BBC - Clydebuilt The Ships that Made the Commonwealth (2014) Part 3 The Robert E Lee

David Hayman explores the stories of four ships built on the River Clyde that helped forge links with countries throughout the world.

Part 3 The Robert E Lee

The story of the Robert E Lee, one of the most famous Clydebuilt blockade-running paddle steamers. During the American Civil War, Glasgow shipbuilders and captains made a fortune running the supplies of war to the Confederate South and bringing out valuable cotton. To run the blockade of Union warships these paddle steamers had to be fast and their crews fearless. Glasgow provided both but Britain was neutral and these ships shouldn't have been anywhere near someone else's war.

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