CSS Virginia (USS Merrimack)

CSS Virginia (USS Merrimack) History

The CSS Virginia is a 4,500-ton, 12-door iron ram warship powered by steam propellers. She was rebuilt in 1862 by the Union Navy from the sunken hull of the USS Merrimack during the "American Civil War".

She proved quite a few to Union troops, but was eventually set on fire by her southern masters when her hometown was captured by northern troops.

USS Merrimack

The Merrimack itself was a wooden frigate steam battleship with three masts, each of which was fitted to sail. It measures about 275 feet long and 38 feet 6 inches wide. The U.S.

Navy expects sails will be the Merrimack's primary means of propulsion, and its steam engines will provide the necessary power when the wind isn't cooperating. In 1855, the Merrimack fired 40 new 8-inch and 10-inch guns to maintain her survivability in the steamship age. The secondary propulsion system, the steam plant, was designed by West Point graduate student Robert Parrott, who happened to be the administrator of the West Point foundry.

The two boilers were designed by nascent U.S. Navy chief engineer Daniel B. Martin. There were a number of problems with the engine initially - the boiler would overheat, steam readings were not completely reliable - causing multiple shutdowns and forcing the crew to rely on the sails to propel the ship. When sails were used instead of steam, the trim of the ship was affected and the unused propellers introduced unnecessary drag.

The solution turned out to be a brass contraption called a "banjo" that raises the propeller out of the water, reducing drag as the sail unfolds.

North and South

On April 12, 1861, the American Civil War began when Confederate troops opened fire on Fort Sumter, South Carolina. On April 14, Fort Sumter finally surrendered to the Confederates after being shelled by a much stronger force.

However, the Southerners lacked almost any type of military war material compared to the Union forces they would face. To make matters worse, about 70% of the factories were located in the Northern Territory, especially those used to manufacture war materials.

Gosport Shipyard

Eight days later, rebels launched a military strike on the Gosport Shipyard (now Norfolk Naval Shipyard) in Portsmouth, Virginia. Gosport was at the time the largest Union military port on the U.S. East Coast and a treasure trove of material the beleaguered South desperately needed to continue its planned offensive.

Over 3,000 cannons of different calibers and a stone dry dock await the winner.

USS Cumberland received an unclear order from Washington to leave Port Gosport and drive USS Merrimack north into sheltered waters. The order also indicated that the port should be burned to prevent federal ships and equipment from falling into the hands of Virginia militiamen.

The Commonwealth of Virginia moved quickly to seize the port. Union troops began to retreat, burning ships as they went. Many of them are Merrimack. However, before she is completely burnt, she is about to sink and can no longer be used.

The plan to destroy the shipyard fell through when the Confederates took over - they didn't fire a shot.

People on the USS Minnesota can hear gunshots, see lightning, and know their fate if the monitor sinks. The engine block below the Virginia was as busy as the gun block above; the men shoveled coal into sixteen stoves that spewed heat, smoke, and steamall of which helped raise the ship's temperature to 140 degrees above. Virginia continues to have difficulty turning, and the monitor sometimes appears to be the more nimble variety, capable of maneuvering and shooting at Virginia's blind spot.

However, the two ships spun so closely in the fog of war that at least five more forced clashes were added. Virginia's Brook rifle fired a 68-pound cone and made a 4-inch dent in the display without seriously damaging the iron plate. Master Stodder, who was operating the turret, was leaning inside the turret when the shell hit, knocking him out and causing a hidden concussion from the violent vibration.

Two hours later, both ships knew they were not hurting each other. Apart from muzzle flashes aimed at each other, there is little to properly reference through the smoke.

Eventually, the monitor's gun deck ran out of ammunition and she had to reload from the storage room below the deck. Captain Worden left the Virginia and sent the crew to the deck to load gunpowder and shoot. Virginia saw this and began to move toward the USS Minnesota, and when she was two miles away, the pilots grounded her for fear of the frigate's guns. The monitor had replenished her ammunition and was chasing Virginia between her and Minnesota or bumping her screws. The monitor was at Virginia's gun and opened fire at her at close range, while Virginia tried to free herself from the sandbar.

When she finally slid off the shore, Virginia hit the monitor and turned the bow. The tide receded and Virginia could no longer get close to the USS Minnesota, so she turned to Cape Sewell and was safe.

The monitors showed up in Minnesota, and of course the crews on both sides were hailed as heroes.

During the four-hour standoff, the monitor was hit 23 times and Virginia was hit 20 times. The Commonwealth believed they had won the battle, with two Northern warships destroyed, two others damaged, and hundreds of Northern sailors casualties. Only three people in Virginia were killed and fifteen wounded.

However, the northerners felt they had won the battle. Southerners and the media slammed the North's claims, and Washington issued orders to monitors to stay away from Virginia. The Confederacy believed it had more control over Hampton Roads than it had before the Virginia came.

Improvements were therefore made to the Virginia, from bow to stern, including new iron bolts to hold the plates in place and a newly improved ram, culminating in the mounting of the muzzle. Her new commander, Josiah Tattnall, was assigned to the ship, and on April 11, 1862, Virginia sailed down the Elizabeth River with Union warships at Hampton Roads war. When she surfaced, the transporter ducked cover and monitors began steaming the Chesapeake. It's a tactic to lure Virginia behind a monitor and surround her in deep water, eventually bombing her to infinity.

Instead of taking the bait, Virginia managed to take over three transport ships and drove the Elizabeth back.

The Last Journey

On May 3, 1862, President Lincoln witnessed the Union Fleet advancing to shell the southern fort at Cape Sewell. Shortly after the shelling began, the Virginia sailed out of the Elizabeth River and the Combined Fleet withdrew with the monitors. With another card in hand, the Union army attacked Norfolk and threatened Richmond with overwhelming force. The Confederates had withdrawn, and the Northern Army had surrounded Cape Sewell and on both sides of the Elizabeth River - CSS Virginia had just lost its base.

Virginia then moved along the James River toward Richmond to engage the Northern Fleet. However, having eaten too deeply, she started to pull down. Lieutenant Jones had to reduce the weight of the ship to keep it off the ground, so the iron plates were removed, making it now increasingly vulnerable to combined artillery fire. It was decided to destroy her so that she would not be captured by the Union army. The cannon was removed and the ship was on fire.

When her magazine went viral, she exploded into history. Her crew came ashore feeling that their ground forces were retreating from the Hampton Roads area and abandoned them.

Virginia leaves a changed world

CSS Virginia's combative legacy is practically over. The Virginia and the Monitor made all the navies in the world instantly obsolete. Gone are the days of wooden boats with flimsy sails. Combatants must now find a new home in their iron floating barrels known as Iron Armor.

Needless to say, the actions of these two ships resulted in a commitment by both the North and the South to build more ironclads.

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