The Confederate unveils a new metal-plated ram to break the Federal blockade at the mouth of the Mississippi River.

Exploring the most important 55 months in American history
The Confederate unveils a new metal-plated ram to break the Federal blockade at the mouth of the Mississippi River.
Professor Thaddeus Lowe ascends in a balloon to demonstrate the usefulness of aerial military reconnaissance, and J.D. Mills demonstrates a forerunner to the modern machine gun.