From the Preface--Established in 1800 with a small collection of books that served the Secretary of the Navy, the [Navy Department Library] holds the most comprehensive collection of U.S. navy literature. For the past two hundred years, it has collected the books, documents, journals, and manuscripts the record the Navy's achievement in combat, international diplomacy, exploration, technological development, medicine, education, and social reform. This literature described in the catalog chronicles the more significant events, customs and traditions, organizations, and personalities in navel history, providing insight into the origins and development of Navy doctrine.

From the Preface--Established in 1800 with a small collection of books that served the Secretary of the Navy, the [Navy Department Library] holds the most comprehensive collection of U.S. navy literature. For the past two hundred years, it has collected the books, documents, journals, and manuscripts the record the Navy's achievement in combat, international diplomacy, exploration, technological development, medicine, education, and social reform. This literature described in the catalog chronicles the more significant events, customs and traditions, organizations, and personalities in navel history, providing insight into the origins and development of Navy doctrine.

Excerpt from The Chase of the Rebel Steamer of War Oreto, Commander J. N. Maffitt, C. S. N. Into the Bay of Mobile: By the United States Steam Sloop Oneida, Commander Geo; Henry Preble, U. S. N. September 4, 1862 Sir, - I regret having to inform you that a three master screw steamer, bearing an English red ensign and pennant, and carrying four quarter boats and a battery of six or eight broadside guns and one or two pivots, and having every appearance of an English man-of-war, ran the blockade this afternoon under the following circumstances: I had sent the Winona to the westward to speak a schooner standing in under sail, when the smoke of a steamer was discovered bearing about south-east, and standing directly for us. Observing that she was "burning black smoke," I immediately got the Oneida under way and stood toward her, signalling to the Winona to "chase at discretion." We soon neared the stranger in company with the Winona, who, as we approached him, gradually hauled to the northward and westward. When abeam, of him, about one hundred yards distant, I hailed him, but receiving no answer I fired a shot across his bow. He ranged ahead without stopping, but still thinking him an English man-of-war I fired two more shots across his bow, and then directed a shot at him, which unfortunately went over, between his fore and mainmasts. He soon hauled down his flag, and trained his guns to bear on us, but having no flag to fight under did not fire. We continued firing at him, assisted by the Winona and one of the mortar schooners, but he made sail, and by his superior speed and unparalleled audacity managed to escape us. We sent our shot and shell all around and over him, and are certain that several of our shot and the Winona's struck him. The Cayuga was to the westward of the port, and not in signal distance. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

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