New era dawns in naval warfare

When the CSS Virginia and the USS Monitor slugged it out at Hampton Roads, Va., on March 9, 1862, it was the first battle in history between ironclad ships, ending in a draw. Contrary to a still-widespread belief, however, they were not the first ironclad ships in history. The French, followed closely by their British rivals, had been building armored vessels first.

The French government of Emperor Napoleon III began experimenting with the idea in 1854 during the Crimean War, a conflict fought mostly along the shores of the Black Sea, with France, Britain and Turkey on one side and Russia on the other.

The French government built four ironclad artillery platforms, each protected by 5 inches of armor. The platforms were not true seagoing ships. They had to be towed into place before opening fire. The platforms first went into service in late 1855, not against Russian ships but against Russia’s Kinbourn forts, and silenced them after a brief bombardment.

Ironically, one of the American officials sent to observe the war was Capt. George B. McClellan, who in 1861 would become the general in command of the Union’s Army of the Potomac. McClellan wrote a 360-page book of his observations, but if he ever saw the platforms, he never mentioned them.

Encouraged by this success, the French government built the first true ironclad ship, the Gloire, in 1858. The Gloire also was protected by 5 inches of iron. The ship’s armament consisted of 35 rifled cannons and a steel battering ram.

Almost immediately, the British responded with an ironclad ship of their own, the Warrior. Not surprisingly, the Warrior was a better-armed ship, with 48 guns. Its armor was also 5 inches thick. The Warrior may still be seen today, on display at Portsmouth, England.

In one respect, both the Gloire and the Warrior still clung to the past. They used sails as well as steam engines to get about. The Virginia (known as the Merrimack before the Confederates captured and armored her) and the Monitor relied upon engines only.

The British navy also built another, similar ironclad ship soon after the Warrior, named the Black Prince, after the eldest son of King Edward III. The popular Black Prince, however, died in 1376, before he could become king.

The battle of Hampton Roads showed the United States and other seafaring powers just how formidable ironclad ships could be. The Virginia was armed with 10 cannon and protected by 4 inches of armor.

The day before, March 8, 1862, it had easily sunk two wooden ships of the Union blockading squadron, the Cumberland and the Congress. It did this under constant fire from both ships, plus other Union ships in the area, and shore batteries. The Union shot just bounced off the Virginia’s armor.

Next day, March 9, 1862, the Virginia turned her attention to another Union ship, the Minnesota, but by then, the Monitor had shown up, ready for action. The Monitor had two cannons and 5-inch armor, except for the round turret, which had 8 inches. The two ironclads went for each other, and the same outcome was repeated, with cannon fire bouncing off both of them.

If there had been any remaining doubt among the world powers about a new era in naval warfare, there was none now. The April 2, 1862, Times of London wrote that there were 149 ships in the British navy, 147 of wood: “But does it not follow then, that our men-of-war are reduced to two?”

Or, as the March 29, 1862, Times had phrased it:”There is an end of wooden ships for ever.”

• John Lockwood is a Washington writer.