In 1843, the United States Navy launched its first iron warship, USS Michigan, on the Great Lakes.
The batteries have a claim to the title of the first ironclad warships[REF] but they were capable of only 4 knots (7 km/h) under their own power: they operated under their own power at the Battle of Kinburn,[REF] but had to be towed for long range transit [REF].