Date of the battle: March 8th and 9th 1862
At 2 P.M. on March 8th of 1862, the C.S.S. Virginia Stuck the U.S.S. Cumberland with its iron ram beginning the 2 day Battle of Hampton Roads.
At 2 P.M. on March 8th of 1862, the C.S.S. Virginia Stuck the U.S.S. Cumberland with its iron ram beginning the 2 day Battle of Hampton Roads.
Location: Between James River & Elizabeth River
(Where the two met)
The C.S.S. Virginia was docked at Norfolk. The Flee left their dock, and went up the Elizabeth River to meet the Union Fleet who came from the north of the James River. The Majority of the battle happened in the North and South Channels of the James River in close combat in a place called Hampton Roads. At the end of the battle, C.S.S. Virginia retreated to Sewell's Pt. when the battle was going nowhere.
(Where the two met)
The C.S.S. Virginia was docked at Norfolk. The Flee left their dock, and went up the Elizabeth River to meet the Union Fleet who came from the north of the James River. The Majority of the battle happened in the North and South Channels of the James River in close combat in a place called Hampton Roads. At the end of the battle, C.S.S. Virginia retreated to Sewell's Pt. when the battle was going nowhere.
Battle Synopsis:
The C.S.S. Virginia attacked first sinking the U.S.S. Cumberland, but losing its most lethal weapon, its 1500 lb iron ram. After the U.S.S. Cumberland was taken down, it turned to the U.S.S. Congress. Not wanting the undergo the same fate as the Cumberland, this ship grounded itself on a nearby shoal, but was bombarded by the enemy fire anyway. The U.S.S. Congress then surrendered, and the Confederate Leader Franklin Buchanan was then injured by musket fire. During this surrender, another Union ship, the U.S.S. Monitor slipped away from the battle scene, and retreated to prepare for another battle the next day. The next day, the C.S.S. Virginia, now under Catesby Jones, attacked the U.S.S. Minnesota, but then the U.S.S. Monitor came making the battle two against one. This settled down into a slugfest with minimal damage to the ships because they were ironclad. The ships kept firing at each other, and eventually ran out of ammo and left because no one was getting anywhere. This showed the effectiveness of the ironclad ships in the navy.
The C.S.S. Virginia attacked first sinking the U.S.S. Cumberland, but losing its most lethal weapon, its 1500 lb iron ram. After the U.S.S. Cumberland was taken down, it turned to the U.S.S. Congress. Not wanting the undergo the same fate as the Cumberland, this ship grounded itself on a nearby shoal, but was bombarded by the enemy fire anyway. The U.S.S. Congress then surrendered, and the Confederate Leader Franklin Buchanan was then injured by musket fire. During this surrender, another Union ship, the U.S.S. Monitor slipped away from the battle scene, and retreated to prepare for another battle the next day. The next day, the C.S.S. Virginia, now under Catesby Jones, attacked the U.S.S. Minnesota, but then the U.S.S. Monitor came making the battle two against one. This settled down into a slugfest with minimal damage to the ships because they were ironclad. The ships kept firing at each other, and eventually ran out of ammo and left because no one was getting anywhere. This showed the effectiveness of the ironclad ships in the navy.
Who Won? Inconclusive... Both ships ended up leaving at the end of the second day. The Union continued to protect their blockade, but they had more causalities by far than from the Confederates.
Strategic / Major Moves of the Battle:
- The C.S.S. Virginia took the enemy by surprise on the first day of the battle. This is how they were so successful.
- The U.S.S. Monitor left the battle the first day and was alive to fight the next day.
- Franklin Buchanan was badly injured and not able to continue leading his troops during the second day of the battle.
- When the U.S.S. Monitor Came back and helped the U.S.S. Minnesota, this created the two on one battle against the C.S.S. Virginia.
