You're right, Dennis, it is hard for me to adhere to the Napoleonic viewpoint of battle my ancestors held. These considerations on improvements in crew safety are retrospective.
The Monitors of the Federal Navy did not suffer from wood splintering being a casualty cause. Concussion and fasteners becoming projectiles apon impact failure being the cause mentioned by surgeons.
If anyone has any information regarding the influence the report of the surgeon of the C.S.S. Atlanta on the Confederate Department of the Navy after his parole I'd sure like to read it.