The Civil War News & Views Open Discussion Forum

January 30, 2012

On this date 150 years ago, in a brief ceremony at Greenpoint, Long Island, the ironclad "Moniter" was launched. John Ericsson, the Swedish-born designer of the vessel and others like it, stated that such ships were critical to Northern efforts and "will admonish leaders of the Southern Rebellion that the batteries on the banks of their rivers will no longer present barriers to the entrance of the Union forces."

The two Confederate commissioners from the "Trent" affair, James Mason and John Slidell, arrived in England after their delayed voyage was completed.