A new age of naval warfare dawned on March 9, 1862 when two ironclad ships, the Union Monitor and the Confederate Merrimac, battled in the waters off Hampton Roads, Virginia.

The Merrimac carried more guns but it was slow, clumsy and prone to engine trouble. The Monitor was faster and more maneuverable, but it lacked the Rebel's vessel brutish size and power. In the end, the ships battled to a draw, though the Monitor succeeded in protecting its fleet of wooden ships.