AT THE START OF THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR, NEITHER SIDE HAD WARSHIPS ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND IN THE FIRST FEW MONTHS BOTH SIDES SCRAMBLED TO GATHER A FLOTILLA, CONVERTING EXISTING RIVERBOATS FOR NAVAL USE. These ships were transformed into powerful naval weapons despite a lack of resources, trained manpower and suitable vessels. The creation of a river fleet was a miracle of ingenuity, improvisation and logistics, particularly for the South. This illustrated history describes their design, development and operation throughout the American Civil War.