SEPTEMBER 17TH, 1861: Secretary of Navy Welles wrote Flag officer Goldsborough, appointed to command the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron: "It is essentially necessary that the Navy should at this point put forth all of its strength and demonstrate to the country and to foreign powers its usefulness and capability in protecting and supporting the Government and the Union.
"There must be no commercial intercourse with the ports that are in insurrection, and our Navy must, by its power, energy, and activity, enforce the views of the President and the Government on this subject.
"Privateers to depredate on our commerce and rob our countrymen pursuing their peaceful avocations must not be permitted...."
In other words, close those ports and get those privateers.
--Old B-Runner
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