the shells landed very close, but one or two shots damaged the mast rigging of the Kisaki. When the "Kissach" rushed to its opponent, Winslow never ordered to fire. After the "Alabama" was quickly loaded with shells again, another side salvo was carried out at a distance of 1,000 yards. When the "Kissach" turned to the left and revealed its starboard cannon, it started firing.
During the battle, the two ships faced each other and circled in a clockwise direction on the surface of the sea half a nautical mile in diameter. This kind of maneuvering is caused by keeping the naval guns on the starboard side when the two ships are in opposite directions, and they are also in order to occupy the position of launching the fire on the other side. The tide of 3 knots gradually caused the two circled ships to move towards the west coast of Cherbourg.
Soon, the balance of power between the warring parties ceased to exist. The strained machinery of the "Alabama" prevented it from dealing with its opponents. In order to preserve the ammunition, the gunners of the Confederacy have long given up on target training. The gunpowder and projectiles of the "Alabama" have failed and rusted. The "Kissach" is the opposite, it has just been repaired and ready for battle. In addition, Winslow hung a layer of iron chains over the engine and boiler parts to add a protective cover, which is both concealed and safe. In the one-hour naval battle, the two sides dealt with each other 7 times. At this time, the "Alabama" began to sink, and the "Kissach" suffered only minor injuries. Sims tried to wash the "Alabama" onto the beach, but the sea water poured into the cabin through the battered hull, extinguishing the boiler, leaving no room for salvation. The "Kissach" broke its bow and continued to shoot at it, so Sims dropped the flag and surrendered.
When the surrendered "Alabama" began to sink, both the victor and the loser quickly put down their boats, and the "Deerhound" also drove forward to help. Sams threw the saber into the water, then jumped into the water. Twenty minutes after the "Alabama" was abandoned, the stern of the ship sank first, and the bow was vertically upward, out of the water. Sims and 40 other crew members were rescued by the "Deerhound" and then escorted to Britain. From the Federation's point of view, the failure to capture the "Alabama" this time is the only regret in a series of victories. Winslow was commended by Congress and was promoted to Commodore.
From September 5, 1862 to April 27, 1864, "Alabama" captured a total of 68 Northern Federation ships, most of which were destroyed at sea. In addition to the losses caused by the direct attack, the "Alabama" caused the shipowners of the Northern Federation to suffer huge indirect losses-high maritime safety insurance premiums, delays and cancellations of voyages, and damage to cargo, etc.
In order to make up for the loss of the Alabama, Brock purchased the Shenandoah, which was armed by a supply ship in the Madeira Islands in October 1864. The Shenandoah immediately set off for the Pacific Ocean, and began plundering merchant ships in the second month. It mainly operated near the Aleutian Islands and captured 36 ships, most of which were whaling ships. It dealt a great blow to the whaling industry in the United States and made it sluggish ever since. Since Captain Wardell did not learn of the surrender of the Confederate States until August 2, 1865, two-thirds of the Shenandoah’s prey were captured after the war. The level of destruction of the Shenandoah is second only to the Alabama.
Steal the blockade
Until the fall of New Orleans, stealing the blockade was not very dangerous. Various ships carrying cotton bales sailed to Havana, Nassau, Bermuda or St Thomas. As the blockade becomes more and more stringent and the levels increase, the use of small sailboats is no longer effective. Only fast steamers are still engaged in this industry. Even so, as the war continued, the risk of being captured gradually increased. By the summer of 1863, the Northern Federal Navy had captured more than 850 ships that illegally crossed the blockade, and used specially-made ships to deal with illegal immigrants.
The tighter the blockade, the greater the profit for those lucky enough to successfully smuggle. A joint-stock company appeared in the United Kingdom, and Clyde built ships that were particularly suitable for sneaking over the blockade, so they were dispatched to Nassau and Bermuda under the command of British officers.
