Recon: Secrets of the Sea - USS Monitor and CSS Hunley

This two part documentary, which can be seen for free online on channels like YouTube, is investigating the fate and recovery of two iconic ACW ships that changed the way of naval warfare.

You can take a look at the documentary HERE for example.

Both ships where "firsts" in their own way, even though they never faced each other, and both went to an unglorious end as they sank following watery conditions instead of being defeated in battle.  CSS Hunley was the first submarine vessel that made an armed attack on another vessel, and it's firing mechanism still hasn`t been unravelled with 100% certainty.

USS Monitor on the other hand was the first full ironbuild warship, which didn`t have any additional sails anymore and which changed the looks of sailing ships, both wooden or ironclads, to a thing of the past.

The documentary, which details both ships in both parts, follows not only their development and how they functioned, but also looks at the efforts that where made to finally rediscover and salvage their respective wrecks.

Hop over and you can enjoy this little masterpiece on ACW inventiveness.