Union Officer-: John L. Warden
Born in Westchester Country NY, He went into the US Navy and served them from 1834-1886. He fought in the Mexican American war and the Civil Wars during his career. His final rank was Rear Admiral. An interesting fact about Warden is that he was temporarily blinded by an exploding shell during the battle of Hampton Roads. He was piloting a Union Ship called the Monitor during the battle doing what the title implies, monitoring!
Born in Westchester Country NY, He went into the US Navy and served them from 1834-1886. He fought in the Mexican American war and the Civil Wars during his career. His final rank was Rear Admiral. An interesting fact about Warden is that he was temporarily blinded by an exploding shell during the battle of Hampton Roads. He was piloting a Union Ship called the Monitor during the battle doing what the title implies, monitoring!
Confederate Officer-: Franklin Buchanan
His military rank during the war was Admiral and he was an experienced seaman that Joined the navy in 1815. He was 1st superintendent at the US Naval Academy and also fought in the Mexican American War. He was on the C.S.S. Virginia during the battle of Hampton Roads and In the battle he was wounded by gunshot to the thigh. He was replaced the next morning by Catesby Jones.
His military rank during the war was Admiral and he was an experienced seaman that Joined the navy in 1815. He was 1st superintendent at the US Naval Academy and also fought in the Mexican American War. He was on the C.S.S. Virginia during the battle of Hampton Roads and In the battle he was wounded by gunshot to the thigh. He was replaced the next morning by Catesby Jones.
Sailors of the Battle:
There were 188 Confederate Men on their only ship, the C.S.S. Virginia.
There were 1400 Union Troops within their five combined ships.
Because of the nature of the navy at that time, there was not real organized divisions on the ships. Soldiers were defined by their ship that they took part of. The soldiers were selected because of their naval experience in their past, and put on the ships with different duties the navigate and attack their opponents. A typical solider could make anywhere from seven to eighteen dollars a month. The confederate navy was much smaller than the Union navy, however, they never had much issues getting the volunteer men that they needed to fight. Each solder was assigned his duty in stations and carried that duty out on the ship. The more experienced the job was, the more that solider was paid. Very few man had been to naval academies, but those who had were often officers.
There were 261 Union troops killed and 108 Wounded in this battle. (369 casualties)
There were 7 Confederate troops killed and 17 wounded in this battle. (24 casualties)
There were 188 Confederate Men on their only ship, the C.S.S. Virginia.
There were 1400 Union Troops within their five combined ships.
Because of the nature of the navy at that time, there was not real organized divisions on the ships. Soldiers were defined by their ship that they took part of. The soldiers were selected because of their naval experience in their past, and put on the ships with different duties the navigate and attack their opponents. A typical solider could make anywhere from seven to eighteen dollars a month. The confederate navy was much smaller than the Union navy, however, they never had much issues getting the volunteer men that they needed to fight. Each solder was assigned his duty in stations and carried that duty out on the ship. The more experienced the job was, the more that solider was paid. Very few man had been to naval academies, but those who had were often officers.
There were 261 Union troops killed and 108 Wounded in this battle. (369 casualties)
There were 7 Confederate troops killed and 17 wounded in this battle. (24 casualties)
The IMPACT
This battle changed the way the naval battles were fought in the military from that battle onward. After the U.S.S. and the C.S.S. Virginia had been fighting inconclusively, it was obvious that ironclad ships were the only way to go. They could resist constant cannon fire unlike the previous wood clad ships. After that battle, most all new ships manufactured with an ironclad hull. It was a milestone evolution in shipbuilding that would continue in military and all ships for decades to come. This was also the the bloodiest battle for the U.S. navy until Pearl Harbor.
This battle changed the way the naval battles were fought in the military from that battle onward. After the U.S.S. and the C.S.S. Virginia had been fighting inconclusively, it was obvious that ironclad ships were the only way to go. They could resist constant cannon fire unlike the previous wood clad ships. After that battle, most all new ships manufactured with an ironclad hull. It was a milestone evolution in shipbuilding that would continue in military and all ships for decades to come. This was also the the bloodiest battle for the U.S. navy until Pearl Harbor.