▁of ▁speed ▁and ▁mano ever ability ▁the ▁practice ▁of ▁ram ming ▁oppon ents ▁fell ▁by ▁default ▁into ▁dis use , ▁although ▁the ▁concept ▁remained ▁alive . ▁With ▁the ▁advent ▁of ▁steam - power ed ▁vessels , ▁with ▁their ▁en hanced ▁speed ▁and ▁lack ▁of ▁dependence ▁for ▁direction ▁on ▁the ▁wind , ▁the ▁ram ▁as ▁a ▁pot ent ▁weapon ▁of ▁attack ▁gained ▁cred ibility ▁in ▁Naval ▁circles ▁and ▁in ▁Sh ip ▁Con struct ors ' ▁depart ments . ▁This ▁first ▁became ▁apparent ▁in ▁the ▁ ▁American ▁Civil ▁War , ▁when ▁many ▁attempts ▁were ▁made ▁by ▁ships ▁on ▁both ▁sides ▁to ▁ram ▁their ▁oppon ents , ▁with ▁almost ▁uniform ▁lack ▁of ▁success . ▁( The ▁Confeder ate ▁Virginia ▁( ex - M err im ack ) ▁ram med ▁and ▁s ank ▁the ▁Federal ▁C umber land , ▁but ▁lost ▁her ▁ram ▁and ▁suffered ▁significant ▁struct ural ▁damage .) ▁ ▁The ▁battle ▁which ▁most ▁influenced ▁the ▁ex agger ated ▁faith ▁in ▁the ▁ram ▁as ▁a ▁weapon ▁was ▁the ▁battle ▁of ▁L issa ▁between ▁Austria - H ung ary ▁and ▁Italy ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 6 . ▁The ▁Aust rian ▁Ferdinand ▁Max ▁ram med ▁the ▁( station ary ) ▁Italian ▁Re ▁d ' Italia , ▁which ▁immediately ▁he e led ▁over ▁and ▁s ank . ▁This ▁resulted ▁in ▁all ▁iron cl ad ▁batt les hips ▁designed ▁for ▁the ▁next ▁forty ▁years ▁being ▁built ▁to ▁carry ▁a ▁ram ; ▁a ▁weapon ▁which , ▁while ▁causing ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁ships ▁accident ally , ▁never ▁s