MONITOR VS MERRIMACK

BIRTH OF THE IRONCLAD

• When steam engines were being applied to ships
• Also naval constructors renewed their interest in armor
• This was found to be extremely successful

THE CSS MERRIMACK

• It is known as Merrimack to the union and Virginia to the confed.
• It used to be a screw ship in the U.s. Navy
• It had iron plates 2 in. Thick and the 2 ft of iron and pine.
• It had 10 guns: 2 6.4 in. And 7 in. Rifles and 8 9 in. Dahlgrens.
• It was supposed to only take on wooded ships so it had solid shells

USS MONITOR

• It was created in response to the merrimack
• It had the same armor, but only had 2 really high caliber guns
• It had 2 11 in. Dahlgrens, because the 15 in. Ones were unavailable
• These were mounted into a rotating turret that was 20 ft in diameter, 9 ft high, and was covered with 8 in. Of iron
• It couldn't Fire directly forward because the pilot house was next to the turret on the main deck

MONITOR VS MERRIMACK

• When these 2 faced off, the Merrimack didn't have the equipment to destroy the monitor.
• The battle ended when the Merrimack shot the pilot house which exploded, but had taken heavy damage herself.

THANK YOU