Presenter
John V. Quarstein
Director emeritus of the USS Monitor Center
About the Lecture
USS Monitor arrived in Hampton Roads during the early evening of March 8, 1862. The Union ironclad was too late to stop the rampage of the Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia.
USS Congress sent an eerie glow across the harbor luminating the devastation wrought by CSS Virginia earlier that day. Monitor was given the task of protecting the grounded frigate USS Minnesota against the Confederate ironclad ram’s attack on the morrow. On the morning of March 9, 1862, Lt. John L. Worden, captain of the untried USS Monitor, proved his ship to be a success as the Union warship stopped Virginia from damaging any more Union wooden warships. This drawn engagement was the first battle between iron ships of war and made Monitor into the little ship that saved the nation.
Registration information:
Location: Explorers Theater
Seating is limited. Advance registration is required.
In person
Free for Museum Members.
Included in $1 admission.
Virtual
This lecture is livestreamed
and free to watch online.
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Contact Us
For additional assistance, questions, or support:
Guest Relations
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Image credit:
USS Monitor and Merrimac, 1st Fight between Ironclads. J.O. Davidson, artist. The Mariners’ Museum, 1945.0427.00000