It's All About the USS Monitor in Andover, Mass.-- Part 2

Scheduled presentations:

**  Battle of the Ironclads/Raising the Monitor Q&A by John Quarstein  USS Monitor Center Director Emeritus.

**  USS Monitor--  Technical Aspects by James Worden of North Andover.

**  History of the Steam Frigate USS Merrimack 1855-1861 by Brian Howard NAHS Executive Director.

**  Displays of ship models and portrait of Rear Admiral John L. Worden, USN, provided by the Worden family.

**  Short film of the USS Monitor's 2002 recovery and ongoing restoration efforts.

Wish I was There.  --Old B-R'er

It's All About the USS Monitor in Andover, Massachusetts-- Part 1

From the March 15, 2022, Andover Patch  "Monitor vs. Merrimack--  Local connections to the Battle of the Ironclads, 1862" by Brian Howard.

It will be at the Stevens Center on the Common at 800 Massachusetts Avenue in North Andover, Massachusetts.  Cost just $10.

On March 9, 1862, the Union Navy's USS Monitor clashed with the Confederate ram CSS Virginia  in Hampton Roads, Virginia.  This even marked a major turn in naval warfare and local ties to the event abound here in Andover. 

The North Andover Historical Society will be recognizing the 160th anniversary with historians and descendants of  the USS Monitor's commanding officer, Lt. (later rear admiral)  John L. Worden.

(I'm not sure of North Andover's connection to the USS Moniyor.)

--Old B-Runner

Union Congress Give Thanks to Naval Officers During the War

From the November 24, 2017, Coastal Point "Civil War Profiles--  Congress gives thanks during the Civil War" Tom Ryan.

Union Navy Officers given thanks of Congress:

Admiral David G. Farragut

Admiral David D. Porter

John L. Worden--  commanded the USS Monitor in its fight with the CSS Virginia.

--Old B-Runner

March 6, 1862: USS Monitor Leaves New York Harbor

MARCH 6TH, 1862:  Lt. Worden reported that the USS Monitor had passed over the bar in New York Harbor with the USS Currituck and Sachem in company.  "In order to reach Hampton Roads as speedily as possible, "Worden wrote Secretary of Navy Welles, "while the fine weather lasts, I have been taken in tow by the tug [Seth Low]."

Heading for a Significant Fight.  --Old B-R'er

February 25, 1862: The USS Monitor Commissioned

FEBRUARY 25TH, 1862:  The USS Monitor commissioned in New York, Lieutenant John L. Worden commanding.  Captain Dahlgren described the Monitor as "a mere speck, like a hat on the surface."

--Old B-Runner

February 20, 1862: Monitor Ordered to Hampton Roads, Virginia

"Major General John E. Wool at Fort Monroe, on hearing a report that Newport News was to be attacked by the CSS Virginia, wrote Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton:  "We want a larger naval force than we have at present."

Meanwhile, the same day, Secretary of Navy Welles was writing Lt. Worden:  "Proceed with the USS Monitor, under your command, to Hampton Roads, Virginia..."

The Die Is Cast.  --Old B-R'er

155 Years Ago, January 22, 1862: Steady Progress on the USS Monitor

JANUARY 22ND, 1862:  Lieuetenant Worden reported  the steady progress toward the completion of the USS Monitor.  Awaiting the 11-inch guns which would make up the ironclad's battery, Worden noted that, "It will take four or five days to sight them after they arrive."

--Old B-Runner

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155 Years Ago, January 13, 1862: Worden Ordered to Command USS Moitor

JANUARY 13TH, 1862:  Lieutenant Worden ordered to command the USS Monitor.

Three days later Worden wrote Secretary of Navy Welles from New York:  "...I have this day reported for duty for the command of the U.S. Steamer building by Captain Ericsson."

Within two months, the Monitor, Worden and Ericsson were to have their names written indelibly in the annals of naval warfare.

--Old B-Runer

155 Years Ago, November 29, 1861: Worden Released From Prison and Arrives in Washington, D.C.

NOVEMBER 29TH, 1861:  Lieutenant John Worden, later commanding officer of the USS Monitor, arrived in Washington, D.C. after seven months as a Confederate prisoner.

