Confederate Secretary of the Navy Stephen Russell Mallory recognized from the war’s onset that the South required ironclads for port defense to maintain the cotton-for-cannon trade with Europe. Confederate shipbuilders exhibited great creativity, resourcefulness and resolve in order to construct the first ironclad vessels. They focused on casemated gun decks, use of 2 rifled pivot guns, a shallow draft, and almost always included a ram on the ship’s bow. Over 30 ironclads were laid down; yet only 23 were in active service.