Dick Titterington joins the Battle of Westport Visitor Center and Museum and Saturdays at the Museum for "Eads' Ironclads: Winning the Civil War in the West."


James Buchanan Eads was a self-taught engineer and prosperous citizen of Missouri who was living in Missouri at the start of the Civil War. When the US War Department put out bids for a fleet of Mississippi River ironclad gunboats, Eads won the contract. Come hear how Eads built a fleet of seven gunboats that helped wrest control of the Mississippi River from the Confederacy. The gunboats played a key role in Grant's campaign against Forts Henry and Donelson. Note that these gunboat battles took place in February 1862, whereas the more famous battle between the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia (Merrimack) took place during the second week of March 1862. Learn about the rest of the battles fought by Eads' Ironclads, climaxing at Vicksburg, Mississippi. Find out how a young engineer saved 12 gunboats and 20 transport ships from being stranded during the Red River Campaign. You will also hear about a twin-turreted ironclad, featuring a turret designed by Eads and a turret of the same design used on the USS Monitor. Here's a picture of the USS St. Louis, later commissioned as the USS Baron de Kalb ...


There is no admission fee to attend, but donations to the museum are welcome.


For more info about Saturdays at the Museum, visit the website http://cwrtkc.org/civil_war_lecture_series

Location Battle of Westport Visitor Center and Museum, 6601 Swope Parkway, Kansas City, MO