The Ironclad Board was an advisory board established by the United States in 1861 in response to the construction of the CSS Virginia

CSS Virginia

CSS Virginia was the first steam-powered ironclad warship of the Confederate States Navy, built during the first year of the American Civil War; she was constructed as a casemate ironclad using the raised and cut down original lower hull and steam engines of the scuttled . Virginia was one of the...

by the Confederate States. The primary goal of the Ironclad Board was to choose designs of ironclad ships to construct. The Board consisted of three senior naval officers: Commodore Hiram Paulding

Hiram Paulding

Hiram Paulding was a Rear Admiral in the United States Navy, who served from the War of 1812 until after the Civil War.-Naval career:...

, Commodore Joseph Smith, and Commander Charles Henry Davis

Charles Henry Davis

Charles Henry Davis was a Rear Admiral in the United States Navy, serving primarily during the American Civil War, and with the United States Coast Survey.-Early life and career:...