Any of us that are American Civil War buffs or even those of us that have a passing interest in the battle between the states, have heard about the ironclads. The most famous of these ships was the Monitor on the Northern side and the Virginia or Merrimack as it was earlier named. The Virginia was originally a wooden steam ship that had set on fire leaving just the lower hull, but it was intact as was all the steam machinery. This served as the basis for a steel plated monster. On 20 April 1861, when Virginia authorities took over the Norfolk Navy Yard after its evacuation by Federal forces, they found, among other valuable items, the hulk of the steam frigate USS Merrimack. During the remainder of 1861 and the first two months of 1862, the Confederate States Navy raised, dry docked and converted her into a casemate ironclad ram, a new warship type that promised to overcome the Union's great superiority in conventional warships. The idea was that an iron ship would be invincible and could easily destroy the Federal fleet.

Two views of steamship USS Merrimack
Graphics Source: US Navy

Before the Virginia had become an ironclad, it had been a a 4636-ton steam frigate It was built at the Boston Navy Yard. Commissioned in February 1856, she made her initial deployment to European waters, visiting ports in England, France and Portugal before returning to the U.S. in early 1857. Following repairs, in October 1857 Merrimack was sent around South America to become flagship of the Pacific Squadron, a role she played until November 1859. Completing this cruise at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, the frigate was decommissioned in February 1860. Actually the ship was not special and it was more circumstance that it was turned into an ironclad than any other reason. She was there, the South needed to build an ironclad and there was enough left of her to make a platform for an ironclad ship.

On 8 March 1862 The CSS Virginia was sent out to open the Federal Blockade. At mid-day on 8 March 1862, CSS Virginia (formerly USS Merrimack, and persistently mis-identified by that name or as "Merrimac") steamed down the Elizabeth River from Norfolk and entered Hampton Roads. It was the newly converted ironclad's trial trip, a short voyage that would deeply influence naval opinion at home and abroad. Anchored on the opposite side of Hampton Roads were five major Union warships: the frigate Congress and large sloop of war Cumberland off Newport News, and the frigates St. Lawrence, Minnesota and Roanoke a few miles to the east, off Fortress Monroe. All were powerful conventional wooden men o'war. Minnesota and Roanoke, of the same type as the pre-war Merrimack, had auxiliary steam propulsion, but the other three were propelled by sails alone, and thus were at the mercy of wind conditions and the availability of tugs. As Virginia crossed the Roads, looking (as one witness described her) "like the roof of a very big barn belching forth smoke as from a chimney on fire", the Union ships called their crews to quarters and prepared for action. Turning west, the Confederate ironclad shrugged off steady fire from ships and shore batteries as she steamed past the Congress. Firing her heavy cannon into both ships, she pushed her ram into Cumberland's starboard side. The stricken ship began to sink, though her gun crews kept up a heavy fire as she went down. In the words of one of Cumberland's enemies, "No ship was ever fought more gallantly."

The CSS Virginia wasn't finished, she now headed for the Congress. Confederate gunners put several raking shells into the frigate's hull, and maintained a relentless fire as they came alongside. After an hour's battle, in which Congress' crew suffered heavy casualties, she raised the white flag of surrender. As the Confederates began to take off her crew, several men on both sides were hit by gunfire from ashore, among them the Virginia's Commanding Officer, Captain Franklin Buchanan, who ordered Congress set afire with hot shot. She blazed into the night, exploding as the fire reached her powder magazines about two hours after midnight. The Virginia thought about heading to the Minnesota, but since the light was failing, she headed for home.

The South's ironclad Virginia had done a lot of damage, but it was about to meet a foe that it couldn't vanquish, the Monitor.

HMS Warrior
Copyright Richard Gallagher
This Photo Only is Under The GNU Free Documentation License

Contrary to some beliefs, the U.S. was not the first country to create an iron ship. In 1860, the HMS Warrior was built by Britain. She was powered by both steam and sails and was the largest and fastest ship of her day. On the day the ship was due to be launched, she froze solid and could not be budged. It was the coldest winter in 50 years in that area. Many tugs were sent to try and release her from the ice, while a crew of hundreds of men ran from side to side hoping to rock her loose. Hydraulic rams were then employed and after 20 minutes she was broken free from her icy prison. She became obsolete in less than 10 years. It wasn't long before every country was building iron ships.

*Some text taken directly from the U.S. Navy site.