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East River
The First Ironclad - USS Monitor
by John Coppola
On a cold day in January of 1862, the USS MONITOR slid down the ways of the Continental
Iron Works Co into the East River. The site was on the Brooklyn shore, just East of the
future Brooklyn Bridge, and is now occupied by a Con Ed facility.
Thousands of people had come to jeer, and witness their belief that this silly vessel
would immediately sink to the bottom of the river. As she slipped into the fast current,
her inventor, John Ericsson stood defiantly on her stern, waving the Stars and Stripes, to
show his confidence in her seaworthiness.
Ericsson was a brilliant, but eccentric naval architect who had emigrated from Sweden. He
convinced Abraham Lincoln that he could build a ship in 100 days that would be more than a
match for the feared CSS VIRGINIA (aka,the MERRIMAC). His innovations, such as a low
profile, revolving turret gun, and turning power were marvels of their time.
MONITOR met the MERRIMAC at Hampton Bay, Virginia. The MERRIMAC had just sunk 2 Union
ships, and was closing for a third kill when MONITOR arrived. The battle lasted 4 hours,
and it was a draw-although MONITOR scored a tactical victory. MONITOR would have won if
the navy had allowed the bigger guns that Ericsson wanted, but they were afraid the ship
would be too top heavy.
MERRIMAC and MONITOR never saw action again.MONITOR sank at sea with all hands lost, and
MERRIMAC was blown up by the Confederacy to avoid her from falling into enemy hands.
So, when you sail up the East River, and you are about to tack just off Pier 16 at the
South Street Seaport, glance off your starboard bow and envision the mighty MONITOR
sliding into the water to go to war to make men free.
- March 2000
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