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It took a very special sort of man to become a successful sailor in the Union Navy. They were rigidly disciplined, thoughtful and self-sacrificing, and showed obedience to their officers without question. These men became the epitome of all that was righteous and honorable within our military service...  and then there were the men of the Mississippi Squadron.

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Known for their heavy drinking, outward displays of masculinity, and steadfast and blatant resistance to authority, they forced naval officers to find and employ a variety of strategies to turn the bluejackets into effective sailors.

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​Robert Gudmestad, Professor of History at Colorado State University, is the author of The Devil's Own Purgatory: The United States Mississippi River Squadron in the Civil War. Join us for a conversation with Prof. Gudmestad, who will tell us more about the social world of the sailors in the famous / or infamous Mississippi Squadron!

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Join us!

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