NationMaster - Encyclopedia: USS Monitor

USS Monitor was the first ironclad warship commissioned by the United States Navy. She is most famous for her participation in the first-ever naval battle between two ironclad warships, the Battle of Hampton Roads on March 9, 1862 during the American Civil War, in which Monitor fought the ironclad CSS Virginia of the Confederate States Navy. The Monitor was the first in a long line of Monitor Class US warships and the term "monitor" describes a broad class of European harbor defense craft. Image File history File links H59543. ... Image File history File links US_Naval_Jack_36_stars. ... October 4 is the 277th day of the year (278th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1861 (MDCCCLXI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link with display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar) // January 1 - Benito JuÃ¡rez captures Mexico City January 2 - Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia dies and is succeeded by... January 30 is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... February 25 is the 56th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... December 31 is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The beam of a ship is its width at the widest point, or a point alongside the ship at the mid-point of its length. ... The draft of a ships hull is the vertical distance from the bottom of the hull to the waterline. ... The Dahlgren gun was a type of smoothbore cannon used by the US Navy prior to and during the Civil War. ... Ironclad warships, frequently shortened to just ironclads, were wooden ships or ships of composite construction (wooden planking on iron frames) armored with thick iron plates. ... Diagrams of first and third rate warships, England, 1728 Cyclopaedia. ... The United States Navy, also known as the USN or the U.S. Navy, is a branch of the United States armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders John L. Worden Franklin Buchanan Catesby R. Jones Strength 1 ironclad, 3 wooden warships 1 ironclad, 2 wooden warships, 1 gunboat, 2 tenders Casualties 2 wooden warships sunk, 1 wooden warship damaged 261 killed 108 wounded 1 ironclad damaged 7... March 9 is the 68th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (69th in leap years). ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... This article is becoming very long. ... CSS Virginia was an ironclad warship of the Confederate States Navy during the American Civil War (built using the remains of the scuttled USS Merrimack). ... Navy Department Seal The Confederate States Navy (CSN) was the naval branch of the Confederate States armed forces established by an act of the Confederate Congress on February 21, 1861 responsible for Confederate naval operations during the American Civil War. ... A monitor was a special form of warship, little more than a self-propelled floating artillery platform that could move close inshore and give its support to military operations on land. ...

Ironclads were only a recent innovation, started with the 1859 French La Gloire. Afterwards, the design of ships and the nature of naval warfare changed dramatically. The French Navys La Gloire (Glory) was the first ocean-going ironclad battleship in history. ...

Design

Monitor was one of three ironclad warships ordered by the U.S. Navy, after Galena and New Ironsides. USS Galena, an ironclad screw steamer, was one of the first three ironclads, each of a different design, built by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. ... USS New Ironsides was a broadside ironclad United States Civil War ship, named in honor of USS Constitution, who earned the nickname Old Ironsides during her engagement with HMS Guerrière in the War of 1812. ...

Designed by the Swedish engineer John Ericsson, the USS Monitor was described as a "cheesebox on a raft," consisting of a heavy round revolving iron turret on the deck, housing two large (11 inch) Dahlgren guns, paired side by side. The original design of the ship used a system of heavy metal shutters to protect the gun ports while reloading. However, the operation of the shutters proved to be so cumbersome that the crews operating the guns adopted the procedure of simply rotating the turret away from potential hostile fire to reload the guns. Further, the inertia of the rotating turret proved to be so great, that a system for stopping turret to fire the guns was only implemented on later models of ships in the Monitor class. The crew of the USS Monitor solved the turret inertia problem by firing the guns on the fly while the turret rotated past the target. While this procedure resulted in a substantial loss of accuracy, given the close range at which the USS Monitor operated, the loss of accuracy was not critical. John Ericsson (1803-1889) This article is about John Ericsson, the Swedish and American inventor. ... Corbelled corner turrets at Newark Castle, Port Glasgow. ...

