Explore the History of River Warfare at The Mariners’ Museum

Step back in time and discover how ordinary commercial steamboats became powerful warships during an upcoming lecture through the USS Monitor Legacy Program at The Mariners’ Museum.

Tinclads and Timberclads Change Riverine Warfare, will be presented by John V. Quarstein, Director emeritus of the USS Monitor Center, on Friday, July 10, from noon to 1 p.m. The program will be offered both in person and virtually.

During the lecture, Quarstein will explore how the Union transformed civilian steamers into armed vessels to gain control of the Mississippi River Valley during the early years of the Civil War. Unable to build ironclads quickly enough, naval architect Samuel Pook and Commander George Rodgers developed an innovative solution by reinforcing commercial steamboats with layers of timber and equipping them with heavy cannons. The resulting vessels including, the Lexington, Tyler, and Conestoga, played a significant role in shaping river warfare.

Advance registration is required for those attending in person. Admission is free for museum members and $1 for guests. The lecture will also be livestreamed on YouTube at no cost.

Take the opportunity to learn something new and discover how innovation helped shape one of the Civil War’s most important campaigns. For more information, contact Guest Relations at guestrelations@MarinersMuseum.org or (757) 596-2222.