Originally posted by MrBill:
Guess duly noted 
Hint US of A was not even a country when it occured 
Define "ironclad"
an ironclad was a heavy armoured vesser, with very low freeboard and a central cassemate housing the guns. propelled by steam.
If that is the definition then USS Monitor is the answer CSS Merrimack was the second.
IF you simply talk about the first ship with any significant armour fitted, them it was the French Gloire.
But Gloire was a 1858 design, so USA was a nation already.
So, please, define "ironclad"
