In Running the Batteries, Peter Ericson tells the story of the Union gunboats on the western rivers. Using original sources which let the participants speak for themselves, the book follows the Union navy as it battles its way down river to the sea. Battles such as Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Island Number 10 and Vicksburg are brought out in great detail, as are lesser known battles such as Plum Run Bend, Memphis and the Red River Campaign.