The Monitor and the Virginia The U.S.S Monitor and the C. S. S. Virginia were the first ironclads to grace the waters of the American Civil War. Their battle in 1862 at Newport News Point is still considered one of the best and most exciting naval engagements of all times. The reason people think of it as the battle of the "Monitor and the Merrimack" is because the Merrimack had been the Virginia's name …showed first 75 words of 632 total…

…showed last 75 words of 632 total…unsalvageable. After visiting Washington the Monitor was steaming her way back along the coastline when she was over taken by a storm, luckily her crew was placed safely aboard a vessel close by, but she sunk clear to the bottom and was never recovered. Both the Monitor's and the Virgin's design was kept throughout the Civil War, but not without improvements, another turret was added to the Monitor's hull and more guns to the Virginia.