Book excerpt: This gripping history of the United States Navy offers a vivid account of its role in some of the most important conflicts of the 19th and early 20th centuries. From the Civil War to the First World War, the Navy played a crucial role in defending American interests and projecting American power on the global stage. With its compelling narrative and insightful analysis, this book is an essential resource for anyone interested in the history of the United States. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.