What were the two ironclads in the Civil War?

On March 9, 1862, one of the most famous naval battles in American history occurred as two ironclads, the U.S.S. Monitor and the C.S.S. Virginia fought to a draw off Hampton Roads, Virginia.

What were the two ironclad ships Monitor and Merrimack?

The battle between the ironclad ships the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia (formerly the USS Merrimac or Merrimack), took place on March 8 and 9, 1862. Also referred to as the Battle of Hampton Roads, it is significant in naval history because it was the first battle between ironclad ships.

What were many of the Union ironclads used for during the Civil War?

Many ironclads were built to make use of the ram, the torpedo, or sometimes both (as in the case with smaller ships and later torpedo boats), which a number of naval designers considered the important weapons of naval combat.

How many ironclads did the union have?

The historic Battle of Hampton Roads did touch off a veritable monitor mania in the Union: Of the 84 ironclads constructed in the North throughout the Civil War, no less than 64 were of the monitor or turreted types.

Who won the USS Monitor vs CSS Virginia?

Union
In one of the most famous naval battles in history the Union Monitor defeated the Confederate Virginia. It was the first battle between two steel navy ships and marked the end of the wood based navy.

What happened to the Monitor and Merrimack?

The Merrimack (Virginia) was destroyed by Confederate soldiers when the Union took over the port at Norfolk, Virginia in 1862. The Monitor sank during a storm off the coast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina on December 31, 1862. The wreck of the Monitor was located in 1973 and some of the ship was salvaged.

How did ironclads help the Union?

Ironclads were warships designed to be impervious to enemy shot and shell by virtue of their iron-armored wooden hulls. With its limited shipbuilding capacity, the Confederate navy found it more advantageous to build a few impregnable warships to combat the numerically superior Union navy.

How did ironclads change the Civil War?

With the battle of Hampton Roads, naval warfare changed forever. The ironclads could defeat wooden warships with relative ease, and brushed aside all but the heaviest (or the luckiest) artillery rounds. So powerful were the ironclads that they upset an ancient axiom of naval warfare that forts were stronger than ships.

How did North Use ironclads?

Ironclads were warships designed to be impervious to enemy shot and shell by virtue of their iron-armored wooden hulls. The Civil War clearly demonstrated the superiority of ironclads and revolutionized naval warfare. The Confederacy concluded in June 1861 that ironclad warships would best suit its needs.

What happened between the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia?

On March 9, 1862, one of the most famous naval battles in American history occurs as two ironclads, the U.S.S. Monitor and the C.S.S. On March 8, the Virginia sunk two Union ships and ran one aground off Hampton Roads.

What does CSS stand for in CSS Virginia?

Due to the shortening of her casemate, the number of her cannon were reduced to a single 11″ smoothbore, a single 8″ rifle, and two 6.4″ rifles. The Virginia II was named after the more famous Confederate ironclad, CSS Virginia, also called the Merrimack because of the ship’s origins as a Union frigate.

What were ironclads made of?

wooden hulls
Ironclads were warships designed to be impervious to enemy shot and shell by virtue of their iron-armored wooden hulls. Other names for these ships include rams, armorclads, iron gophers, iron elephants, iron coffins, turtle-backs, and mud-crushers.

What ships did the Confederate ironclad monitor destroy?

Before Monitor could reach Hampton Roads, the Confederate ironclad had already destroyed the sail frigates USS Cumberland and USS Congress and had run the steam frigate USS Minnesota aground.

What battles did the monitor fight in the Civil War?

Departing for Hampton Roads, Virginia, Monitor arrived on March 9 and immediately engaged in battle with Confederate ironclad, CSS Virgnia, which was the first battle between ironclad warships. The previous day, Virginia sank both USS Congress and USS Cumberland .

What did the Monitor do in the Battle of Hampton Roads?

Monitor played a central role in the Battle of Hampton Roads on 9 March under the command of Lieutenant John L. Worden, where she fought the casemate ironclad CSS Virginia (built on the hull of the scuttled steam frigate USS Merrimack) to a standstill.

What was the Battle of the ironclads Quizlet?

Battle of the Ironclads. On March 9, 1862, one of the most famous naval battles in American history occurred as two ironclads, the U.S.S.Monitor and the C.S.S. Virginia fought to a draw off Hampton Roads, Virginia. The ships fired on each other all morning but their armor plates deflected the shots, signaling a new era of steam-powered iron ships.