In 1861 the Confederacy was protected on its western flank by the Mississippi River and a devil's gauntlet of fortresses and shore batteries that prevented the Union from sending troops and supplies up and down the river. With General Grant determined to strike a land blow through Vicksburg, the Mississippi had to be won. To achieve this goal, the Union forces unleashed a deadly new fleet of warships: ironclad gunboats, armed to the teeth. There had never been anything like these ships--the Civil War ironclads wrote a stunning new page in naval history and helped seal the fate of the rebellion. Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005. For personal use only. All rights reserved.