USS Monitor

USS Monitor was an Ironclad warship commissioned by the United States Navy during the American Civil War. It is most famous for its central role in the Battle of Hampton Roads on March 9, 1862, where, under the command of Lieutenant John L. Worden, it fought the CSS Virginia to a standstill.

Design and construction

The USS Monitor was designed by the Swedish engineer John Ericsson. It was a revolutionary design, featuring a rotating turret housing two large cannons. The ship was built in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York, by the Continental Iron Works and was launched on January 30, 1862.

Battle of Hampton Roads

The USS Monitor is best known for its role in the Battle of Hampton Roads. This was the first meeting in combat of ironclad warships. The Monitor fought the CSS Virginia, a Confederate ironclad. The battle ended in a draw, with neither ship able to destroy the other.

Legacy

The USS Monitor sank in a storm off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, on December 31, 1862. Its wreck was discovered in 1973 and has been partially recovered. The ship's innovative design had a profound influence on naval architecture; ships of its type came to be referred to as monitors.

See also

• Ironclad warship
• Battle of Hampton Roads
• John Ericsson
• CSS Virginia

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