Down She Goes, Sinking of USS Monitor--Part 5: Why Did It Sink?

After his initial recovery, John Bankhead filed his official report as did the commanding officers of the USS Rhode Island.  They stated that the officers and men of both ships did everything in their ability to keep the Monitor from sinking.  The Navy did not find it necessary to commission a board of inquiry to investigate it and no action was taken against Bankhead or his officers.

Sometime later, however, a controversy grew as to why the Monitor sank.  In the Army-Navy Journal, John Ericsson accused the crew of drunkenness during the storm, being consequently unable to prevent the ship from sinking.

Louis Stodder vigorously defended the crew and rebuked Ericsson's characterization of the crew and wrote that Ericsson "covers up defects by blaming those that are now dead."  He pointed out that there were a number of unavoidable events and circumstances that led to the ship's sinking.

Foremost was the overhang between the upper and lower hulls which came loose and partially separated during the storm from slamming into the violent waves.  Stodder's accounts were corroborated by other shipmates.

A Sad Loss.  --Old B-Runner