The armored deck was barely above the waterline. Aside from a small boxy pilothouse, a detachable smokestack and a few fittings, the bulk of the ship was below the waterline to prevent damage from cannon fire. The turret comprised 8 bolted together layers of 1" plate with an additional ninth plate inside to act as a sound shield. A steam donkey engine turned the turret. The heavily armored deck extended beyond the waterproof hull which was only 5/8" thick. Thus the vulnerable parts of the ship were completely protected. Monitor's hull was built at the Continental Iron Works in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn in New York City, and the ship was launched there on January 30, 1862. There is a statue in Monsignor McGorlick park in Greenpoint, facing Monitor Street, commemorating the ship. A pilothouse is a small, glass-enclosed room on top of the texas from which a ship is controlled. ... Chimney stacks on a Newcastle upon Tyne building A chimney is a system for venting hot gases and smoke from a stove, furnace or fireplace to the outside atmosphere. ... Waterline refers to an imaginary line marking the level at which ship or boat floats in the water. ... Views from Greenpoints East River waterfront of Manhattan Greenpoint is the northernmost neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. ... Brooklyn (named after the Dutch city Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. ... New York, NY redirects here. ... January 30 is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

Monitor was innovative in construction technique as well as design. Parts were forged in nine foundries and brought together to build the ship; the whole process took less than 120 days. In addition to the "cheesebox", its rotating turret, Monitor was also the first naval vessel to be fitted with Ericsson's marine screw. Ericsson anticipated some aspects of modern submarine design by placing all of Monitor's features except the turret and pilothouse underwater, making it the first semi-submersible ship. In contrast, Virginia was a conventional wooden vessel covered with iron plates and bearing fixed weapons. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Alvin in 1978, a year after first exploring hydrothermal vents. ... MV Mighty Servant 2 carries USS from Dubai to Newport, R.I., in 1988. ...

ImageMetadata File history File links Johnericsson. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Johnericsson. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (740x605, 103 KB)The view on deck of the USS Monitor (1862) looking forward on the starboard side, while the ship was in the James River, Virginia, 9 July 1862. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (740x605, 103 KB)The view on deck of the USS Monitor (1862) looking forward on the starboard side, while the ship was in the James River, Virginia, 9 July 1862. ... Image File history File links H58758. ... Image File history File links H58758. ...

Battle of Hampton Roads

Virginia attacked the Union blockading squadron in Hampton Roads, Virginia, on March 8, 1862, destroying USS Cumberland and Congress and forcing Minnesota aground before withdrawing. That night, Monitor, under command of Lt. John L. Worden, arrived under tow from Brooklyn. When Virginia returned the next day, March 9, 1862, to finish off Minnesota and the rest of the U.S. fleet, Monitor sailed forth to stop her. The ironclads fought for about four hours, neither one sinking or seriously damaging the other. Tactically, the battle was a draw--neither ironclad did significant damage to the other. However, it was a strategic victory for Monitor. Virginia's mission was to break the Union blockade; that mission failed; Monitor's mission was to defend the U.S. fleet, which it did. The Virginia did however occupy the 'battlefield' after the strategic retreat of the USS Monitor, after the captain was hit in the eyes with gunpowder. The two ironclads never again fought each other, although Virginia occasionally steamed out to Hampton Roads in an unanswered challenge to the Monitor. This view from space in July 1996 shows portions of each of the Seven Cities of Hampton Roads which generally surround the harbor area of Hampton Roads, which framed by the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel visible to the east (right), the Virginia Peninsula subregion to the north (top), and the... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area Ranked 35th - Total 42,793 sq mi (110,862 kmÂ²) - Width 200 miles (320 km) - Length 430 miles (690 km) - % water 7. ... March 8 is the 67th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (68th in leap years). ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The first USS Cumberland was a 50-gun sailing frigate of the United States Navy. ... The fourth USS Congress of the United States Navy was a sailing frigate like her predecessor, surviving into the American Civil War, where she was destroyed by the ironclad CSS Virginia. ... USS Minnesota, a sailing/steam frigate, was launched in 1855 at the Washington Navy Yard and commissioned eighteen months later. ... John Lorimer Worden (12 March 1818 - 1897) was a U.S. Admiral in the American Civil War. ... March 9 is the 68th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (69th in leap years). ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... A blockade is any effort to prevent supplies, troops, information or aid from reaching an opposing force. ...

The Monitor-class warship

USS Monitor became the prototype for the monitor class of warship. Many more were built, including river monitors and deep-sea monitors, and they played key roles in Civil War battles on the Mississippi and James rivers. Some had two or even three turrets, and later monitors had improved seaworthiness. A monitor was a special form of warship, little more than a self-propelled floating artillery platform that could move close inshore and give its support to military operations on land. ... River monitor was the strongest class of riverine warships. ...

