Description

This solid metal display piece is sure to look excellent on a desk, bookshelf or in any Civil War themed room. It’s also an excellent gift for the young rebel. The detailed ironclad can also be removed from its metal display base.

The history of the CSS Virginia

The USS Merrimack was scuttled by the Union Navy on April 20, 1861, when they abandoned Gosport Naval Yard at Portsmouth, Virginia. The next day, the Confederates took control of the yard. They raised the Merrimack’s hull and converted the ship into an ironclad. It was commissioned the CSS Virginia on February 17, 1862. The Virginia sank 2 Union wooden warships on March 8, 1862, and proved the power of iron over wood. The next day the Virginia fought the USS monitor to a standstill. This engagement forever changed naval warfare. When Norfolk was abandoned due to an attack organized by President Lincoln on May 10, 1862, the Confederates were forced to scuttle the CSS Virginia the next day.