Ironclad ship battle

[Eva Elisabeth]

I read (can't remember where) that - although inconclusive - the ironclad ship battle on March 9, 1862, was the beginning of the modern war aera. The British, who previously had regarded their armada (also including ironclads) as the superior one, were shocked and alerted and especially considered the northern "Monitor" to be unbeatable. WHY? I'd also like to know if it was, like the Merrimac, an originally wooden ship rebuilt with iron all around or if it was entirely made of steel?

[JMadonna]

I read (can't remember where) that - although inconclusive - the ironclad ship battle on March 9, 1862, was the beginning of the modern war aera. The British, who previously had regarded their armada (also including ironclads) as the superior one, were shocked and alerted and especially considered the northern "Monitor" to be unbeatable. WHY? I'd also like to know if it was, like the Merrimac, an originally wooden ship rebuilt with iron all around or if it was entirely made of steel?

The Monitor was a new ship from the ground up. What shocked the British was the turret. It could point it's gun in any direction as opposed to wooden or ironclad wooden ship who still relied on broad sides. The Monitor was not only protected by it's armor but could move to the blind-side of it's opponent's guns and unleash it's power effectively.

[Jim Garrett]

Jerry is correct. The Monitor was a completely revolutionary design. This was the first war ship with a turret. It is technology still in use today. The Monitor was built in response to the news that the Confederates had raised the scuttled USS Merrimack and were turning it into an ironclad war ship (CSS Virginia) based on the floating batteries used in the Crimean War.

The Federal government initially wanted nothing to do with John Ericson's monitor design. Ericson had previously design a heavy Naval gun which burst killing numerous government officials including members of Congress. Asst Sec of the Navy Gustave Fox went to Ericson and said he (Ericson) needed to explain some of the fine points to the Monitor for final approval. When he went before the Naval Design Review Board, he launched into his explanation of how the Monitor worked. When told that they had turned down his plan, Ericson essentially shamed the government into giving him the contract to build the Monitor. It was constructed in something like 120 days.

My Great Great Grandfather was Capt. William Sharp, CSN, Executive Officer aboard the CSS Patrick Henry, a support ship for the Virginia, and his brother Charles, was a gunner on the Virginia.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Thanks a lot!

[Jim Garrett]

You are most welcome

[Craig Hipkins]

The Royal Navy only had a handful of ironclads in their fleet when the Monitor and Merrimack clashed in their epic battle. One of these ships was a frigate, HMS Warrior that was Captained by Jacky Fisher who later became Britain's First Sea Lord. Great Britain only started working on ironclads after the French decided to experiment with them.

Craig

[Jim Garrett]

The Federal government was terrified that the CSS Virginia would be invincible. They feared she would come up the Potomac River and shell Washington into oblivion. They thought she would go up the east coast and destroy every port city. Unknown to the Federal government the Virginia was not seaworthy and her draft was so deep, she was restricted to a narrow channel in Hampton Roads at low tide.

[L Verge]

She was one of the reasons the federal government reevaluated the defenses of Washington along the Potomac and beefed up Ft. Washington and built Ft. Foote, both in Prince George's County.

[Thomas Thorne]

The Royal Navy only had a handful of ironclads in their fleet when the Monitor and Merrimack clashed in their epic battle. One of these ships was a frigate, HMS Warrior that was Captained by Jacky Fisher who later became Britain's First Sea Lord. Great Britain only started working on ironclads after the French decided to experiment with them.
Craig

Another Jacky Fisher aficionado!!! As he was born in 1841 he was not commanding anything at this time despite recognition of his genius. At age 13 which was the custom he became a midshipman in the RN. He later said the entrance exam consisted of his writing out the Lord's Prayer and jumping naked over a chair.

I would kill for a mini series involving Fisher and his stormy relationships with people such as Winston Churchill.
Tom

[Eva Elisabeth]

Was there no necessity to build a successor ironclad immediately after the Monitor had sunk in Dec.1862? (It seems they didn't do so.)

[Bill Richter]

The Union built several classes of "Monitors" during the war with improvements over he original including multiple turrets. For those who are interested, see, e.g., Tony Gibbons, Warships and Naval Battles of the US Civil War (1989) which is profusely illustrated. Pages 160-175 have a list of all warships in the Union and Confederate Navies.

I realize that this is unfair to a German participant in this forum, but since the book was published in Gt Britain it might be available in a larger university library. Another writer on Civil War navies is William Still, but he is more interested in tactics and how the fleets were employed.

[Laurie Verge]

The conspirators were held on monitors off the Washington Navy Yard for awhile before being brought on land to the penitentiary. Booth's autopsy was performed on a monitor. Were these ships of the same style as the famous Monitor?

[Bill Richter]

The USS Montauk was an updated version of the original Monitor, still with a single turret but the captain's command and control box was atop the turret instead of forward on the deck. The USS Saugus is listed as longer and heavier but still with a single turret.

[Laurie Verge]

Thanks, Bill.

[Wesley Harris]

I'm working on an article for Laurie for the Surratt Courier on the two sailors recovered when the Monitor's turret was raised from the Atlantic in 2002.