Prang's Naval Expedition Maps

Published by Prang in 1862, this image shows Prang’s Naval Expedition Maps. It details eight separate maps that highlight how important coastal and river access was for both sides, with both occupying long–established forts along rivers and at ports, as well as constructing further defences. The naval engagements during the war and the blockade imposed around the South demonstrate how important access to the sea was to America in this period. The maps show here depict the waterways around Cairo, Illinois, which provided a route south, the fortifications within Pensacola and Mobile Bays, the coast around Charleston and Savannah’s harbours, the Mississippi River and the waterways around the Lower Mississippi into the Gulf of Mexico. Around the edge of the map are flags of the world’s maritime nations.