Over the past few months, we have included a series of polls on the CWN 150 blog asking readers this question: "Who Was the Greatest Naval Officer During the American Civil War?" After seven weeks of voting, we are on our last round of voting before going into the next "playoff" round between Union and Confederate officers. After a week's worth of voting, John M. Brooke, creator of the infamous Brooke Rifle, won week 7's poll with 7 votes. You can read a brief bio of John M. Brooke HERE courtesy of the Naval History and Heritage Command. Here is a picture of a Brooke Rifle used by a Confederate Battery along the James River:
This week's final Round 1 poll with highlight the last four Confederate naval officers on our list: Franklin Buchanan, John Maffitt, Samuel Barron, and Matthew F. Maury.
Please encourage others to vote in this poll. Although voting for these men may seem a bit superficial, your participation helps CWN 150 participant organization gain a better understanding of exactly what has "stuck" over the past 150 years.
One of the goals of the CWN 150 is to understand who and what enthusiasts and general public alike feel about the Civil War Navy. In a sesquicentennial that is already drawing up much attention in the press, it is important to understand how the Civil War Navy is regarded in public memory. As we approach the final days before the official 150th anniversary of America's most troubling period in its short history, your thoughts and ideas on the "webbed feet" of the war will be greatly appreciated.
Happy Holidays from the Civil War Navy Sesquicentennial.
