Mr. Lincoln's Brown Water Navy: The Mississippi Squadron (The American Crisis Series: Books on the Civil War Era) Paperback – Import, 26 July 2007

I am bit of a history buff. After reading a book about my home town's (Covington, KY) involvement with the building / outfitting some of the steamboats used during the Civil War, I decided to order this book. While the writing itself is good, I do wish there would have been more/better maps. I am glad that I bought it.

Very interesting

Book effectively covers the Union's "Brown Water" navy concerning the background, development, and major actions involving the ironclads, tinclads, timberclads, and rams, as well as the people behind their development and those who led them into action. Would have liked more technical details on propulsion system and interiors, crew makeup, and what it was like to live and work on them, other than they were hot and cramped. Improved wordsmithing could have made it an easier read.There are a few details regarding actions that I'm familiar with that appear off. Concerning Island #10, Pope did not move his men, transports, and field pieces to New Madrid via the newly cut waterway as stated. The newly cut waterway was used by the transports to bypass Island #10 to get to New Madrid where Pope's men and field pieces were already waiting, having marched there weeks before and capturing the Missouri town. Also, the mortars were not positioned and operated from Island #9. The drawing provided, which is accurate, even shows they were downstream and along the Missouri shoreline. There is no source cited for those particular details, so not sure where they originated from. Would liked to have seen more inputs or quotes from soldiers and sailors concerning their observations and experiences.

This book has few photos, has good maps to support the campaign on the Mississippi in the ACW.

about the Brown Water Navy, unsung heroes of the Civil War. I've read hundreds of books on the Civil War, and have visited dozens of battlefield sites. This is the best book I have read about the Brown Water Navy, and I think at this point I have read them all, few that there are. A definite read for Civil War buffs, expecially if you don't know much about the role of the Brown Water Navy.