The invention of the ironclad was a huge innovation of the war. It changed naval battle as the people knew it. Whether it was the larger ocean faring ships or the smaller river ships, they all were very influential to the war. The ability to withstand enemy fire, as well as return fire with forty-two pound cannon balls, was a great change to the way they previously fought their naval battles. They were able to attack the shore line and be almost untouchable to the people on the land. The ships were very capable of doing great damage and when called they usually did. For a while the only way to stop an ironclad was to defend with another ironclad. This invention had potential to produce great effects.

The first ironclad was the CSS Virginia, which had formally been the Union warship Merrimac. When the Confederates took the...