It's the night of March 19, 1863.

The American Civil War is two years old, and off the coast of Charleston, South Carolina,

the Confederate warship SS Georgiana, steams through the darkness.

Standing on deck, the ship's Captain A.B. Davidson peers out into the night.

Sky brightens as a distant cannon fires.

Captain Davidson breathes a sigh of relief as the cannonball just misses his ship,

but it's no time to relax. He knows they've

been spotted, and soon every enemy vessel in the area will be upon them. Six months ago,

Confederate leaders ordered the construction of what they hoped would be the fastest ship in

their fleet. The SS Georgiana was designed to carry vital war supplies to the Confederate Army,

using its speed to evade the union blockade around the southern states.

Now that Georgiana has been finished, and on its maiden voyage,

Captain Davidson has the dangerous task of delivering the new warship into Confederate territory.

Go, go, go!

Captain Davidson orders maximum speed.

The ship picks up pace and the water is pounding against its iron hull.

But then, out of the darkness, looms an enemy ship.

It's the USS Wissahicken.

The two ships are so close that Captain Davidson can hear his counterpart on the Wissahickin

giving the order to fire.

Cannonballs punch through the Georgiana's hull.

Water rushes into the ship, but Captain Davidson roars at his men to press on.

...