Confederate Ironclad

A detailed Summary of Confederate Ironclad

The Confederate Ironclad "Virginia" was a compelling read to say the least. The subject of this book is the origin of the Ironclad battleships in the Americas, specifically relating to the ships "Virginia" and the "Monitor" in the beginning of the U.S. Civil War. The book also is about, although much more subtly, how the South had the North extremely fearful of the South's capabilities for 2 months of this conflict. The author, Trexler, uses this book to focus on the "Virginia" and the circumstances regarding her invention, implementation, and destruction all in a relatively short time period.

Prior to the civil war, all navies throughout the world were of a wooden variety. Ships had been built using wood for hundreds of years and this was common practice amongst shipyards. Beginning with the late 1830's however, both the French and the British, the long-time naval power of the world, began putting iron on the outsides of some of their warships. This was done without the immediate threat of battle, and thus these ships were never tested in actual combat situations so nobody really knew the effectiveness of them.

In Virginia, in 1860, the Gosport Yard was the best shipyard the America's had built, and was home to a dry-do

ck and 3 shipbuilding warehouses. It was home to the ship "Merrimack," a five-year-old vessel that was one of the largest in the Navy. The ship was also retired, have spent a few uneventful years patrolling the West Indies. As the "Merrimack" sat rotting away in the shipyard the United States was in a state of upheaval, with the southern states South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas all seceding from the Union.

The South was very lucky to attain Gosport Yard, as many cannons, guns, and ammunitions had been left behind in the hasty departure. Seven ships, including the "Merrimack" were able to be salvaged from the ocean floor. Having been burned and underwater for 40 days, the ship and its engines were in terrible condition. The South needed every ship they could find, however, as they began the Civil War with a navy consisting of zero ships. The Merrimack was now called the "Virginia", but it was going to cost $450, 000 to repair, a sum that was too great for the South.

It is my personal opinion that this was a great book, and the fact that is was written so long ago (1924) only adds to its credibility. While there may be more factual and physical evidence today, the story as told by Trexler lends credibility to the South, who I generally regard with distaste when it concerns the Civil War. Trexler paints them as resourceful and witty, and that is a main reason why I liked this story. The creative thinking of the South and more specifically Mr. Mallory and Mr. Welles are reasons why I often watch the history channel, because it never ceases to amaze me what people are able to devise given the circumstances around them. I would recommend this book to everyone, from the girls looking for historical analysis to the boys who want tales of battle, this is a great book.

This book also illustrates the paranoia that was rampant in the beginning of the civil war, with neither side having any idea what the other was up to. The North supposedly knew about the "Virginia," yet seemed taken by su

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Approximate Word count = 1388
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History