Confederate Ironclads Attack the Charleston Blockade

CSS Palmetto State The Confederate States Navy had two ironclads of note defending Charleston: CSS Palmetto State and CSS Chicora .  The sq...

The U.S. Navy's Newest Weapon-USS New Ironsides

In late August 1862, the Philadelphia Inquirer ran the above headline and sketch of the U.S. Navy's newest ironclad that just left the ...

The U.S. Navy's Ironclad Board-Good Ideas/Bad Ideas

In August 1861, Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles tasked three veteran naval officers, Commodore Joseph Smith, Commodore Hiram Paulding, a...

David Takes On Goliath: 5 October 1863

On the night of 5 October 1863, David faced Goliath. It would not be the epic showdown of biblical times during the American Civil War, but ...