The Union's Atlantic Blockade Campaign of 1861.

The Unions Atlantic blockade campaign of the South during the first year of the American Civil War is analyzed in the general context of operational art and with a view to lessons learned. The joint operations of Union forces are described at the operational level. Tactical descriptions of the first two engagements are detailed only as necessary to understand operational movement. Flag Officer Silas Stringham and Major General Benjamin Butler led a joint expedition to gain Federal access to the North Carolina interior waterways. Flag Officer Samuel du Pont and Brigadier General Thomas Sherman led a second expedition to establish an ideal base of operations at Port Royal, South Carolina. The combination of overwhelming force and sound tactics at key decisive points led to important Union victories that opened the door to effective follow-on operations. The campaign as a whole significantly tightened the Union blockade of the South, and helped to establish the economic, political, and military context for ultimate Union victory in the Civil War. KAR P. 1