) ▁over ▁the ▁wooden - h ul led ▁Union ▁block aders ▁in ▁Ham pton ▁Ro ads , ▁Virginia , ▁signed ▁a ▁contract ▁with ▁nin ete en - year - old ▁det ached ▁Confeder ate ▁Lieutenant ▁Gilbert ▁Elli ott ▁of ▁Elizabeth ▁City , ▁North ▁Carolina ; ▁he ▁was ▁to ▁over see ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁a ▁smaller ▁but ▁still ▁powerful ▁gun bo at ▁to ▁destroy ▁the ▁Union ▁war ships ▁in ▁the ▁North ▁Carolina ▁sounds . ▁These ▁men - of - war ▁had ▁enabled ▁Union ▁troops ▁to ▁hold ▁strateg ic ▁positions ▁that ▁controlled ▁eastern ▁North ▁Carolina . ▁ ▁Since ▁the ▁terms ▁of ▁the ▁agreement ▁gave ▁Elli ott ▁freedom ▁to ▁select ▁an ▁appropriate ▁place ▁to ▁build ▁the ▁ram , ▁he ▁established ▁a ▁primitive ▁ship yard , ▁with ▁the ▁assistance ▁of ▁plant ation ▁owner ▁Peter ▁Smith , ▁in ▁a ▁corn field ▁up ▁the ▁Ro ano ke ▁River ▁at ▁a ▁place ▁called ▁Edward ' s ▁Fer ry , ▁near ▁modern ▁Scotland ▁Ne ck , ▁North ▁Carolina ; ▁Smith ▁was ▁appointed ▁the ▁super int endent ▁of ▁construction . ▁There , ▁the ▁water ▁was ▁too ▁shall ow ▁to ▁permit ▁the ▁approach ▁of ▁Union ▁gun bo ats ▁that ▁otherwise ▁would ▁have ▁destroyed ▁the ▁iron cl ad ▁while ▁still ▁on ▁its ▁ways . ▁Using ▁detailed ▁sketch es ▁provided ▁by ▁Elli ott , ▁the ▁Confeder ate ▁Navy ' s ▁Chief ▁Con structor ▁John ▁L . ▁Por ter ▁final ized ▁the ▁gun bo at ' s ▁design , ▁giving ▁the ▁ram ▁an ▁arm ored ▁cas em ate ▁with ▁eight ▁s lop ing , ▁ 3