Following the American Civil War Sesquicentennial with day by day writings of the time, currently 1863.

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“For,” says he, “the days of gunpowder are over.”—William Howard Russell’s Diary.

March 19, 2012

My Diary North and South - William Howard Russell

March 19th.—I applied at the Navy Department for a passage down to Fortress Monroe, as it was expected the Merrimac was coming out again, but I could not obtain leave to go in any of the vessels. Captain Hardman showed me a curious sketch of what he called the Turtle Thor, an iron-cased machine with a huge claw or grapnel, with which to secure the enemy whilst a steam hammer or a high iron fist, worked by the engine, cracks and smashes her iron armour. “For,” says he, “the days of gunpowder are over.”

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