Hey everyone, welcome to episode 106 of our Civil War podcast.

My name is Rich.

And I'm Tracy.

Hello y'all.

Thanks for tuning into the podcast.

Last week we focused our attention on the Confederacy's efforts to use the salvaged

hull and engines of the USS Merrimack as the basis to construct a new iron armored

warship, the CSS Virginia.

This week we'll turn our gaze northward and look at the union's answer to the Confederate

ironclad.

It was no secret that the rebels were working on constructing an ironclad.

Idiot and Wells, Abraham Lincoln's Secretary of the Navy, found out about the progress

the Confederacy was making on converting the Merrimack's remains simply by reading the

newspapers.

And as work proceeded on the Virginia, it became evident to Wells that if the enemy succeeded

in launching its ironclad, then there wasn't a union ship at Hampton Roads or anywhere

else that could stand up to her.

And so Wells quickly took measures that would allow the U.S. Navy to build its own iron

clad.

Last week we talked about how the Confederacy was lucky to have the capable and hardworking

Stephen Mallory's service Secretary of the Navy in Jefferson, Davis's cabinet.

But the union was just as fortunate that Mallory's counterpart in Washington was Connecticut

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