He had just delivered secret orders to Fort Pickens, Florida, and was on his way back to Washington, D.C. on April 13th, the day after Fort Sumter was fired upon, when he was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama, and subsequently imprisoned.

--Old B-Runner

Ramping Up to Save the USS Monitor's Turret-- Part 4: Sign Me Up for a Tour

A new conservation campaign funded by a year-long effort has raised more than $1 million through grants, pledges, partnership agreements and cash contributions including a %$500,000 gift from the descendants of Monitor Captain John L. Worden and an annual $250,000 curatorial stipend from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration which operates the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary.

Also, there will be a series of private guided tours for donors through the center's conservation lab and done when the conservators are not working.

--Old B-Runner

155 Years Ago: Fort Sumter Surrenders

APRIL 13TH, 1861:  Fort Sumter surrendered by Major Robert Anderson.  Trrops were evacuated the next day by Fox's expedition.  (How handy they were on the scene.)

**  USS Sabine, Captain Adams, blockade Pensacola harbor.

**  Lieutenant Worden was seized near Mobile, Alabama, and placed in prison, but his Pensacola mission had been accomplished.

The War Is On!  --Old B-Runner

155 Years Ago: Union Ships Arrive Off Charleston, Fort Pickens Reinforced

APRIL 12TH, 1861:  U.S. steamship Baltic, under Gustavus Fox, USS Pawnee, Commander Rowan and Harriet Lane, Captain Faunce, USRM, arrived off Charleston to reinforce Fort Sumter.  But, as Fox observed, "war had commenced" and he was unable to carry out his mission.

**  Under secret orders from Secretary of Navy Welles carried by Lieutenant Worden, Fort Pickens was reinforced by landing troops from a squadron composed of USS Sabine, Brooklyn, St. Louis and Wyandotte.

--Old B-R'er

155 Years Ago: USS Powhatan Ordered to Fort Pickens, Pensacola

APRIL 6TH, 1861:  Lieutenant David Dixon Porter, ordered to take command of the USS Powhatan by President Lincoln and to reinforce Fort Pickens, Pensacola, Florida, instead of Fort Sumter, departed New York.

The following day, Lieutenant John L. Worden, USN, departed Washington, D.C., by rail with orders to Captain Henry A. Adams, commanding the USS Sabine and senior officer present in Pensacola area, to reinforce Fort Pickens.

It sounds like Lincoln had given up on Fort Sumter.

--Old B-Runner

USS Montauk-- Part 1: Ericsson and Worden

From Wikipedia.

This ship and others sank the blockade-runner Rattlesnake (formerly the CSS Nashville) in Georgia's Ogeechee River off Fort McAllister on Feb. 28, 1863.  I wrote about it yesterday so did a follow-up on the ship.

The monitor USS Montauk was commissioned December 14, 1862, and was one of the last monitors afloat until 1904, although out of commission most of the time and serving during the Spanish-American War. 

It  weighed 750 tons, was 200 feet long and was a single-turret monitor mounting an 11-inch and a 15-inch smoothbore cannons.  It saw action throughout the war and played a part with the Lincoln assassination conspirators.

It was built by "Mr. Monitor" himself, John Ericsson at the Continental Ironworks at Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York (the same place as the Monitor if I recall)  And its commander was none other than the Monitor's commander in its fight with the CSS Virginia, John Worden, who had recovered from injuries he received in that fight by the time of the Montauk's launching..

An Iron Beast.  --Old B-Runner

Naval Happenings 150 Years Ago: December 8th to 11th,1862-- Bailey One-Ups the Army

DECEMBER 8TH

Lincoln sent a recommendation of thanks to Congress on behalf of Commander Worden of the Monitor for his part in the battle against the CSS Virginia.

USS Daylight captured the b-r sloop Coquette off New Topsail Inlet, NC, with cargo of whiskey, potatoes, apples and onions.  Hard by this cargo description to tell if it was inbound or outbound.


