The Federal Government had gained the first important base on the
Southern coast for her blockading squadron and given a foothold for the
military invasion of North Carolina.
The President at Richmond was compelled to watch this tragedy in
helpless sorrow. The South had no navy with which to dispute the command
of the sea and yet she had three thousand miles of coast line!
With swift, remorseless sweep the navy struck Port Royal, South
Carolina, and established the second secure base for the blockading
squadrons.
The Beaufort district of South Carolina captured by this expedition was
one of the richest and most thickly settled of the State, containing
fifteen hundred square miles. It produced annually fifty million pounds
of rice and fourteen thousand bales of cotton. And in its population
were thirty thousand slaves suddenly brought under the power of the
Federal Government.
The coast of Florida was next pierced. The blockade of the enormous
coast line of the South was declared at first an impossibility. Within
less than a year the United States Navy had established bases within
striking distance of every port. New ships were being launched,
purchased or chartered daily and the giant Anaconda was slowly winding
its terrible coil about the commerce of the Confederacy.
Pages:
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294