At the beginning of the Civil War, Southern militias moved
swiftly to secure the military assets within their borders. In
several instances, the action required no more than demanding the
key to the fort from a lone ordnance sergeant. By and large these
seizures were peaceful, and in one case the militia even signed a
receipt. Yet what had the South achieved? Most of these forts were
little more than damp dungeons sheltering time-worn cannon, some of
the War of 1812 and Mexican War vintage.
Forts are, by nature, defensive structures. Thus the South dug
in and waited for the Northern invaders. And they came. But they
came mostly by ship and, in the case of the inland waterways and
rivers, by boat―gunboat. Although more Yankee sailors were lost to
exploding weaponry than to Rebel fire, naval barrages were
relentles, and more forts were abandoned than defended.
Dave Page's "Ships Versus Shore" narrates ship-to-shore
engagements in the eleven states of the Confederacy along their
riverways as well as their coasts. A brief tour guide follows each
description, noting what visitors can find today when they see the
area. Page has visited each site and notes what remains of the
Confederate forts and what historical places have been preserved
that were part of the nearby struggle. The text is illustrated with
130 photos and engravings.
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