Section 1: Introduction (Study)
The Battle of Hampton Roads, often referred to as the Battle of the Monitor and Merrimack (or Merrimac), was the most noted and arguably most important naval battle of the American Civil War from the standpoint of the development of navies.
It was fought over two days, March 8–9, 1862. The battle took place in Virginia where the Elizabeth and Nansemond Rivers meet the James River just before the James enters Chesapeake Bay. This locale is known as Hampton Roads.
At the start of the War, President Abraham Lincoln has ordered the blockade of all ports in the seceded states. The battle was a part of the effort of the Confederacy to break the Union blockade, which had cut off Virginia's largest cities, Norfolk and Richmond, from the Atlantic Ocean and international trade.
The major significance of the battle is that it was the first meeting in combat of ironclad warships. The Confederate fleet consisted of the ironclad ram CSS Virginia (still most often referred to as the Merrimack) and several supporting vessels. On the first day of battle, they were opposed by several conventional, wooden-hulled ships of the Union Navy. On that day, the Virginia was able to destroy two ships of the Federal flotilla and threaten a third, the USS Minnesota, which had run aground. The action was halted by darkness and falling tide, so the Virginia retired to take care of her few wounded — which included her captain, Franklin Buchanan — and repair her minimal battle damage.
Determined to complete the destruction of the Minnesota, Catesby Roger Jones, acting as captain in Buchanan's absence, returned the ship to the fray the next morning, March 9. During the night, however, the ironclad USS Monitor, commanded by Lieutenant John L. Worden, had arrived and had taken a position to defend Minnesota. When the Virginia approached, Monitor intercepted her. The two ironclads fought for about three hours, with neither being able to inflict significant damage on the other. The duel ended indecisively, Virginia returning to her home at the Gosport Navy Yard for repairs and strengthening, and the Monitor to her station defending Minnesota. The ships did not fight again, and the blockade remained in place.