Review Written 01/27/2019
This is a history of the Battle of the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia (Merrimac) March 8-9, 1862. It includes the history of the ships, their climactic battle, and the aftermath of their fight. The book is supplemented by pictures, eyewitness acounts, battle maps, and a bibliography that is useful for further reading.
On March 8, 1862, the newest era of naval warfare began. The CSS Virginia, an ironclad the Confederates converted from the scuttled hull of the USS Merrimac sailed down the Elizabeth River to Hampton Roads, where a Union blockade fleet was anchored. The Federal fleet of wooden ships were no match for the ironclad, which rammed and sank the USS Cumberland, and used canonade to shoot the USS Congress to pieces. During their brief encounter the Congress return fire glanced of the CSS Virginia's sloping iron-plated sides, without apparent effect.
While the CSS Virginia demonstrated the superiority of the ironclad over the traditional wooden gunships, it met its match the following day. On March 9, the North’s ironclad, the USS Monitor, arrived to challenge the Confederate ironclad. Though they were both outfitted with iron, the two ships had important differences. The CSS Virginia's raised superstructure held more guns than the USS Monitor, it was slower and much less maneuverable. The two ironclads fought to a stand-still that day, but future naval warfare was never the same. The North industrial capacity was able to exploit the Ironclad ship design and dominate naval warfare throughout the Civil War.
This book was professionally researched from numerous primary and secondary sources, written, and published by Charles Rivers Editors. This publishing house has produced an extensive collection of thoroughly researched, concise, informative, and well written historical texts. This collection is focused on chronicling the lives of historically important persons, events, nations, and peoples. I have read many of their offerings and found each volume well written, researched, informative and presented with an unbiased perspective..
This book provided a fact filled, straight forward chronicle that is enjoyable to read and easily comprehendable. It was well researched and carefully crafted to integrate eyewitness accounts of battle from key sources to support the documented facts. It is written in a remarkably clear, engaging, and understandable manner. All consider, this book provided a balanced, factual chronicle of war, that included social, cultural, political, and economic discussion in the narrative, while, carefully attending to the military aspects of the war. Readers who enjoy American history and US Civil War history, will enjoy this book.
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Edwin Charles Lowe
A History of Naval Warfare!!!!
Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2019Verified Purchase
Jan
Meh
Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2019Verified Purchase
Hank Petruskewic Jr.
Very good book about the Ironclads that changed the course of Naval history forever.
Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2019Verified Purchase
Sci fi fan
Left me wanting more
Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2012Verified Purchase