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BattleofHamptonRoadsPublished:March2006Ironvs.OakWhenthecurrentsofhistoryandtechnologycollidedoffHampton,Virginia,inMarch1862,navalwarfarechangedforever.ByJoelK.Bourne,Jr.NationalGeographicSeniorWriterCourtesyofLondonNewsPictureLibraryOnapeacefulSaturdayinearlyMarch1862,theoddestshipanyonehadeverseenlumberedintothegreatwateryjunctionnorthofNorfolk,Virginia,knownasHamptonRoads.Roughly280feetlongfromtheironramatitsprowtothethuddingpropelleratitsstern,theblackleviathancarriedneithermastsnorsailscommontoshipsoftheday,onlyalargesmokestack,somepennants,andthestarredbanneroftheConfederacy.Itlooked,accordingtooneUnionsailor,"liketheroofofaverybigbarn."AsthevesselsteamedwesttowheretheJamesRiveremptiesintotheRoads,twopowerfulUnionwarshipsblockadingtheriverclearedtheirdecksforaction.Withtheirtallmasts,cloudsofsail,andgundecksbristlingwithcannon,woodenmen-of-warliketheU.S.S.CongressandU.S.S.Cumberlandhadruledtheseasforcenturies.Lt.JosephSmith,theyoungcaptainoftheCongress,confidentlysteeledhismenforthecomingfight:"Myhearties,youseebeforeyouthegreatsouthernbugaboo,gotupto1
frightusoutofourwits.Standtoyourguns,andletmeassureyouthatonegoodbroadsidefromourgallantfrigateandsheisours!"Thegreatsouthernbugaboo,otherwiseknownastheC.S.S.Virginia,plowedonward,onesailorrecalled,like"thehorridcreatureofanightmare."Whentheenemyshipcamewithinafewhundredyards,Smithunleashedabroadsidefrommorethan20cannonthatwouldhavedevastatedalmostanyothervesselafloat—onlytowatchtheshotandshellsbounceofftheVirginiaasiftheyweremarbles.Smithlookedoninhorrorastheironbeastranfourlargecannonoutitsgunportsandfired,instantlyturninghistrimshipintoaslaughterhouse.ThenightmarethatwastheBattleofHamptonRoadshadbegun.AnyonewhomuddledthrougheighthgradehistoryclasswilllikelyremembertheBattleofHamptonRoadsasthebattleoftheMonitorandMerrimack,thefirstclashbetweenironcladwarships.Butthatfamousengagementtookplaceontheseconddayofthebattle.Onthefirst,theSouthwonafuriousarmsracetogetanironcladtoHamptonRoads,provingindeadlyfashionthesuperiorityofironoveroak.OriginallyawoodenUnionfrigate,theMerrimack(oftenmisspelledMerrimacwasburnedandscuttlednearNorfolkattheoutbreakoftheCivilWartokeepitfromfallingintoConfederatehands.Southernshipwrightsraisedandrecycledthevessel'shullandmachineryintoaformidableengineofwar,theironcladC.S.S.Virginia.Tocounterthethreattoitswoodenfleet,theUnioncommissioneditsownironclad,theU.S.S.Monitor.Outfittedwiththeworld'sfirstrotatinggunturret,theMonitorwasatechnologicalmarvel—despitelooking,asoneskepticputit,likea"tincanonashingle."Thetwovastlydifferentshipswereridingawaveoftechnologicalchangesweepingthroughtheworld'snavalpowers,usheringinsteamengines,largerifledcannon,andshipsarmoredinironplate.Butthebattlewasmorethanatestoftechnology.ControloftheRoadswascriticaltoLincoln'sblockadeofsouthernportsandUnionplanstoattacktheConfederatecapitalatRichmond.Theduelwaswitnessedbytensofthousandsoftroopsonshipsandonshore,includingmilitaryobserversfromEurope.Inadditiontobreakingtheblockade,SouthernleadershopedavictorywouldswayFranceandEnglandtoweighinonthesideoftheConfederacy.PacingthedeckoftheVirginia,FlagOfficerFranklinBuchananknewhowhighthestakeswereandhowgreattherisks.AvolatileMarylanderwhohad"goneSouth,""OldBuck"hadspentnearly50yearsintheNavy'sworldofwoodenshipsandironmen,includingastintasthefirstsuperintendentoftheU.S.NavalAcademy.YetonthemorningofMarch8,heboldlysteeredanexperimentalvesselonhermaiden2

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