Osprey Graphic History 8 : Ironclads at War : The Monitor vs the Merrimac

On March 9, 1862, the world saw the first battle between two ironclad warships, a battle which would change the face of naval warfare forever. The fight took place in the Mississippi River, Virginia, between the newly developed Confederate ironclad CSS Merrimac, officially the CSS Virginia, and the Union's counterpart USS Monitor. The four hour duel that ensued was ultimately a stalemate, but crucially, despite their best efforts, the Confederacy had failed again to break the Northern blockade of the Southern ports. This comic strip narrative illustrates one of the most revolutionary naval battles in world history and transports the reader to the cramped and dangerous conditions that the sailors faced for the first time. Text by Dan Abnett with illustrations by Ron Wagner and Dheeraj Verma.

Contents

• Who's Who
• Background to the Historic Battle
• The Battle
• Aftermath
• Glossary
• Additional Resources