Harper's Round Table, May 14, 1895

In this vivid recollection, a former president‑turned‑historian guides listeners to the spring of 1862, when the American Civil War turned the tide of naval combat. He paints a detailed picture of the Union’s mixed fleet of wooden sailing ships and early steamers waiting anxiously in Hampton Roads, while the Confederate iron‑clad ram, reborn from the shattered hull of the Merrimac, prepares to strike. The narrative balances technical insight—steam power, iron armor, the new ram and torpedo—with the human side of seasoned officers and crews standing at their stations, confident yet aware of the unprecedented danger ahead.

The essay emphasizes how this single encounter revealed a revolution as dramatic as the shift from galley to sailing ship centuries before. By comparing the familiar broadside cannons of the age‑old admirals with the steel‑clad beast that would dominate future seas, the speaker underscores the moment’s lasting impact on naval strategy. Listeners get a front‑row view of the tension, the booming artillery, and the awe of a nation witnessing the birth of modern warfare, all without spilling the final outcome of the battle.