Mar 9, 2022
The Battle of Hampton Roads from March 8-9, 1862 was the first engagement of ironclad warships during the Civil War.
On this day in history, the USS Monitor arrived in Hampton Roads with orders to protect the Minnesots, which had run aground during an earlier confrontation with the CSS Virginia. Though the battle ultimately ended in a draw, the clash between these two ironclads would go down as one of the most consequential battles in naval history.
Image description: A diver explores the wreck of the USS Monitor, located in the depths of Monitor National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: NOAA
