150th anniversary

March 8, 1862
The Confederate ironclad Virginia struck fear into the hearts of Union sailors when it steamed up the Elizabeth River and into Hampton Roads on March 8. The hybrid ship had been built from the hull of the Merrimack, which Confederates seized from the Navy Yard in Portsmouth in 1861. Its rst target was the Union ship Cumberland, which sank after the Virginia red on it and rammed it. Next, after an hour of combat, the Union ship Congress surrendered. But after Union troops red on the Virginia from the shore, the ironclad unleashed a volley of red-hot cannonballs that sparked a re aboard the Congress; it exploded and sank an hour later. With darkness falling and the Virginia needing repairs, it headed to a pier at Sewells Point.
James River Fleet joins the CSS Virginia

Hampton
Federal camps

Chesapeake Bay
USS Minnesota

Fort Monroe 10,000 men, 180 guns

CSS Virginia Turns to attack Camp Butler

Newport News
Camp Butler 8,000 troops, 8 guns

All non-military ships leave area by midnight

USS Minnesota Grounded 3 p.m. CSS Virginia 1 p.m.

Fort Wool 220 men, 10 guns

USS Monitor Arrives around 9 p.m.

USS Congress Grounded 4 p.m.

Gassendi (French observing)

USS Cumberland

James River

CSS Virginia 2:15 p.m.

S IRONCLAD MAP AREA

Sewells Poin batteries 31 guns

CSS Virginia 7:30 p.m.
Confederate camps

CSS Jamestown tows away a damaged CSS Patrick Henry

on Roads Hampt
Pig Point batteries Confederate camps

Union ship res on approaching CSS Virginia

CSS Germantown Floating battery

END MAPS LEG e Confederat forces Main ships

CSS Virginia

Union forces
USS Monitor

Craney Island batteries

CSS Virginia 11:30 a.m.

Lamberts Po int batteries

One mile grid

Norfolk
Fort Norfolk

de ship Union blocka le before batt positions Supporting ships Ships and fo in battle rts

Battery

Hampton Bar
USS Monitor Exits battle

One mile grid

Naval hospital s and batterie

Newport News Bar

Str. Lorenz USS Minneso ta USS Dragon

CSS Virginia Ship and crew look at Fort Monroe before turning to face USS Monitor

Portsmouth
Gosport Navy Yard

First hour of battle Second hour

No. 2 buoy

Teaser

USS Monitor 7 a.m. Third hour

CSS Virginia 7 a.m.

CSS Jamesto wn

Willoughbys Bay

No. 4 buoy

CSS Patrick Henry

Hampton Roa ds
SOURCES: Civ il War Trust (www.civilwa r.org), Robe rt E. Pratt (el ler.pratt@ya hoo.com)

CSS Virginia Exits battle

Pier

Sewells Poin t batteries 31 guns

March 9, 1862

KATE WILTRO UT, MEREDI TH

KRUSE and

ROBERT D. VO

ROS | THE VI

RGINIAN-PIL OT

The Virginia hoped to repeat its dominance the next day, but the Monitors timely arrival in Hampton Roads now pitted iron against iron. Taking up a position next to the grounded Union ship Minnesota, the Monitor returned the Virginias re. The two ships battled at close range for more than three hours. The ironclad ships disengaged after each concluded that the other had withdrawn. Both sides celebrated the outcome as a victory, but they had essentially fought to a draw. In the long run, though, it was a loss for the Confederates, who were unable to break the Union blockade. Neither ship fought again. Two months after the Battle of Hampton Roads, as Norfolk fell into Union hands, Confederate forces ran the Virginia ashore near Craney Island and set it are. Later that year, the Monitor sank after foundering off Cape Hatteras.