The Monitor and the Virginia, it happened just a few miles from where I live.
I've even worked in Dry Dock 1 where the Virginia was built !
I ran across an interesting story the other day about The Cottonclads that took back Galveston.
Jan 1 1863, a small fleet of five Confederate cottonclads, steamed into Galveston harbor. They were John Magruder's. They were called cottonclads due to the bales of cotton stacked on the decks.
John Magruder
This fleet was determined to retake Galveston Harbor and end the Blockade.
Aboard the Westfield was William B Renshaw The Federal Fleet Commander.
The Westfield responding to the Confederate attack ran aground. When other Federal ships came to her aid, Confederate batteries from the opposite shore drove them away.
Renfield decided to destroy the Westfield, and succeeded in doing so. But he and several of his crew were killed in the explosion. ( Shoulda had a longer fuse )
Renfiel destroying the Westfield.
While this was going on the Confederate gunboat Bayou slugged it out with the Union Side-wheeler Harriet Lane. The Bayou blasted a hole in the Harriet Lanes wheelhouse before it's cannon blew apart.
Then the Bayou rammed the Lane, Confederates swarmed the Lane and captured her.
The remaining Federal ships slipped off under a flag of truce.
A Happy New Year for Galveston !
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