These wooden-shelled ships that sneaked past the blockade were fast, with shallow drafts, and weighed about 450 tons. Most of them are paddle wheels, burning anthracite to avoid smoking. They have a slender ship type, compared with the usual ships, the ratio of width to length is 1:8 or 1:9. But most importantly, they are fast, some can reach 17 knots or more. Most of them are equipped with telescopic chimneys; and there are few buildings above the deck, and the masts are only rod-shaped. The hull is painted gray and the freeboard is low. It is difficult to detect when the "lighting control" is implemented at night.
In a typical stealing, ships that have crossed the blockade will be loaded at St. George’s Port in Bermuda, and then guided out of the complicated waterway at dusk, while avoiding the Northern Federation ships that are moored outside the reef. Throughout the night, it drove at a speed slightly below the maximum speed and maintained a high level of alertness to the federal government's patrol vessels. The ship sailed cautiously, trying to arrive somewhere not far from the coast on time before dusk two days later. After dark, start to head to the shore, and then exchange night identification signals with coastal signal stations and fortresses. The final sprint was then carried out at the highest speed and passed the "near shore blockade." On the wharf, crates of munitions and valuables such as wine, Parisian nightgowns, linens, fine silks, corsets, tea and coffee were quickly unloaded from the ship, and the company agent was responsible for quickly moving them into the warehouse. . Immediately afterwards, the cotton was packed into the bottom tank and stacked on the deck, some of the cargo on the top was personal to the captain. Then smoke the boat with sulfur to expel those who hide in the cabin and want to smuggle. At dusk, the officers on board observed the ships performing the blockade mission, obtained their positions and plotted them on the chart. Because blockade ships usually anchor at night, sometimes it’s not too difficult to pass between them quietly in the dark. When sneaking over the blockade, the absolute silence on board is of course strictly regulated, and sometimes obvious impacts are not noticed at all. Once discovered, the ship that sneaked over the blockade can still rely on its higher speed to forcibly escape.
Even if it escapes the blockade near the shore, it is still possible to be spotted by the fast ships of the Northern Federation at sea. But on every route, as long as the Confederate has a port from which to escape, there will be the possibility of sneaking over the blockade ships to take risks. As of January 1865, there were 84 special steamships that were frequently used in stealth blockades, but 37 of them were captured, 25 were lost due to grounding, collisions and various accidents, and only 22 survived. .
During the period from 1863 to 1864, the profit of stealing the blockade was very large. Although it took several weeks to sail 23 round trips, as long as the stealing was successful, the profit it made was enough to pay for the ship's purchase and it was also rich. For example, a pound of coffee is only worth 12 cents in Nassau, but it can be sold for $2.75 in Richmond. As early as December 1862, the freight from Nassau to Savannah was $500 per ton. A lucky ship owner can easily make more than one million dollars a year. As the risks multiplied, even officers and sailors became keen on this kind of lucrative business. In 1860, the owner of a small merchant ship who could only earn US$140,000 in a month, led a smuggling boat to earn a monthly income of as much as US$5,000—and he could also wait for the opportunity to do some speculative business to increase his income. Ordinary sailors can get a basic salary of US$100 per month. In addition, they can get a bonus of US$50 for each successful voyage.
It is impossible to imagine the significance of smuggling ships in frustrating the blockade strategy. Smuggling ships may have more detrimental effects on the Confederacy than they have helped. In fact, they made the supply of well-trained sailors more tense, diverted funds that could have been used more for the development of the southern war industry, and stimulated the outflow of gold, thus exacerbating inflation.
Their total transport volume is less than a small part of cotton production. The high profits brought by the transportation of expensive luxury goods have caused an unbalanced distribution of imported goods that are useless for war. The "blocked auction" is characterized by the auction of silk, jewellery and French brandy. However, the industry is in urgent need of chemicals and boiler steel plates, and hospitals are very short of anesthetics and other drugs. When the Northern Virginia Army fought in rags, the few guys who had accumulated a lot of wealth by taking risks aroused people's resentment. This forced the Confederate Congress to pass a decree: banning the import of luxury goods. Obviously, this decree has not been widely implemented. However, since then, editorials criticizing "speculators" in the southern newspapers have appeared as often as before.