USS Monitor

USS Monitor

USS Monitor was the first ironclad warship commissioned by the United States Navy during the American Civil War. She is most famous for her participation in the Battle of Hampton Roads on 9 March 1862, the first-ever battle fought between two ironclads. The Monitor fought the ironclad CSS Virginia (the former frigate USS Merrimack) of the Confederate States Navy.

The need for an ironclad warship in the U.S. Navy began when the state of Virginia seceded from the Union and ships at the Gosport Navy Yard in Norfolk were scuttled to prevent them from falling into Confederates hands. The Merrimack was only burnt to her waterline and was successfully raised by the Confederate States Navy (CSN). Her hull, with new upper works added, including an armored casemate, began to be refitted as Virginia. When Gideon Welles, the Secretary of the Navy, found out about this, he created a board of three naval officers to review designs for an ironclad. Three ships were accepted, including USS Monitor, designed by the Swedish-born engineer and inventor John Ericsson.

Monitor was innovative in several respects, including the first 360-degree rotating armored gun turret on an operational warship. All but 18 in (0.46 m) of the hull was completely underwater and was protected by an armored "belt". Her keel was laid on 25 October 1861, and she was launched 118 days later.