Indeed, by the end of the conflict, Welles had become quite ruthless in his search for effective squadron commanders capable of filling the Navys increasingly difficult missions. Although some of Welless earliest selections left something to be desired, his insight improved markedly as the war continued and he gained a greater understanding of the Navy and its officer corps. Welles factored into his mental calculations seniority, availability, and political connections, but he was most interested in an officers record, character, and abilities. Welles used this authority to make appointments to squadron command based on several criteria. Lincoln not only trusted Welless judgment, but he also understood that the Navy was not as important to the Union war effort militarily and politically as the Army, so there was less of a need for him to oversee closely its operations. Examining who Welles assigned to squadron command and why he appointed these officers, Taaffe argues that President Abraham Lincoln gave Welles considerable latitude in picking squadron commanders. To wage this multifaceted war, Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles divided the Union Navy into six squadrons. The Union Navy played a vital role in winning the Civil War by blockading Confederate ports, co-operating with the Union Army in amphibious assaults, and operating on the Mississippi River and its tributaries.
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