the_monitor_and_the_merrimac_block+2

=The Monitor and the Merrimack= Angela and James google http://www.rpi.edu/~fiscap/history_files/monitor.htm 1. The Monitor and the Merrimack

2. The Naval battle started on March 8th - March 9th 1862.

3. The battle occurred at Hampton Roads off of Sewell's Point in Virginia.

4. The Union leader was Lieutenant John Worden. He lead the USS Monitor. The Confederate leader was Captain Buchanan. Catesby R. Jones also helped out the Captain. Together they lead the USS Merrimack.

5. The Union lost 261 sailors and the Confederates only lost 7.

6. The Civil War Battle once named the Monitor and the Merrimack was a very interesting battle. It occurred off the coast of Virginia in the Atlantic Ocean. This was the first time in history that two ironclad ships went to battle against each other. The USS Monitor was a ship that had a very low center of gravity. It was outnumbered as it was the Union's only ironclad with only having 3 other wooden war ships for back up. The monitor was considered a small war ship, sitting low in the water and only reaching 179 feet long, and 42 feet wide. Also, it was also made of iron. Therefore, it was very difficult to hit and damage. When it was hit, it would just dent since it was made of iron. The CSS was more prepared. Having 1 ironclad, 2 wooden war ships, 1 gun boat, and 2 tenders, it seemed obvious who was going to win. The Merrimack, which was the CSS's iron clad, was bigger and broader. It sat in the water higher up, having a higher center of gravity. They layered a wall of iron around the whole ship. Each sheet of iron they bolted on was 2 inches thick. They put 4 layers on; all of them were 2 inches thick. Therefore, they had an 8-inch layer of iron on the outside edges of the ship to protect it from cannon balls and bullets. The battle went on for only one day. Keeping in mind they had multiple ships out in the water at once. It wasn’t just two ships going at it. The battle ended without a winner or a loser, although it did end with the loss of 261 Union sailors, and only 7 Confederacy sailors were killed.

7. The USS Monitor was ordered to protect the USS Minnesota from the Merrimack. The Captain of the Merrimack was unaware of the Monitor that was waiting for them at Hampton Roads. The USS Monitor was the first to fire at dawn.

8. Neither side was able to clinch victory because they both needed to pull out due to falling tides and a cracked turret. Plus, each side wanted to build more ironclad ships.

9. The causalities included the loss of 261 Union sailors, and 108 were wounded. Also, 2 wooden warships sunk, and one was severely damaged. The CSS lost 7 Confederate Sailors and only 17 were wounded. Their ironclad was also damaged.

10. This battle did not help out either side of the war because nobody won. There for it ended with almost no effect on the outcome of the Civil War itself.