In the second year of the Civil War, Tad Lynch, the son of a carpenter, tags along with his father who is helping to build the Confederate Ironclad warship CSS Virginia (Merrimack). Tad follows a stray cat below deck and becomes trapped on board as the ship leaves Portsmouth, Virginia, and steams down the Elizabeth River toward the bay of Hampton Roads. Unbeknown to him and many others, the ironclad is headed for battle. Although discovered and bullied by James Shever, the cook, Tad is taken to Captain Franklin Buchanan who gives the boy the dangerous job of carrying powder to the guns as the sailors shell the Union warships Cumberland, Congress, and Monitor. The two-day battle feels like weeks to Tad, who longs for his family, his dog, and his friends, Becky and Jimmy. He struggles to perform his duties amid the noise, smoke, and fire of the battle, and even helps to take care of the wounded captain. Triple surprises at the end of the story add further excitement for eight to twelve year old readers. Real places, people, and events make this historical re-creation a captivating tale.