Turret Machinery; 7. Ready for Action; 8. Wheel House; 9. Harper's Weekly, March 22, , page New York Illustrated News, March 29, , page []. The first naval battle in Hampton Roads, between the Rebel iron-plated steamers Merrimac , Yorktown and Jamestown , and the United States wooden sailing frigates Cumberland and Congress.
Leslie's Illustrated News , March 22, , pages The second naval battle in Hampton Roads — Fight between the national floating battery Monitor , of two guns, and the Rebel iron-plated steamers Merrimac , Yorktown and Jamestown , carrying twenty-four guns.
The Ericsson battery Monitor driving off the Merrimac. Harper's Weekly , March 22, , pages Federal Troops at Hampton, Virginia. It missed the Monitor and struck the Minnesota which, despite being grounded, still had use of her guns and returned fire.
The Monitor soon opened up on the Virginia as well. The two ironclads blasted away at each other from extremely close range for hours, doing considerable damage to each other but unable to defeat their opponent. The Virginia had only expected to fight wooden ships and, therefore, did not carry any armor piercing shells.
And the Monitor guns were using only the standard amount of gunpowder on each shot which could not produce enough force to crack her opponents armor. The battle ended in an odd sort of stalemate that both sides claimed as a victory.
When the brief period of confusion passed and Greene realized the Monitor was still fairly up for a fight, he returned to the area of battle.
But by that point, seeing the Union ship move away and being low on ammunition themselves, the Virginia had turned back toward Norfolk. Greene decided not to pursue, believing it more important to avoid unnecessarily risking his vessel. Both ships were battered but still functional and the only men killed during their gun duel were three sailors aboard the Minnesota.
The ironclads crews were lauded as heroes by their respective sides. However you interpret the outcome of the first duel between iron ships, the long truth of the matter is that the Virginia did not break the Union blockade at Norfolk. The blockade as a whole continued to grow in size and strength. And, as cities like New Orleans and Mobile Bay fell to Union forces, the economic situation of the Confederacy grew more and more dire.
So while the first fight between ironclads was a game changer for nautical combat on the whole, it did little to alter the course of the war. Neither of the historic ships that fought at Hampton Roads survived long after. With her low, sideless deck she began taking on water.
The pumps and engine flooded before long and the crew abandoned the ship. Most of her crew were rescued, but 16 sailors perished with the famed Monitor. Scientists rediscovered the wreck in and various expeditions recovered portions of the ship in the following decades.
Including some remains of the 16 who went down with her, which were buried with full honors at Arlington National Cemetery in Read more great stories, facts, and editions of This Week in History in our military history section.
Fortunately, no repayment was necessary. Ericsson's design, conceived eight years earlier and presented to Napoleon III of France who, though impressed, did nothing to develop the concept included his invention of the "screw" propeller, a low silhouette, and revolving two-gun turret, and was a success. Although its famous four-hour duel with the Virginia at the Battle of Hampton Roads in March was a tactical draw, the Monitor prevented the destruction of the Union fleet at Hampton Roads.
After the battle, the Navy ordered another 56 of Ericsson's "monitors," as the design came to be known. Ericsson's engineering works were numerous, and in addition to the Monitor , he is also best known for his circa design of the Novelty steam locomotive, built with partner John Brathwaite in England. Library of Congress. Hampton Roads Monitor vs. During the Battle. Union 1, Aftermath Union. Estimated Casualties. Union Questions to Consider 1.
How were the two ironclads designed for battle? Who was Monitor inventor John Ericson? His achievements revolutionized naval warfare and gained him international recognition. Hampton Roads: Featured Resources. Area of Interest. Civil War Article. Civil War Battle Map. Civil War Video.
Hampton Roads: Search All Resources. All battles of the Peninsula Campaign. Full Civil War Map. Civil War Battle. Result: Inconclusive Est. Casualties: Union: Confederate: Result: Confederate Victory Est.
Casualties: 3, Union: 2, Confederate: 1, Casualties: 13, Union: 5, Confederate: 7, Rechristened the Virginia upon its launch in February , it was a formidable vessel. On March 8, , it cruised down the Elizabeth River and sunk the U.
Cumberland before running aground the U. Congress and setting her on fire off Hampton Roads in southeastern Virginia. The next day, the U. The Monitor had set sail only three days earlier from Brooklyn under the command of Lieutenant John L. Designed by Swedish engineer John Ericsson, the vessel had an unusually low profile, rising from the water only 18 inches. The flat iron deck had a foot cylindrical turret rising from the middle of the ship; the turret housed two inch Dahlgren guns.
The Monitor had a draft of less than 11 feet so it could operate in the shallow harbors and rivers of the South. It was commissioned on February 25, , and arrived at Chesapeake Bay just in time to engage the Virginia.
The battle between the Virginia and the Monitor began on the morning of March 9 and continued for four hours. The ships circled one another, jockeying for position as they fired their guns.
However, the cannon balls simply deflected off the iron ships.
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