"This reference lists the ships of the U.S. Navy and the Confederate Navy during the war between the North and South and the years immediately following - a significant period in the evolution of warships, the use of steam propulsion, and the development of ordnance. Civil War Navies provides a wealth and variety of material not found in other books on the subject and saves readers from the need to track down information in multiple sources.".

"Each ship's size and time and place of construction are listed along with particulars of naval service. The author provides historical details about each ship that include actions fought, damage sustained, prizes taken, ships sunk, and dates in and out of commission as well as information about when the ship left the navy, names used in other services, and its ultimate fate.

One hundred forty photographs, including one of the Confederate cruiser Alabama recently uncovered by the author, further contribute to this volume."--BOOK JACKET.