A naval duel off Hampton Roads, Virginia, marks the first time in history that two ironclad warships do battle.

Exploring the most important 55 months in American history
A naval duel off Hampton Roads, Virginia, marks the first time in history that two ironclad warships do battle.
Federals launch their first-ever ironclad warship, thereby changing the course of naval history.
Federals break an unofficial truce by reinforcing Fort Pickens, a vital installation near Pensacola, Florida.
President Abraham Lincoln orders the reinforcement of Fort Pickens at Pensacola, but mix-ups in orders make it more difficult than intended.
April 7, 1863 – Federal ironclads launched a doomed attack on the Confederate forts guarding Charleston Harbor. The Lincoln administration had pressured Rear Admiral Samuel