Ironclad (Civ3)/Civilopedia

Ironclads were the forerunners of future generations of armored naval vessels. Instead of the simple wooden 
hulls found on the other ships at the time, ironclads were covered with strong metal plating. This plating 
made them nearly impervious to large-caliber explosive shells that would easily penetrate and destroy wooden 
vessels. Ironclads made their first appearance during the American Civil War, and quickly gained dominance 
over other ships of that era. Perhaps the most famous naval battle of the Civil War was the battle between 
the Confederate ironclad "Merrimack", and the Union ironclad "Monitor", which lasted for several hours before 
the "Merrimack" was forced to withdraw.