Battle of Hampton Roads facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Hampton Roads
Part of the American Civil War
The Monitor and Merrimac: The First Fight Between Ironclad, Louis Prang
Date March 8, 1862 (1862-03-08) – March 9, 1862 (1862-03-09) Location Off Sewell's Point, Hampton Roads 36°59′0″N 76°19′11″W / 36.98333°N 76.31972°W / 36.98333; -76.31972 Result Indecisive
Belligerents
United States	Confederate States
Commanders and leaders
John Marston John Worden	Franklin Buchanan Catesby Jones
Strength
1 ironclad 5 frigates 6 auxiliary boats 2 forts 1 shore battery	1 ironclad 2 wooden warships 1 gunboat 2 tenders 1 shore battery
Casualties and losses
261 killed 108 wounded 2 frigates sunk 2 frigates damaged 1 ironclad damaged 3 auxiliary boats damaged	7 killed 17 wounded 1 ironclad damaged 1 gunboat damaged

The Battle of Hampton Roads was a major naval battle during the American Civil War. It happened on March 8 and 9, 1862. The battle took place near Hampton Roads, Virginia. This fight was very important because it was the first time two ironclad warships fought each other.

The Confederate ironclad ship, the CSS Virginia, tried to break a Union navy blockade. This blockade stopped ships from trading with Norfolk and Richmond, Virginia. On March 8, the Virginia attacked. It sank and damaged several Union battleships.

On March 9, the Union ironclad ship, the USS Monitor, arrived. It then fought the Virginia. The battle lasted for several hours. But neither ship could completely defeat the other. Both ships left the fight thinking they had won. However, the Confederates did not succeed in breaking the blockade.

The Battle of Hampton Roads did not change the outcome of the Civil War. But it greatly changed how ships were built and how naval battles were fought.

Cool Facts About the Battle of Hampton Roads

• This battle was also called the Battle of the Monitor and Merrimack (or Virginia). Sometimes it was simply known as the Battle of Ironclads.
• The battle proved that ironclad warships were much stronger than older wooden ships. After this fight, the U.S. and other countries stopped building wooden warships. They started building iron ships instead.
• The battle took place over two days.
• Both sides, the Union and the Confederates, said they won the battle.
• Both ironclad ships were lost not long after the battle. The CSS Virginia was destroyed by its own crew in May 1862. This was done to stop the Union from capturing it. The USS Monitor sank in a storm near Cape Hatteras on December 31, 1862. Its wreck was found in 1974.

Images for kids

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  Map of events of the Battle of Hampton Roads

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  CSS Virginia (ex-USS Merrimack)

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  USS Monitor

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  Sinking of Cumberland by the ironclad Virginia

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  Virginia drives Congress away from her anchorage

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  Ironclads engaged in terrific combat by Currier and Ives

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  First Battle of Iron Ships of War by Henry Bill. Shown are USS Monitor, CSS Virginia, USS Cumberland, CSS Jamestown, USS Congress, and USS Minnesota

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  Destruction of the rebel monster Merrimac off Craney Island, May 11, 1862, by Currier and Ives

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  Engraving of Monitor sinking

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  Stereograph of Monitor after the battle, July 1862

See also

In Spanish: Batalla de Hampton Roads para niños