Battle of Hampton Roads

aka - The Monitor and the Merrimac(k)
or rightly called the CSS Virginia

Collection of information and images depicting this famous battle.

http://www.monitorcenter.org/the-battle-of-hampton-roads/

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/pga.04044/

"The Monitor and Merrimac: The First Fight Between Ironclads", a chromolithograph of the Battle of Hampton Roads, produced by Louis Prang & Co., Boston signed "Jo Davidson".

https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/confederate_ships/virginia.html

Undefeated CSS Virginia returning to Portsmouth.
[ Faux Daguerreotype by yours truly. ] 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/oldetownephotos/15352108818/

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The Battle of Hampton Roads took place March 8th and 9th, 1862. A key witness to this event was Henry Eaton Coleman who was born on January 5, 1837 at Woodlawn Plantation in Halifax County, Virginia. He studied civil engineering at the Virginia Military Institute and the College of William and Mary. At age 21, Coleman purchased a farm known as “Cedar Grove.” At the outbreak of the Civil War, Coleman joined the 12th North Carolina Infantry Regiment, as a captain in Company B. The regiment was ordered to Sewell’s Point, near Norfolk, where Coleman witnessed the epic duel between the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia. He wrote a letter afterwards from Camp Arrington to his wife Julia describing the battle and casualties. His letter even included sketches of the Monitor and Virginia. A portion of his letter is enclosed: "On Saturday, March 8th, at 12 a.m. the “Merrimac” in company with the gun boats “Raleigh” “Beaufort” (each of one gun.) left her wharf in Norfolk steamed directly to Newport News. At 2 p.m. the “Realigh” Capt. Alexander, opened on the Blockading vessels; then the “Beaufort,” Capt. Parker, joined in, which the “Merrimac” quietly proceeded between the “Congress” “Cumberland” (U.S. 40 gun frigate) + gave it to them right + left. At 2.45 p.m. the “Cumberland” sunk, from the broadsides of the “Merrimac” + from the battering ram, then whole crew (about 500 men) with the exception of the a few who swam ashore, drowned. At 3 p.m. the “Congress” took fire, but was extinguished. Shortly after taking fire she ran up a white flag at half mast in [show] of surrender + distress, the commander of the “Merrimac” ceased firing + sent a boat to her assistance. This boat was fired on shore several times, + then the “Merrimac” threw ascending shells into her + burnt her to the waters edge with most of her crew aboard." Coleman finished the war as a colonel and succeeded in a career as a civil engineer. He died on June 25, 1890 in Halifax County, Virginia. His letter resides in the collections of the Mariner's Museum.

http://cssvirginia.org/vacsn/135anniv/index.htm

http://www.building-model-boats.com/css-virginia.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Hampton_Roads

Rev. Braidfoot (aka Dean Burgess) tells the story behind the stained glass window in Trinity Church.

Do you know the story behind this window? I was trying to find something on the Internet, but I guess I'll have to just tell you what I know. The part that's in the light box was removed from the window to keep the Union Forces from burning down the church and the hospital. It reads: " Who died during the Civil War between the years of 1861 & 1865 in Defence of their Native State of Virginia against the invasion of the U.S. forces."

There are many memories of the Civil War in the church. The “Confederate Window” commemorates officers who died from this church. It was erected during Union occupation of the town and the inscription, now standing on the sill, was so offensive to the Union officers that the Secretary of the Navy said he would close the Naval Hospital and the Shipyard unless it was removed.

The crew of the C. S. S. Virginia (the ironclad Merrimac) was blessed at this altar and the acting priest, The Rev. John Wingfield, blessed the ship before it went to the first battle of ironclads. Fr. Wingfield’s refusal to pray for the President of the United States resulted in his being forced to sweep the streets in Norfolk with a ball and chain on his leg (he later became the first Bishop of Northern California).

http://www.trinity-portsmouth.org/anniversary-info