Information around the Internet

Videos	Models

The Norfolk Navy Ship Yard is a wonderful site (both the physical site and their WWW site) and a must-visit for anyone interested in the CSS Virginia. This was where the USS Merrimack was converted into the CSS Virginia in the first dry dock (also referenced here) in America. This was the home of the Virginia when it fought the Monitor. Trophy Park displays some armor of the CSS Virginia (with some original granite from Dry Dock #1) and a 32-pounder gun sunk with the USS Congress. It also displays several Dahlgren guns (for instance, a 9-inch gun versus the 11-inch guns on the Monitor).

The Museum of the Confederacy houses the anchor and drive shaft of the CSS Virginia as well as a large chain of the USS Cumberland. Unfortunately, their web site has no information on the Virginia.

The Mariners Museum at Hampton Roads has an impressive collection of information about all aspects of maritime activity. It has artifacts from both the Virginia and the Monitor. In fact, it will receive all the artifacts collected from the Monitor.

The Hampton Roads Naval Museum is a U.S. Navy-operated museum covering the many important naval events that occurred in and around Hampton Roads, Virginia. They have a number of well designed exhibits including the bell of the CSS Virginia. The library contains old and new books related to the area.

The Virginian-Pilot (Hampton Roads, VA) contains a number of articles about the C.S.S. Virginia: Unfortunately, they have decided to charge for access to their archives and these links are no longer free. You can search their archives for these or other articles (there are more than listed here):

• Articles about the reenactment of the Battle of the Ironclads (135th Anniversary): Plans: 02/15/1997, Report: 03/10/1997.
• "Nauticus Solution: Build a Replica of Well-Known Ship" 01/27/1997
• "Internet Leads to an Early Journal Kept by Captain of CSS Virginia" An article about Martha and Mabry Tyson using the Internet to research Catesby ap Roger Jones 08/04/1996.
• "Portsmouth's Famous Ironclad put Washington in a Panic," by Alan Flanders, 07/14/1996
• "Craney Island Last Resting Place of the Virginia" by Alan Flanders, 05/05/1996.
• "Foundation and Center are Separate" Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Foundation and Monitor-Merrimac Center are separate. 05/12/1996
• "Memorial to the Men of CSS Virginia" 04/11/1996. Also 04/14/1996 05/19/1996, 05/26/1996, 05/28/1996.
• "Hidden Treasure by the River Built in 1794, Fort Norfolk Still Sits Quietly on the Elizabeth's Shore" Fort Norfolk served the C.S.S. Virginia 04/04/1996
• "Doubting Crowd Saw the Virginia Float" by Alan Flanders, March 31, 1996.
• "Merrimack Embarrassing to Builders" 03/08/1996
• "Civil War Day: Tour the Dark, Dank Dungeon at the Naval Medical Center and Trophy Park at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard" 10/13/1995.
• "City Should Open Shipyard to Public on Permanent Basis" More about Trophy Park and a piece of the Virginia's armor: 10/07/1994
• "Urgency Now Felt for Retrieving Monitor Artifacts" 09/22/1995
• "Rewriting History" Regarding the name of Virginia, not Merrimac 08/01/1995
• "Union Sympathizer's Espionage Saved Nation's Oldest Dry Dock" 04/09/1995
• "Kin of Confederate has Role as `Monitor Boy'" 03/19/1995
• "The Civil War Sites Here Well Worth the Spending of $6,000" Minor reference to blacks on the Virginia and who helped build it. 12/18/1994 Also see 01/02/1996.
• "Nauticus, Hampton Roads Naval Museum" Contains exhibits about the Virginia. 11/02/1994
• "Crew of Virginia Turned to Mine Warfare" 07/03/1994
• "Ironclad Inventor's Place in History is in Portsmouth" About John L. Porter, 01/02/1994

The War Times Journal has transcriptions from the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion of events leading up to the battle and the reports of the officers of the battle.

At her aft, the Virginia flew an eleven star version of the Stars and Bars (left), the Confederate National Flag. The First Naval Jack (right) would have been flown in port near the bow of the ship. The National Park Service also has a page of Civil War flags.

On March 8, 1862, under Flag Officer Buchanan, the Virginia apparently flew his flag which was apparently a plain red pennant near the front of the shield. After Tattnall (a more senior flag officer) took command, the Virginia probably flew a plain blue pennant to show his rank.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
Government agency responsible for managing records of the federal government.
Various historical records, including now-public Census data, and images.

NARA has a Department of the Navy video "The Ship that Shook the World" on the Monitor and the battle with the Virginia. Also they have a sound recording of a show "Cheesebox on a Raft" from a series "Inheritance." There is also a video from 1964 which includes a bit of a reenactment in "CNO NORFOLK VISIT AND SECOND FLEET CHANGE OF COMMAND, 04/1964." Search for "Merrimac" in the Moving Pictures or the Sound Recordings Media in All Units. When it comes back with one result, click on Display Results.

Search for a subject of "Merrimack (Frigate)" at the Library of Congress
Library of Congress Civil War pictures (LOC)

The History Net makes available on line articles from several magazines including Civil War Times and America's Civil War.

Mark Jenkins maintains The Civil War Ironclads page. There are other pages on the Ironclads. See the links page.

The National Parks Service has a small bit on the site of the battle between the C.S.S. Virginia and the U.S.S. Monitor at Hampton Roads as part of the American Battlefield Preservation Program. There is also a bit on the battle at Drewry's Bluff.

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A board game based on the Monitor and the Virginia is available from Chatham Hill Games.

Contact in regards to the C.S.S. Virginia: Mabry Tyson ( ) (from Civil War Units File under the UTenn Civil War Home Page).

Shamrock Hill Books offers a good listing of Civil War Navy books and the Official Records of the Navies on CD.

Seattle Times on Feb. 18, 1996, did a story about the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition of 1909. This is a postcard showing the Monitor and Merrimac battle arena.

Homer Simpson mentions the "Merrimac" in an episode in Nov. 1996.

A photograph at the Library of Congress of Commodore Franklin Buchanan, Flag-Officer of the Virginia.

A small comment on Commodore Buchanan's hospitalization after the battle at the Naval Hospital at Portsmouth, VA.

A web page devoted to Catesby ap Roger Jones, Executive Officer of the Virginia.

Copyright 1996-2005 by Mabry Tyson