Booknotes: From Ironclads to Admiral

New Arrival:

• From Ironclads to Admiral: John Lorimer Worden and Naval Leadership by John V. Quarstein & Robert L. Worden (Naval Inst Press, 2025).

Most Civil War readers remember John L. Worden as the first commander of the U.S.S. Monitor, which he led during the most famous naval duel of the Civil War—the ironclad clash between his ship and C.S.S. Virginia at Hampton Roads in March 1862. During that engagement, Worden was badly wounded, and he largely fades from more general treatments of the naval conflict. However, it was the case that Worden had many more contributions to make, and his entire life and career are examined in John Quarstein and collateral descendant Robert Worden's From Ironclads to Admiral: John Lorimer Worden and Naval Leadership. According to Craig Symonds's jacket blurb, this the first full biography of Worden.

From the description: "Throughout his 52-year career, Rear Adm. John Lorimer Worden was always the right officer for the job. The epitome of an innovative commander who helped move the U.S. Navy out of the age of sail and into the era of ironclad technology, Worden’s contributions extended beyond the Battle of Hampton Roads and shaped the future of the Navy. He demonstrated exceptional leadership in both combat and peacetime."

In April 1861, Worden, employed as a secret messenger for the government, was arrested on his way back to Washington and held captive by Confederate authorities for more than half a year. Upon release, Worden's antebellum sea experiences and scientific background [he led "a successful rescue mission" and captured "a prize ship during the Mexican-American War," and later served "(t)hree tours at the U.S. Naval Observatory"] placed him in good stead when a commander was sought for the U.S. Navy's Monitor, a new and untried technological wonder.

Upon recovery from his Hampton Roads battle wounds, Worden played a major role in the U.S. Navy's further refinements in ironclad design, use, and technology. More from the description: Worden "returned to command the USS Montauk, where his unparalleled expertise in ironclad design and combat tactics continued to set him apart. From testing ships in battle to overseeing the innovative production of ironclads at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, he consistently refined his craft. Confronted with multiple ship design failures, he relentlessly drove improvements, pushing the boundaries of naval technology and securing lasting progress in the development of modern warships."

When the Civil War ended, Worden's professional career was far from over. He "became superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy, where he trained the next generation of naval officers and co-founded the U.S. Naval Institute." He "capped his career by ably serving as commander-in-chief of the European Squadron during a time of upheaval on that continent. Displaying courage, commitment, and diplomacy, Worden skillfully led U.S. European naval forces from 1875 to 1877."