- Joined
- Mar 31, 2012
- Location
- Central Ohio
Anachronistic modern term used to refer to the original three Western river gunboats Lexington, Tyler (AKA Taylor), and Conestoga, and sometimes to the first incarnation of the New Era (AKA Essex). Back-formation from terms like ironclad, cottonclad, and tinclad (which were in use in the era). At the time, these boats were simply referred to as gunboats, or "the old boats" (in contrast to the newer ironclads).