Just three months after the famous Battle of Hampton Roads, the design was offered to Sweden, and in 1865 the first Swedish monitor was being built at Motala Wharf in Norrköping; she was named John Ericsson in honor of the engineer. She was followed by 14 more monitors. One of them, Sölve, is still preserved at the marine museum in Gothenburg. Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders John L. Worden Franklin Buchanan Catesby R. Jones Strength 1 ironclad, 3 wooden warships 1 ironclad, 2 wooden warships, 1 gunboat, 2 tenders Casualties 2 wooden warships sunk, 1 wooden warship damaged 261 killed 108 wounded 1 ironclad damaged 7... Nickname: Peking Coordinates: Area - City 1,503. ... Location of Gothenburg in northern Europe Coordinates: Country Sweden County VÃ¤stra GÃ¶taland County Province VÃ¤stergÃ¶tland Charter 1621 Government - Mayor GÃ¶ran Johansson Area - City 450 kmÂ² (174 sq mi) - Water 14. ...

Loss at sea

While the design of Monitor was well-suited for river combat, her low freeboard and heavy turret made her highly unseaworthy in rough waters. This feature probably led to the early loss of the original Monitor, which foundered during a heavy storm. Swamped by high waves while under tow by Rhode Island, she sank on December 31, 1862 in the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. 16 of 62 crewmen were lost in the storm. The first USS Rhode Island was a side-wheel steamer in the United States Navy, commissioned in 1861. ... December 31 is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... An aerial view of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse prior to its 1999 relocation. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Area Ranked 28th - Total 53,865 sq mi (139,509 kmÂ²) - Width 150 miles (240 km) - Length 560[1] miles (901 km) - % water 9. ...

The name Monitor was given to the troop carrier USS Monitor (LSV-5)|USS Monitor (LSV-5), commissioned late in World War II. She served primarily in the Pacific theater, and was later scrapped. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

Rediscovery

In 1973, the wreck of the ironclad Monitor was located on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean about 26 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. The wreck site was designated as the United States' first marine sanctuary. Monitor Sanctuary is the only one of the thirteen national marine sanctuaries created to protect a cultural resource, rather than a natural resource. An aerial view of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse prior to its 1999 relocation. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Area Ranked 28th - Total 53,865 sq mi (139,509 kmÂ²) - Width 150 miles (240 km) - Length 560[1] miles (901 km) - % water 9. ...

In 2003, after 41 days of work, the revolutionary revolving gun turret was salvaged by NOAA and a team of US Navy divers. Before removing the turret, divers discovered the remains of two trapped crew members. The remains of these sailors, who died while on duty were given a full military funeral by the United States Navy.

The site is now under the supervision of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Many artifacts from Monitor, including her turret, propeller, anchor, engine and some personal effects of the crew, have been conserved and are on display at the Mariners' Museum of Newport News, Virginia. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a scientific agency of the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere. ... The Mariners Museum is located in Newport News, Virginia. ... Newport News is an independent city located in Virginia. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area Ranked 35th - Total 42,793 sq mi (110,862 kmÂ²) - Width 200 miles (320 km) - Length 430 miles (690 km) - % water 7. ...

In 1986, Monitor was designated a National Historic Landmark. It is one of only two accessible monitor wrecks in the world, the other being the Norwegian KNM Thor, which lies at about 25 feet off Verdens Ende in Vestfold county, Norway. This article or section needs additional references or sources to improve its verifiability. ... HNoMS Thor (or KNM Thor) was a monitor built for the Royal Norwegian Navy in 1871. ... Verdens Ende (Worlds End) is a town which is located at the southernmost tip of the island of TjÃ¸me in Vestfold, Norway. ... County NO-07 Region Ã˜stlandet Administrative centre TÃ¸nsberg County mayor Area - Total - Percentage Ranked 18 2,224 kmÂ² 0. ...

References

Military Heritage is a glossy, bi-monthly history magazine published by Sovereign Media. ...

Contents

Design

Battle of Hampton Roads

The Monitor-class warship

Loss at sea

Rediscovery

References

See also

External links

Contents

Design GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Battle of Hampton Roads

The Monitor-class warship

Loss at sea

Rediscovery

References

See also

External links

Design