ontest
of the Sounds, the victorious one of Hampton Roads; pining for the sea
in musty offices, or drilling green conscripts in sand batteries; marching
steadily to the last fight at Appomattox--far out of their element--the
Confederate sailors flinched not from fire nor fled from duty. Though
their country grumbled, and detraction and ingratitude often assailed
them; yet at the bitter ending no man nor woman in the broad South but
believed they had done their _devoir_--honestly--manfully--well!

Who in all that goodly throng of soldiers, statesmen and critics--did
more?

CHAPTER XXXI.

THE CHINESE-WALL BLOCKADE, ABROAD AND AT HOME.

Potent factor in sapping the foundations of Confederate hope and of
Confederate credit, was the blockade.

First held in contempt; later fruitful mother of errors, as to the
movements and intentions of European powers; ever the growing
constrictor--whose coil was slowly, but surely, to crush out life--it
became each year harder to bear:--at last unbearable!

At first, Mr. Lincoln's proclamation was laughed to scorn at the South.
The vast extent of South Atlantic and Gulf coast--pierced with
innumerable safe harbors--seemed to defy any scheme for hermetic
sealing. The limited Federal navy was powerless to do more than keep
loose watch over ports of a few large cities; and, if these were even
effectually closed, it was felt that new ones would open, on every
hand, inviting the ventures of enterprising sailors.

This reasoning had good basis, at first; and--had the South made prompt
and efficient use of opportunity and resources at hand, by placing
credits abroad and running in essential supplies--the result of the
first year's blockade might largely have nullified its effect, for the
last three. But there seemed indurated contempt for the safety-bearing
look ahead; and its very inefficiency, at the outset, of the blockade
lulled the South into false security.

The preceding pages note the rapid and vast growth of the Union navy;
but the South misjudged--until error had proved fatal--that enterprise
and "grit" of Yankee character; that fixed steadiness of purpose which
forced both, ever, into most resultful effort. And, so gradual were
appreciable results of this naval growth; so nearly imperceptible was
the actual closing of southern ports--that the masses of the people
realized no real evil, until it had long been accomplished fact.

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