Ironclad: The Epic Battle, Calamitous Loss, and Historic Recovery of the USS Monitor

The true story of the Civil War ironclad that saved the Union Navy only to sink in a storm--and its remarkable salvage 140 years later

Ironclad tells the saga of the warship USS Monitor and its salvage, one of the most complex and dangerous in history. The Monitor is followed through its maiden voyage from New York to Hampton Roads, its battle with the Merrimack, and its loss off Cape Hatteras. At the same time, author Paul Clancy takes readers behind the scenes of an improbable collaboration between navy divers and cautious archaeologists working 240 feet deep.

Clancy creates a memorable, fascinating read, including fresh insights into the sinking of the Union ship and giving the answer to an intriguing forensic mystery: the identities of the two sailors whose bones were found in the Monitor's recovered turret.

Paul Clancy has been a journalist for more than 30 years. He has worked as a staff writer for the Charlotte Observer, the Washington Star, USA Today, and the Virginian-Pilot. Clancy was also a regular contributor to the Washington Post's Outlook Section. He was the editor of Calypso Log, the magazine of the Cousteau Society, and has written for the Smithsonian, Cruising World, Nature Conservancy, Destination Discovery, Chesapeake Bay, and other magazines.