the sight of the C.S. flag in Mr. Switchum's prior post of course made me think of the Confederate Navy. and then in a logical progression of thought i immediately thought of Ironclads! so, here's the most famous Confederate one. C.S.S. Virginia. created of the hull and engines of the U.S.S Merrimack frigate which burned to the waterline in the taking of the Norfolk navy yard by the rebels. the hull was decked over and a wood and iron casemate erected. wood for the frames and planking and iron for the armor. 4" of iron rolled in 1 and 2" thicknesses. armed with 2 7"and 2 6.4" Brooke rifles and 6 9" Dahlgren smoothbores the Virginia was a formidable ship for the time. very slow and clumsy though. her first day at battle she sank two Union wooden warships U.S.S. Congress and U.S.S. Cumberland one by ramming and the other by gunfire. the second day was the famous battle with the U.S.S. Monitor. this was mostly a draw as neither ship sank or damaged the other significantly. the Virginia however, remained in possesion of the battlefield and indeed in days to come challenged the Monitor to battle several times. this unfortunatly never happened and the Virginia was finally blown up to prevent being turned over to the US forces.
confederate battle flag
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
the sight of the C.S. flag in Mr. Switchum's prior post of course made me think of the Confederate Navy. and then in a logical progression of thought i immediately thought of Ironclads! so, here's the most famous Confederate one. C.S.S. Virginia. created of the hull and engines of the U.S.S Merrimack frigate which burned to the waterline in the taking of the Norfolk navy yard by the rebels. the hull was decked over and a wood and iron casemate erected. wood for the frames and planking and iron for the armor. 4" of iron rolled in 1 and 2" thicknesses. armed with 2 7"and 2 6.4" Brooke rifles and 6 9" Dahlgren smoothbores the Virginia was a formidable ship for the time. very slow and clumsy though. her first day at battle she sank two Union wooden warships U.S.S. Congress and U.S.S. Cumberland one by ramming and the other by gunfire. the second day was the famous battle with the U.S.S. Monitor. this was mostly a draw as neither ship sank or damaged the other significantly. the Virginia however, remained in possesion of the battlefield and indeed in days to come challenged the Monitor to battle several times. this unfortunatly never happened and the Virginia was finally blown up to prevent being turned over to the US forces.
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