From Ironclads to Admiral
John Lorimer Worden and Naval Leadership
Robert L Worden author John V Quarstein author
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Naval Institute Press
Publishing:29th May '25
£24.99
This title is due to be published on 29th May, and will be despatched as soon as possible.

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.
Worden immediately proved himself a capable choice for key assignments, leading a successful rescue mission and capturing a prize ship during the Mexican-American War. Three tours at the U.S. Naval Observatory established him as a scientific officer. After delivering secret dispatches in 1861 that kept Fort Pickens in Florida for the Union, Worden attempted to return to Washington, D.C., and was arrested by Confederate authorities, thus becoming the first prisoner of war during the Civil War. After six months in captivity, he returned to command the USS Monitor—the “little ship that saved the nation”—at the historic Battle of Hampton Roads. There, he faced the Confederate CSS Virginia in the first-ever clash of ironclads, suffering severe wounds while fighting the battle to a standstill. Upon recovery, he 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.
After the war, Worden 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. His five-year tenure at the academy was not without controversy that tested his leadership. He deftly handled a nationally embarrassing hazing scandal, resulting in congressional authority for the superintendent to directly discipline and expel errant midshipmen. Worden also managed sensitive issues surrounding the appointment of the first African American midshipman and the first Japanese midshipman while he helmed the academy. Worden 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,...
"The first full-life biography of one of the Civil War’s most notable naval officers, this study of John Lorimer Worden illuminates not only his role in the famous Battle of Hampton Roads, but also his subsequent naval service in the Civil War, his eventful tour as Superintendent of the Naval Academy in the 1870s, and his command of the American European Squadron. In doing so, it reveals much about both Worden himself and the 19th century U.S. Navy."—Craig L. Symonds, author of The Civil War at Sea
"Quarstein's and Worden's From Ironclads to Admiral: John Lorimer Worden and Naval Leadership is excellent naval history. The research is impressive, the narrative fascinating, and the leadership lessons clear. This should be in every school, wardroom, and chiefs' mess in the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard. Highly recommended for leaders, historians, and naval enthusiasts."—Robert N. Macomber, author of Full Naval Honors and the Captain Peter Wake novels
"Historians John Quarstein and Robert Worden deliver a comprehensive and enlightening biography of Admiral John Lorimer Worden through whose half-century, globe-spanning naval career we examine fundamental geopolitical, technological, tactical, and educational transformations of that violent, revolutionary era while witnessing the exceptional contributions of a humble but remarkable leader."—Lt. Cmdr. Dwight Hughes, USN (ret.), author of Unlike Anything That Ever Floated: The Monitor and Virginia and the Battle of Hampton Roads, March 8–9, 1862
"Rear Admiral John Lorimer Worden has been brought to life in this much-needed biography. While Worden is best known as the commanding officer of Monitor, the authors show that the events of 9 March 1862 do not solely define him. Here they masterfully illustrate his full naval career and private life with warmth, detail, and a touch of humor."—Anna Gibson Holloway, former Curator, USS Monitor Center
ISBN: 9781682474440
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
296 pages
New edition