U.S. Naval Cowboys on the Mississippi-October 1862

In 19th century American history, the long range cattle drive is one of the great icons of the era.  One such drive of 1,500 head of cattle ...

Playing With Fire off the Cuban Coast, October 1862

A route frequently used by Anglo-Confederate blockade runners went from Matamoros, Mexico to Havana, Cuba, ending at Mobile, Alabama.  The s...

Alabama's Gulf Stream Raid, October 3-15, 1862

Alabama burning the ship Brilliante and her $93,000 worth of grain off the coast of Nova Scotia When CSS Alabama and her captain Raphel Se...

War on the Periphery-U.S. Naval Forces Capture Galveston, Texas

The port of Galveston, Texas represented the far western edge of Civil War Naval activity.  Before the war, the port did brisk business in t...

Salt Works Raid at Cedar Key

Drawing of USS Ellen , a converted New York ferryboat; USS Somerset would likely have looked similar. Note that ship is firing on a target o...

CSS Virginia LEGO Ship Instructions Available for Download

Click on the above image to download the instructions (.pdf) The wait is finally over!  As part of the new "Brick by Brick: LEGO Shipbu...

US Navy Patrols on the St. Johns River, Florida

The take-over of the Confederate battery on St. Johns Bluff opened the St. Johns River to US Navy forces to conduct patrols up the river. ...