The Fight Between The Monitor And The Merrimac
But the death of the Merrimac was to follow close upon her birth; she was the portent of a few weeks only. For, during a short time past, there had been also rapidly building in a Connecticut yard the Northern marvel, the famous Monitor. When the ingenious Swede, John Ericsson, proposed his scheme for an impregnable floating battery, his hearers were divided between distrust and hope; but fortunately the President's favorable opinion secured the trial of the experiment. The work was zealously pushed, and the artisans actually went to sea with the craft in order to finish her as she made her voyage southward. It was well that such haste was made, for she came into Hampton Roads actually by the light of the burning Congress. On the next day, being Sunday, March 9, the Southern monster again steamed forth, intending this time to make the Minnesota her prey; but a little boat, that looked like a "cheese-box" afloat, pushed forward to interfere with this plan. Then occurred a duel which, in the annals of naval science, ranks as the most important engagement which ever took place. It did not actually result in the destruction of the Merrimac then and there, for, though much battered, she was able to make her way back to the friendly shelter of the Norfolk yard. But she was more than neutralized; it was evident that the Monitor was the better craft of the two, and that in a combat à outrance she would win. The significance of this day's work on the waters of Virginia cannot be exaggerated. By the armor-clad Merrimac and the Monitor there was accomplished in the course of an hour a revolution which differentiated the naval warfare of the past from that of the future by a chasm as great as that which separated the ancient Greek trireme from the flagship of Lord Nelson.
The Monitor
The first armoured ship to mount a turret. This is the ship that fought with the Merrimac the first battle between armoured ships.
Sheridan's Horse
Two soldiers facing off
The crew of the Kearsarge
Sherman's Army leaving Atlanta
Monitor
The blowing up of the 'Albemarle'
The boat from the 'Alabama' announcing the surrender and asking for assistance
The Army carries off all the horses, cattle and mules
The Engagement between the 'Monitor' and the 'Merrimac'
The Shell sent a column of water
The Crops were destroyed and the mills were burned
The Drummer Boys dream
Sinking of the Alabama
Sherman's headquarters
The Drummer Boy at his post
The Merrimac
On Board the 'Merrimac'
View of Vicksburg during the seige
On the way to the Sea
A Camp Oven
At Close Quarters, on the first day at Gettysburg
Marching through Georgia
On the way to Manassas
Major Gray, with the butt of a navy revolver, rapped vigorously upon the door
A Glimpse of Camp Life
Harry's Dash
Battlefield scene
Boy with Flag
In the turret of the Monitor
Face the other way, boys
Moses arrivve in camp
Listening for the first gun
Kearsarge gun in action
Cannonballs
Close of the combat
Divider with Cross Swords
The Monitor, the famous little ship that revolutionized warship design
The upper figure is a broadside view, the lower one a transverse section amidships. The upper portion of the hull was very like a raft, and was heavily armoured all over, as was the turret and the little pilot-box forward.
Discarded canteen
Double Cave in the Rigby Hill
Commander W.B. Cushing, U.S.N