Commerce raiding and the limits of disrupting sea control

Commerce raiding offered a practical option to a navy unable to establish sea control or impose effective sea denial. It could dispute an opponent's freedom to use the sea by forcing attention and resources toward protecting trade. The intended effect included making the Union convoy its merchant ships. Too few Confederate raiders operated at any one time to justify that response, and the Union preferred to retain ships for the blockade. More available warships and pressure from the Union press eventually encouraged active hunts for the raiders.