During the Civil War, the Union raised blockades along the coastline of southern territory in order to prevent the enemy to receive supplies from allied encampments. This occurrance gave birth to blockade runners, which were steamboats meant to bypass blockades and reach allied territory with supplies at hand. To Georgia, the receipt of supplies would have been a major boost to the Confederation's position in war, since it would have allowed them to trade their resources with foreign nations for military equipment comparable to that of the Union's gauge.