these next several slides by the way are from the sketch book of charles ellory stedman who was the ship's doctor on the uss huron. one of the vessels on the blockade. he kept a sketch book which provides just about the only contemporary images of the blockade that we have today. the union sailors who kept the watch and fed the engines and manned the guns on these blockading vessels, from virginia to texas, found life at sea mostly an endless tedium of routine. they spent interminable days focused intently on the horizon off to one direction or into the harbors, in the other direction, to catch just a trace of black smoke that would indicate a vessel firing up the boilers, preparing to get under way. alas, day by day, week by week, passed with no sign of a block aid runner offshore or vessel in port trying to come out. soon enough, time began to hang very heavy on the watchers. night though -- was the most dangerous time. for that was when the blockade runners were more likely to attempt to slip in or out of port. in the middle of a moonless night or perhaps, during a rain squall, maybe bo