Ironclads: Their Development
and Use During the Civil War

The Monitor

© 2003 by Brent Nosworthy
Photos by Toby Barrett

Despite all the talk in the press about iron protected ships, the Federal government remained slow to action even after the fall of Fort Sumter. During mid-summer, Congress did appoint a board to investigate the feasibility of this new class of vessel. However, after six weeks the board rather ambiguously concluded that though such vessels were useful for coastal and harbor defense, they were unable to destroy fixed fortifications. The board simply did not consider ship-to-ship encounters.

Nevertheless, in the months that followed, the board did approve the construction of three ships that would be known as “ironclads.” Bushnell & Co. of New Haven were to construct a vessel that would be called the Galena. Merrick & Sons were to build the New Ironsides while John Ericsson began to construct a floating battery that he would call the Monitor. [33] Of the three, Ericsson’s creation would gain the lions’ share of acclaim after its success against the C.S.S. Virginia (a.k.a. the Merrimac) at Hampton Roads (March 9, 1862).

Ericsson signed a government contract on Oct. 5, 1861. He and his associates immediately began the project which would be completed in unheard of time. Professor Soley in his “The Union and Confederate Navies” contribution to the Battles and Leaders of the Civil War tells us that the Swedish inventor had an easy time securing the contract; the board came to a favorable decision after only two hours of closed-door deliberation. [34]

Francis Wheeler, the author of The First Monitor and its Builders, a pamphlet that appeared during the 1880s, tells a different story. Initially, Ericsson was unable to interest the board in his plans, possibly because of the Princeton tragedy, or because of a series of scandals involving Ericsson in the 1850s. John A. Griswold and John F. Winslow in Washington to adjust some claims in connection with iron plating for Bushnell’s Galena decided to help the inventor. Failing to sway Commodore Smith, a member of the board, Griswold and Winslow decided to see President Lincoln directly. They sufficiently impressed the president that Lincoln decided to try to sway Commodore Smith. A meeting was set up between Lincoln, Griswold, Winslow, Smith, and the Secretary of the Navy. Though Commodore Smith still remained resistant after Griswold and Winslow’s presentation, he finally relented when in his closing remarks Lincoln declared that the project had merit. [35]

A contract was signed on October 25 and work began immediately. Assembly took place at the Continental Iron Works in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. This company was responsible for the fabrication of the hull, side armor, and decks. The turret was built by the Novelty Iron Works while the “port-stoppers,” the heavy metal guard that protected the two turret guns (11-inch Dahlgren smoothbores), were forged at the Steam Forge in Buffalo. Delamater Iron Works created the parts of the turret. [36] The turret, however, was so large that it had to be transported in sections to the assembly yard.

Because of Ericsson’s untiring efforts, the Monitor was completed and launched at Greenpoint, on January 30, after only 101 days of work. Two weeks later, Lt. John L.Worden took command. Two trial runs revealed the vessel was difficult to steer and could not be brought to full speed when moving forward. The Monitor’s crew spent February solving these problems. [37]

It took several weeks to correct these problems so that the Monitor was only able to set out for Hampton Roads on March 6. By this time, the ironclad was desperately needed to counter the C.S.S. Virginia then expected to appear at any day. The Monitor left New York harbor with the prospect of fair weather, but quickly ran into rough seas, which threatened to delay the journey. Though momentarily proving worrisome, the weather settled down and the Monitor arrived at Fort Monroe at 4 pm on May 8. As it pulled into harbor, its crew could hear the last booming exchanges as the Virginia so successfully attacked Union ships-of-war.

Ironclads Their Development and Use During the Civil War

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