On 12 October 1861, the CSS Manassas became the first ironclad to enter battle, when she fought Union warships on the Mississippi. She was converted from a commercial vessel in New Orleans for river and coastal fighting. In February 1862, the larger CSS Virginia joined the Confederate Navy, having been built at Norfolk. By this time the Union had completed seven ironclad gunboats of the City class, and was about to complete the USS Monitor, an innovative design proposed by the Swedish inventor John Ericsson. The Union was also building a large armored frigate, the USS New Ironsides, and the smaller USS Galena. The first battle between ironclads happened on 9 March 1862, as the armored raft Monitor was deployed to protect the Union's wooden fleet from the ironclad battery Virginia and other Confederate warships. In this engagement, named the Battle of Hampton Roads, the two ironclads repeatedly tried to ram one another while shells bounced off their armor. The battle attracted attention worldwide, making it clear that the wooden warship was now out of date with the ironclads destroying them easily.
The battle between the Monitor and the Merrimac during the US Civil War. It was the first time two ironclad ships had fought each other.
Ironclad warships that were used against each side were significant in the world of naval warfare. It made wooden warships and cargo ships easy targets for ironclad ships of war.
Heres two examples for the US: 1. US Civil War (American Civil War) 1861-1865 2. Vietnam War 1961-1975.
During the US Civil War, the first sea battle in history between two ironclads happened at Hampton Roads. on March 9, 1862. The Union ironclad was the USS Monitor, and the Southern ironclad was the CSS Virginia. The Virginia had been the USS Merrimack, but it was half scuttled at Norfolk and rebuilt as a Southern ironclad. Technically the battle was a draw. With that said, the US navy saw that cannon fire from the Virginia made serious dents in parts of the Monitor and feared another battle. That never happened as the Virginia was scuttled by the South to prevent it from falling into Union hands. Many ironclads based on the Monitor model were built by the Union.
The war of 1812 and The Civil War in the early 1860s.
The battle between the Monitor and the Merrimac during the US Civil War. It was the first time two ironclad ships had fought each other.
Samuel M. Pook designed the first Union ironclads. On October 12, 1861, the USS St. Louis was launched.
Based on the blueprints of the USS Monitor, ship building pioneer, Donald McKay built monitor type ironclads for the Union's navy during the US Civil War.
The ironclades of the US Civil War, proved to be warships that could easily destroy wooden cargo ships and wooden warships. Their importance was clear. They were able to dominate the high technolgy of the US Civil War with regards to sea battles.
At the US Civil War Battle of Hampton Roads, the first ever battle in war history between two ironclads took place. In 1862 the USS Monitor battled the CSS Virginia to a tie. Ironically both ships never saw duty again.
The US Civil War term of "Pook Turtles", described what the ironclads designed by Union inventor Samuel L. Pook.This was a small fleet of ironclad river warships designed by Pook. Seven of these were produced.
Ironclad warships were not new to the naval world, what the US Civil War presented was the first time two ironclads fought each other. That was at the Battle of Hampton Roads in 1862. Perhaps what changed sea warfare the most was the invention of the turret cannon that was new on the USS Monitor.
Ironclad warships that were used against each side were significant in the world of naval warfare. It made wooden warships and cargo ships easy targets for ironclad ships of war.
Although there were some US Civil War battles fought on the high seas, the CSC Alabama and the USS Kearsarge as one example; naval blockades and riverine warfare (Brown Water Navy) were the primary naval battles fought during the civil war.
US Civil War & Vietnam War are two examples.
the two sides during the US civil war were the union (North) and the confederacy (south)
The first two ironclad warships in the US Civil War were constructed based on the creativity of one man John Ericsson. Yes, he actually designed the USS Monitor, however, the CSS Virginia ironclad and the Monitor were able to sail based on Ericsson's perfection of the screw propeller. This allowed for mounting steam engines below the waterline and eliminated the paddle wheel driven ships.