What does 'ironclad' mean?
Find out what ironclad means. Ironclad is explained by J D R Hawkins - author of A Beautiful Glittering Lie
ironclad
A ship protected by iron armor. Ironclads were a new invention during the Civil War. Previously, only wooden-hulled ships were used in warfare.The first and most famous ironclad, the CSS Virginia (previously the USS Merrimack), is mentioned in my novel, A Beautiful Glittering Lie as follows:
(Page 141)
The 4th Alabama received word that Stonewall Jackson had attacked Union forces in the Shenandoah Valley, forcing the Yankees to rush back to Washington and defend the city from a possible Confederate attack. They also learned that Nathan Bedford Forrest’s men were on the move in Tennessee, and great concern arose over the possible invasion of Union troops into Alabama. A sig-nificant battle had taken place at Pea Ridge, Arkansas, with triumphant Union troops seizing control of the Missouri River. And at the mouth of the James River, the CSS Virginia, the first of its kind, being called an “ironclad,” met its equal with the Union’s ironclad, the USS Monitor. Both ships fired upon each other throughout the day of March 9, but neither was victorious. The Virginia was unable to penetrate and destroy the Union blockade.
Search result for 'ironclad' in A Beautiful Glittering Lie
Chapter 6:
Chapter Six
"...concern arose over the possible invasion of Alabama by Union troops. A significant battle had taken place at Pea Ridge, Arkansas, with triumphant Union troops seizing control of the Missouri River. And at the mouth of the James River, the CSS Virginia, the first of its kind, called an “ironclad,” met its equal with the Union’s ironclad, the USS Monitor. Both ships fired upon each other throughout the day of March 9, but neither was victorious. The Virginia was unable to penetrate and destroy the Union blockade.
..."
