The Union Navy in the Civil War In discussions concerning the civil war, credit is usually given to the Union Army. However, there is consensus among many historians that the war could not have been won without the help of the Union Navy. This is an aspect that is more often than not overlooked, resulting to low credit to the navy’s role in the war 1 . During the Civil War, the Union Army and Navy collaborated and many a times developed joint war plans that negated the confederacy’s strengths in the south and effectively quashed its intentions to advance northwards 2 . The Union Navy’s role mainly involved mounting blockades along the coastline of the confederate states with the sole intention of starving the Confederate forces of much-needed supplies 3 . Precisely, the Union navy blockades primarily aimed at preventing confederate ships from accessing European ports, significantly hindering the capacities of both the Confederate army and navy. After blockade goals had been achieved, the Union navy aided the Union army in land battles, especially in the battles of Shiloh and Vicksburg. The battle of Shilloh followed the capture of Fort Henry by the Union army. Their success was largely due to the blockade provided by the Union navy 4 . In the following weeks after the capture, both the Union army and the Union navy worked together, gaining ground upstream till the clash that later would be named the Battle of Shilloh. In the battle of Vicksburg, the Union navy helped mainly in transporting ground soldiers because the canal that the Union forces relied on was destroyed by a broken levee 5 . Whether or not the Union army could have succeeded without the Union navy’s help is debatable. However, it is important to remember that during the civil war, military technology was not very advanced, and armies relied on numbers. Therefore, it is justified to conclude that there were chances that the army could have lost without the navy’s help. Supplies to the Civil War Armies In any battlefield, logistics is one of the factors that determine if an army triumphs or not. The situation was not different during the civil war. Both Union and Confederate armies mobilized huge logistical operations that helped ensure that soldiers were well equipped and supplied to maintain momentum and high morale. Historians agree that the Union army was generally more organized and had the advanced capability in meeting the soldiers’ needs. The Union army had transport regiments that were primarily tasked with ferrying supplies to the battlefield. The union army built railroads and emergency bridges in their quest to meet soldiers’ needs on the battlefield. In any battlefield, medical supplies are critical for survival and the general outcome of a war. In this regard, the Union army, together with the navy, built steamboats and floating hospitals equipped with medical supplies, doctors, and nurses to provide adequate medical care. Unlike the Union army, the Confederate supply machine was loose and inadequate. State governments were mandated to supply the soldiers. However, most could not work due to dire financial situations and acute disorganization. The Confederate army operated dilapidated railroads that resulted in ineffective transport. At times, the confederate army was so desperate for supplies that were not forthcoming that they had