She Ignored Other Ships And Shore Batteries

On March 8^th 1862 the USS Cumberland and USS Congress became the first United States ships to be put out of commission by an ironclad, the CSS Virginia.

Around 3pm on March 8^th 1862 the CSS Virginia entered Hampton Roads from the Elizabeth River.  She found on the other side of Hampton Roads five Union warships, the USS Congress, Cumberland, Minnesota, Roanoke and St Lawrence.  All five of these Union ships were of conventional wooden construction.  Three of the ships, the Congress, Cumberland, and Roanoke were sailing ships at the mercy of the wind to move.

As the Virginia sailed towards the Union ships she was described as a “roof of a very big barn belching forth smoke as from a chimney on fire."  Turning west the Virginia steamed passed the USS Congress, ignoring the other ships and shore batteries firing on her.  She rammed the USS Cumberland on the starboard side.  The Cumberland began to go down, but her crew continued to fight refusing to surrender.

The Virginia tore off her iron ram as she backed away from the Cumberland to take the fight to the USS Congress.  The Confederate ship settled into an hour long battle, firing into the Congress’ hull, and causing many casualties.  The Union ship raised a white flag, but as the Confederates were taking off the Congress’ crew they were hit with gunfire from shore.  The commanding officer of the Virginia, Captain Franklin Buchanan ordered the Congress set a fire; she exploded about 2am when the fire reached her powder magazines.

The Virginia had, had the muzzles shot off two of her guns, and many of her external fitting had been knock off, but she was still battle worthy.  There had been about 24 casualties on board the Virginia, including Buchanan.

The Fort Fell Before Alabama Seceded

Fort Morgan a masonry star fort in Mobile Bay, Alabama was captured by southern forces on January 3^rd 1861, eight days before Alabama seceded.

Fort Morgan is a masonry star fort built at the mouth of Mobile Bay, Alabama, and named for Revolutionary War hero Daniel Morgan.  It was built on the site of the former stockade fort known as Fort Bowyer, which was used during the last land battle of the War of 1812.  After several other tries it was completed by Untied States Army Corps of Engineers using slave labor in March 1834.  The first command in the Fort was Company B of the 2^nd United States Artillery under Captain F S Belton.

Just eight days before Alabama seceded from the Union, in the early morning hours of January 3^rd 1861, Colonel John Todd with four companies of volunteers captured the Fort.  Fort Morgan protected the only approach to Mobile Bay that was deep enough for large ships to pass.  The Confederates worked hard to strengthen Fort Morgan’s defenses and those of Mobile Bay.  The Fort’s heavy guns were moved to cover the channel, redoubts and trenches were built to prevent land attack, and a flotilla under Confederate Franklin Buchanan patrolled the Bay.

The Fort would fall back into Union hands on August 23^rd 1864 after two weeks of siege, having been bombed from the land and sea.

A Triple Clad Ship

The ironclad ram the CSS Tennessee was commissioned February 16^th 1864 under the command of Lieutenant James D Johnston.

The hull and other woodwork of the Tennessee was done by Henry D Bassett in October 1862.  The following February she was towed to Selma, Alabama where her engine and armor was installed.  The armor on the Tennessee was made up of 2 foot by 10 foot plates in a triple thickness.  When she was completed she weighed 1273 ton.

The CSS Tennessee was the flagship of Confederate Admiral Franklin Buchanan.  She was commissioned February 16^th 1864.  The Tennessee was heavily engaged at the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5^th 1864.  When Union Admiral David G Farragut’s ships moved up the bay the CSS Tennessee pursued them.  She rammed several Union ships before her steering was knocked out.  The Tennessee was unable to maneuver, two men were killed and Admiral Buchanan and eight others were wounded.  The CSS Tennessee was forced to surrender.

Following the surrender of the Tennessee, she was placed under the command of Union Volunteer Lieutenant Pierre Giraud.  She would serve on the Mississippi River until the end of the Civil War.  On November 27^th 1867 the Tennessee was sold to J F Armstrong for scrap.

The Battle Of The Ironclads

The Battle of Hampton Roads, a dual between two ironclads was fought on March 9th 1862.

Planning to break up the Union blockade, on March 8th 1862 the Confederate ironclad ram the CSS Virginia [also known as the CSS Merrimack] with several other vessels in support, attacked a number of wooden-hulled ships belonging to the Union Navy. The Virginia destroyed two ships and was about to attack the USS Minnesota which had run aground. The attack was called off by darkness and the falling tide. The crew of the Virginia took the time to repair some minimal damage and care for wounded, including her captain Franklin Buchanan.

Planning to resume it's attack on the USS Minnesota, acting captain Roger Jones didn’t know that the ironclad the USS Monitor had arrived in the early morning hours of March 9th 1862. The captain of the Monitor, Lieutenant John Worden, took up a defensive position and intercepted the CSS Monitor as she approached the USS Minnesota. The two ironclads battled for three hours, without either ship causing much damage to the other. When the fighting ended the CSS Virginia returned to her home berth at the Gosport Navy Yard, and the USS Monitor returned to defending the Minnesota.