Ironclads were the favored ships of British Royal Navy warships during the Napoleonic wars. Their main weapons were guns, which could fire live ammunition at enemy vessels in a moment’s notice. At the beginning of the war, ironclads were larger than the ironclad warships, as the ironclad boats were expected to protect the smaller ironclad ships from attacks made by smaller German warships. However, in the later part of the war, when steel became available for the manufacture of ironclads, the size of Ironclads was decreased. The use of ironclads in the United States Navy declined in the mid-nineteenth century because steel was cheaper.
During the Civil War, ironclads played an important role in the Navy and in the war against the Union. A battle was fought near Petersburg, Virginia between the Union forces and the Confederates, and the Ironclad was used to protect the port of Fort Lee from bombardment. In this battle, the Ironclad fired on the Confederate warships at the mouth of the Potomac River, sinking over one hundred and twenty vessels.
The development of ironclads during the civil war marked the beginning of the end of wooden ships in the Navy. Even though steel was cheaper than wood, the ironclads provided better protection. Unlike the ironclad warships that had been built before the war, ironclads were better equipped to face the North American battleship as well as other ocean vessels. The ironclad warship was designed to fire upon any vessel that came within range.
The ironclad battleship New Jersey served in the Spanish-American War (USS Monitor) as well as the War with England (USS Wisconsin). During the Civil War, the Ironclad served as the main battle ship in the “FIRST US ARMY” battle at Fort Henry. The ironclads of this period also fought in the Dixie War (Alabama vs. Texas) and the War of the Southern States (USS Monitor). Although these ships did not fight in World War II, they are still included in the US Navy Battle Navy List.
The steamship era ended with the advent of the coal industry. Although there were some advances made in the design of ironclads for use in the war, the general concept remained the same. Steel became cheaper, so more boats could be produced. However, because of its cost, the Navy generally did not have as many ironclad vessels as it needed. Because ironclad vessels were not used in the Civil War, the ironclad vessel’s name comes from the iron used in making the guns.
Today, there are more modern designs of ironclads than in the past. Some of them are listed below. Some of these ships are featured onpages of magazines and books about ships. If you are looking for a beautiful, authentic history of ironclads that can be enjoyed by children and grandchildren, you should visit the north Carolina shores and ports of call to view the many wonderful ironclads of yesteryear.
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