2/19/2024 0 Comments Commanding lincoln's navy : union naval leadership during the civil war / stephen r. taaffe.In doing so, he contributed greatly to Union victory in the Civil War. Indeed, by the end of the conflict, Welles had become quite ruthless in his search for effective squadron commanders capable of filling the Navy's increasingly difficult missions. Although some of Welles's earliest selections left something to be desired, his insight improved markedly as the war continued and he gained a greater understanding of the Navy and its officer corps. Welles factored into his mental calculations seniority, availability, and political connections, but he was most interested in an officer's record, character, and abilities. Welles used this authority to make appointments to squadron command based on several criteria. Lincoln not only trusted Welles's judgment, but he also understood that the Navy was not as important to the Union war effort militarily and politically as the Army, so there was less of a need for him to oversee closely its operations. Taaffe argues that President Abraham Lincoln gave Welles considerable latitude in picking squadron commanders. The book examines who Welles assigned to squadron command and why he appointed these officers. To wage this multifaceted war, Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles divided the Union Navy into six squadrons. The Union Navy played a vital role in winning the Civil War by blockading Confederate ports, cooperating with the Union Army in amphibious assaults, and operating on the Mississippi River and its tributaries.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |