Black sailors in the Civil War a history of fugitives, freemen and freedmen aboard Union vessels History of fugitives, freemen and freedmen aboard Union vessels Bruns, James H. creator author. text bibliography biography History. ncu 2023 monographic eng print viii, 238 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm "Thousands of black sailors served with valor during the Civil War. Yet few histories have highlighted their significant contributions to the Union's impressive string of naval victories throughout the war, which prompted Lincoln's Secretary of the Navy, Gideon Welles, to declare that if the army could not win the war, the navy would have to. Drawing on official naval records, personal letters and journals, and oral histories of formerly enslaved Americans, this volume documents the service of fugitive, freemen and freed black sailors, 1861-1865"-- "That will do": Towards Freedom -- Runaways -- Robert Smalls -- Northern Black Mariners -- Recruiting in Major Cities -- Welcome to the Navy -- The Need for Army Contrabands and Its Fleet -- From Overseers to Boatswains Mates -- Blue-Water Black Bluejackets -- Brown-Water Black Bluejackets -- The Great Exodus in 1862 and 1863 -- Seizing the Lower Mississippi: David Farragut, -- the Minority Flag Officer -- Capturing the Upper Mississippi: Andrew Hull -- Foote, the Union's Pious Sailor -- Vicksburg: The Gibraltar of the Confederacy -- Prizes and Problems Along the Red River -- Coffee -- The Safest Service -- Marked Passing -- Black Bluejacket Valor -- The Union Navy's War on Salt -- Mobile Bay -- The Union's Starships -- The Aftermath. James H. Bruns. Includes bibliographical references and index. n-us--- United States. Navy African Americans History Civil War, 1861-1865 United States History Civil War, 1861-1865 Participation, African American United States History Civil War, 1861-1865 Naval operations African American merchant mariners History 19th century Fugitive slaves United States History 19th century HISTORY / United States / Civil War Period (1850-1877) HISTORY / Military / United States United States. Navy. African American merchant mariners Armed Forces African Americans Fugitive slaves Military operations, Naval Military participation African American United States American Civil War (United States : 1861-1865) fast (OCoLC)fst01351658 1800-1899 fast E591 .B78 2023 973.7/58 HIS036050 HIS027110 9781476690544 1476690545 9781476648392 2023002378 pda,print DLC 230118 20250318215203.0 in00004729668 eng