DECEMBER 9TH

Rear Admiral Bailey assumed command of the Eastern Gulf Blockading Squadron reported that the pressure being exerted by the blockade on the Confederacy "is slowly, surely, and unostentatiously reducing the rebellion to such straits as must result in their unconditional submission, even though our gallant Army does not achieve another victory."

Sounds like a big "knock" on the Army to me.


DECEMBER 10TH

USS Southfield disabled by a shot through the steam chest while rendering fire support to troops on shore at Plymouth, NC, under attack by Confederate forces.


DECEMBER 11TH

Asst. Sec. of the Navy Fox wrote Rear Admiral Porter about the readying of ironclads and observed, "We shall soon be ready to try the Iron Clads against the few southern Forts yet in the hands of the Rebels."

Old B-Runner

It Was Monitor Vs. the Virginia-- Part 1

When the Monitor arrived on the scene that night, its commander Worden was charged primarily with the protection of the USS Minnesota.  Jones at first thought the Monitor to be a  boiler being towed from the Minnesota. 

Once he determined it was this new Union ship he'd been hearing about, Jones fired first, the shot missing and hitting the Minnesota.

To her disadvantage, the Virginia only had shell ammunition, not armor-piercing which would have been much helpful against the Union ship.  As for the Monitor, its guns had only the 15-pound powder charges, not enough to penetrate armor.

The battle ceased when a chance shot from the Virginia hit the Monitor's pilot house, exploded and temporarily blinded Worden.  After that, the Monitor withdrew.

A Lucky Shot.  --Old B-R'er

Is It the CSS Alabama's Flag?

From the June 12, 2011, Tarrytown-Sleepy Hollow (NY) Patch.

The Historical Society of Tarrytown -Sleepy Hollow has a flag said to have come from the Confederate Raider CSS Alabama which resides in a large glass case, supported with acid-free paper.  The staff has been working on validating its Alabama connection.

They say that when it's unfurled that it takes up an entire room.

It has been in the society's collection a long time and was originally labelled as the flag from the Alabama.  If it is confirmed as such, it will be sent to the History Museum of Mobile (Al) if they can get something in exchange.  The Alabama museum has a large CSS Alabama collection, including one of the ship's cannons.

I looked at the Wikipedia article on the CSS Alabama and it didn't mention this flag.

In addition, the historical society has  a small display dedicated to John L. Worden, the USS Monitor's original commander, Lt. John L. Worden, who was born, according to the Patch, just north of Sleepy Hollow in Scarborough.  Wikipedia lists him as being born in Sparta, Mount Pleasant Township, Westchester County.

It Will  Be Interesting to Find Out If the Flag Indeed Came From the Alabama.  --Old B-Runner

Naval Happenings 150 Years Ago: Jan 12-, 1862

JANUARY 12TH

The Union amphibious expedition to Roanoke Island, NC, departs from Fort Monroe, Va., under command of Gen. Burnside and Flag Officer L.M. Goldsborough.  In August, Union forces had seized Hatteras Inlet and they now controlled Pamlico Sound.

However, the heavily fortified Roanole Island kept them put of Albemarle Sound.  Confederates considered this as a key to defending the Navy Yard at Norfolk from attack from the rear.

USS Pensacola successfully runs Confederate blockade of the Potomac, showing that their control was weakening.  (You don't usually think of a Union ship as running the blockade.)


JANUARY 13TH

Lt. Worden takes command of the USS Monitor .  Less than two months later, he has the battle with the CSS Virginia.

The USS Monitor Gets a Commander

From the Civil War Daily Gazette Blog Jan. 16th.

Jan. 16, 1862

John Worden, 42, one of the Union's first prisoners at Fort Pickens and held by Confederates for 7 months, was appointed to command the highly experimental ironclad Monitor.

Construction on the ship had begun in October and the ship was floating by now.  On Jan. 11th, Worden was ordered to take command of the ship which he did on the 16th.  The Monitor's turret was in place, but empty.  The designer John Ericsson had wanted two 12-inch guns in it.  None were available and Worden arranged for two 11-inch Dahlgrens.

That Cheesebox on a Raft.  --Old B-Runner