![]() ![]() Consequently, the Confederate Navy focused on building "cruisers" that were fast enough to avoid Union warships, but still carried enough firepower to easily capture merchant ships, which were usually slower and unarmed. The Confederates reasoned that they would be outgunned against the Union Navy, because Northern steel mills and shipyards could produce a larger and better-equipped fleet. Farragut) became famous for their commerce raiding exploits. In particular, naval officers such as John Paul Jones and David Porter (the father of Adm. Americans had even achieved significant successes raiding British commerce in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. The concept of commerce raiding was centuries old at least. Secondly, they would commission privateers and Confederate naval vessels to attack Union commerce at sea. The Confederates therefore developed a two-part naval strategy: Firstly, they would defend their key ports and rivers with forts, gunboat flotillas, and eventually ironclads. The North had more ships, cannons, naval officers, and industrial facilities, leaving the Rebels with no realistic hope of obtaining control of the Atlantic. Saved Land Browse Interactive Map View active campaignsĪs the Union Navy gathered its strength to impose a blockade on the South, Confederate leaders developed their own plans for the war at sea. ![]() ![]()
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