Battle of Hampton Roads

Other Names: Monitor vs. Virginia (Merrimack), Battle of the Ironclads

Location: Hampton Roads, Virginia

Campaign: Peninsula Campaign (March-September 1862)

Date:  March 8-9, 1862

Principal Commanders: Lt. John Worden [US]; Capt. Franklin Buchanan and Lt. Catesby R. Jones [CS]

Forces Engaged: 4 warships [US]; 1 warship [CS]

Casualties and losses: 433 total (US 409; CS 24)

Result(s): Inconclusive

Brief Description:

On March 8, 1862, from her berth at Norfolk, the Confederate ironclad Virginia steamed into Hampton Roads where she sank Cumberland and ran Congress aground. On March 9, the Union ironclad Monitor having fortuitously arrived to do battle, initiated the first engagement of ironclads in history. On that day, Virginia was able to destroy two ships of the federal flotilla, USS Congress and USS Cumberland, and was about to attack a third, USS Minnesota, which had run aground. However, the action was halted by darkness and falling tide, so Virginia retired to take care of her few wounded, which included her captain, Flag Officer Franklin Buchanan and repair her minimal battle damage.