American Civil War: Battle of Hampton Roads

[rangerrebew]

 American Civil War: Battle of Hampton Roads

Following the outbreak of the Civil War in April 1860, Confederate forces seized the Norfolk Navy Yard from the US Navy.

Prior to evacuating, the Navy burned several ships in the yard including the relatively new steam frigate USS Merrimack. Commissioned in 1856, Merrimack only burned to the waterline and most of its machinery remained intact. With the Union blockade of the Confederacy tightening, Confederate Secretary of the Navy Stephen Mallory began searching for ways in which his small force could challenge the enemy.

https://www.thoughtco.com/american-civil-war-battle-hampton-roads-2361181

[rangerrebew]

In all, there were 10 monitors constructed.