Brown water warfare : the U.S. Navy in riverine warfare and the emergence of a tactical doctrine, 1775-1970 / R. Blake Dunnavent ; foreword by James C. Bradford and Gene A. Smith.

Includes bibliographical references (pages [143]-176) and index.

1. The American Revolution -- 2. The Jeffersonian Gunboat Era -- 3. The Second Seminole War -- 4. The Mexican-American War -- 5. The Civil War -- 6. On the Rio Grande Station -- 7. On the Asiatic Station -- 8. The Vietnam Conflict -- App. Selected Types of Riverine Craft.

"R. Blake Dunnavent traces the evolution of riverine warfare in U.S. military operations from its informal inception in the 18th century to its establishment as a formal doctrine in the 20th century.

As the key to understanding the emergence, development, and later adoption of this particular military strategy, he examines the conflicts in which riverine tactics figured prominently: the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Second Seminole War, the Mexican War, the Civil War, the Rio Grande Patrol, the Philippine-American War/Yangtze River Patrol, and the Vietnam War.".

"Materials from the National Archives, Navy Operational Archives, Marine Corps Archives, Library of Congress, and private collections serve as the basis for his investigation. Engraving, drawings, photographs, and detailed maps enable the reader to visualize the events described in each chapter. Relatively little else has been published with regard to the United States' role on inland waterways, domestic or international.

For military historians as well as buffs, Brown Water Warfare fills a historical gap as the only complete study for those interested in U.S. riverine military history."--BOOK JACKET.