Neither ship, however, survived 1862.
The Virginia was destroyed on May 11, 1862, when her new commander, flag officer Josiah Tattnall, ordered her scuttled and blown up to prevent her from being captured.
The Monitor remained in Hampton Roads until December 29, 2862, when she began a journey south to help with war efforts. Off the coast of Cape Hatteras, a storm began to rock the ironclad, flooding her engines and causing massive leaks.
The crew signaled for help, but the ship was lost. When she went down, 16 of her crew of 62 also lost their lives.
In 1974, an expedition confirmed her shipwreck location and she was designated a marine sanctuary on January 30, 1975.
--Old B-Runner
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