The Timby and the Monitor Blog-- Part 3: March 8, 1862

Continued from June 23.

How did Timby's role in the creation of the USS Monitor come to be essentially forgotten?

To find an answer, , we go back to the morning of March 8th of 1862.  The Civil war is raging. On this day, the powerful Confederate Navy ironclad CSS Virginia steamed into Hampton Roads and immediately attacked two wooden hulled Union ships, the USS Congress and the USS Cumberland.  It wasn't much of a battle.  The Virginia steamed triumphantly.

It was one of the worst defeats in U.S. Navy history "not to be equalled in scope, until the Japanese attack of December 7th, 1941."

News reached Washington, D.C. almost immediately.    Secretary of War Edwin Stanton told President Lincoln:  "It is certain that the Confederates will come up the Potomac River now and destroy our city."  Orders were given to sink anything available in the river tio serve as obstructions.

Then, came the next day.  And, you know what ship arrives on the scene.

--Old B-Runner