The Union Blockade was meant to prevent the Confederacy from trading. Scholars have debated the benefits and disadvantages that this blockage experienced. The blockade monitored and controlled approximately 3,500 miles of the Atlantic and Gulf coastline, and twelve ports. Despite many ships passing through the blockade, it is arguably correct to say that the blockade was successful.
The main reason why the blockade was successful is that many of the ships that got through the blockade carried through very few commodities. In addition to this, the Union caught approximately 500 ships, which had approximately 1,500 people during the whole war. The blockade was successful because it eventually destroyed the economy of the South, which was the aim of the whole project. In addition to this, very few lives were lost. Similarly, there were very many other ships that did not try to cross the borders. They were too afraid of being caught or being destroyed that they refused to use any route within the route mentioned. Due to the successful blockade, the cotton industry in the South suffered and this crushed the Confederation as it depended heavily on cotton production. The blockade also reduced the training of war materials to the South, luxury products, food and other manufactured goods.
The Confederation, due to pressure and the negative impacts of the blockade, decided to use smaller, faster ships to penetrate the region. Some of the smaller ships were used to attack the blockade. However, no attack was successful as the confederation lost more men and resources during the attacks.