Describe the new type of warship that the Confederacy hoped would give them an advantage against the larger Union navy.

The Confederate States of America hoped to be able to use a new type of warship, called a ironclad, to gain a tactical advantage over the much larger Union navy. Ironclads were revolutionary in that they were armed with heavy iron armor which made them resistant to conventional shellfire, rendering them nearly impervious to almost anything the Union navy could throw against them. Ironclads could absorb many more hits than the wooden ships of the day before they became irreparably damaged, and the Confederate navy believed this armor would give them a decisive advantage against the larger Union navy. Additionally, the ironclads were equipped with powerful guns that could penetrate enemy ships and cause far more damage to them than conventional armament.