Despite the subtitle, this book is a popular account of all Civil War naval combat on the Atlantic coast and ocean, from the attack on Fort Sumter in April 1861 through the final actions in 1865. Coombe (Thunder Along the Mississippi) provides background on both the Union and Confederate navies, giving context for the Union blockade of Southern ports that touched off four years of naval actions. The ship vs. ship accounts are the most compelling, notably the battle of the ironclads Monitor
and Merrimack, whose four-hour battle was laconically described as "...merely drilling the men at the guns a little" by a Union officer. The disparity in the size of the two navies is repeatedly highlighted; specific Confederate ships are featured, contrasted against Union flotillas and fleets with vastly greater numbers. Coombe covers Confederate innovations with mines and submersibles required by this disparity. Although no new, startling information comes to light, the result is a thorough, enjoyable survey for the reader untutored in Civil War naval warfare. (Apr. 2)
