Confederate Ironclad 1861-65

The creation of a Confederate ironclad fleet was a miracle of ingenuity, improvisation and logistics. Surrounded by a superior enemy fleet, Confederate designers adapted existing vessels or created new ones from the keel up with the sole purpose of breaking the naval stranglehold on the nascent country. Her ironclads were build in remote cornfields, on small inland rivers or in naval yards within sight of the enemy. The result was an unorthodox but remarkable collection of vessels, which were able to contest the rivers and coastal waters of the South for five years. This title explains how these vessels worked, how they were constructed, how they were manned and how they fought.

Introduction · Creation of a fleet · Ironclad designs · The European option · Shipbuilding · The Ironclad's role · Officers and men · Ordnance · Life on board · Tactics · The Confederate Ironclads · Bibliography · Color plate commentary · Index