John Lenthall: The Life of a Naval Constructor (B&W)

Many stirring words have been written about the heroic deeds of the officers and men of the U.S. Navy before, during and after the Civil War. But very little has been published about the naval constructors who built the warships that made their exploits possible. Of all of the Navys constructors from this era, none had more impact than John Lenthall (1807-1882).

A native of Washington D.C. and the son of ambitious English parents, young Lenthalls stellar rise through the ranks of naval constructors soon led to his appointment as the chief of the Bureau of Construction, Equipment and Repairs. Now the U.S. governments highest-ranking naval architect, John Lenthall was in charge of designing and constructing the nations warships. The magnificent Merrimack class steam frigates were one of his first achievements. His stance early in the Civil War on ironclads and coolness toward John Ericsson have been consistently misunderstood-Lenthall accepted the Navys need for armored warships but objected to a fleet of only brown water-capable monitors. When he retired in 1871, he had been bureau chief for over seventeen years and responsible for the building of nearly all the Navys ships during an era of unprecedented technological evolution.

John Lenthall: The Life of a Naval Constructor is thoroughly documented with previously untapped primary archival source material from Philadelphias Independence Seaport Museum and the Franklin Institute, and the U.S. Naval Academy Museum. John Lenthall is written by a historian and naval architect who can clearly explain the nuances of ship design. The authors treatment of Lenthall and the legacy of his fellow constructors brings to life a previously untold chronicle of American ingenuity and achievement