Lieutenant, U.S. Navy Chuck Veit

The experience and contributions of the Federal Navy in the Civil War differed greatly from those of the land forces. In addition to attacking Confederate fortifications on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts and along the inland rivers (sometimes with and ofttimes without the Army), the U.S. Navy dealt firsthand with the involvement of the European powers in the war. For much of the four years of fighting, England and France turned a blind eye toward the building of Confederate warships in their ports, and throughout the conflict, Rebel vessels (both government and private) loaded up with supplies in Europe and headed for the Confederate States to try to run the Union naval blockade. Frequently, such blockade runners were captained by British naval officers on extended leave. Northern warships pursued the "Secesh" commerce raiders around the world and patrolled the waters outside Southern ports to intercept the blockade runners as they tried to enter friendly harbors with the supplies so desperately needed by the armies of the Confederacy.

In addition to this global perspective, the U.S.N. also worked hand-in-glove with the Union Army in its campaigns into the South. Victories such as Shiloh, Vicksburg, and Island Number 10 in the West and Malvern Hill and Fort Fisher in the East were Navy as well as Army successes. Often the Navy's involvement required the landing of sailors and Marines ashore, acting either with or independent of the Army. The character I represent is a lieutenant in charge of such a landing party, which could range from a lone officer to twenty men and a boat howitzer -- or the several thousand men put ashore to assault Fort Fisher, the guardian of Wilmington.

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Links to web sites related to this topic:
The Homepage of the U.S. Naval Landing Party
The Navy & Marine Living History Association