U.S.S. Monitor

Reports

See the Historical Documents page.
See the index entry for the USS Monitor in Volume 7, Series 1 of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies at Cornell's Making of America web site.

Ship

Please see the entry for the USS Monitor in the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
See the images at Naval Historical Center.
See the images on the Images page.

Crew

The following were listed in the 135th Anniversary Brochure as being the crew of the Monitor.

The Medal of Honor (an award of the United States for both combat and non-combat heroism) was given to Peter Williams, a seaman on the USS Monitor, for the battle on 9 March 1862. He was the quartermaster, steering the vessel, in the pilot-house with Captain Worden was injured.

ALLEN, William, Landsman
ANDERSON, Hans A., Seaman
ANJIER, Richard, Quarter Master
ATKINS, John, Seaman
ATTWATER, Norman Knox, Act. Ensign
BANKHEAD, John Pyne, Commander
See his biography at Mariner's Museum.
BASTING, Anton, Seaman
BRINGMAN, Derick, Carpenter's Mate
BRODIE, Peter H., Drummer Boy
BROWN, Edmund, 1st Cl. Fireman
BROWN, John, Seaman
BRYAN, William, Yeoman
BURROWS, George W., Landsman
BUTTS, Francis Banister, Landsman
See his several articles on the Monitor.
BYRNES, Michael
CAMPBELL, Albert B., 2nd Asst. Eng.
See his biography at Mariner's Museum.
CANN, Edward, 1st Cl. Boy
CAREY, James H.
CARROLL, Thomas (No. 1), Capt. of Hold
CARROLL, Thomas, (No. 2), 1st Cl. Boy
CARTER, Siah, 1st Cl. Boy
COLEMAN, James/William, Landsman
CONKLING, John P., Quarter Gunner
CONNOLY, Anthony, Seaman
COOK, Robert, 1st Cl. Boy
CORWEY, John/James, 2nd Cl. Fireman
CROWN, James/Joseph, Gunner's Mate
CUDDEBACK, David, Captain's Stewart
DRISCOLL, John A., 1st Cl. Fireman
DURST, William, Coal Heaver
Durst was Jewish and living in Philadelphia in 1891.
EAGAN, William H., Landsman
ELLIS, David Roberts, Coal Heaver
See the biography at Mariner's Museum.and his entry in this genealogy.
FAY, Lawrence
FEENY, Thomas, Coal Heaver
FENTON, Andrew
FENWICK, James R., Quarter Gunner
FISHER, Hugh, 1st Cl. Fireman
FLYE, William, Act. Volunteer Lieut.
See the biography at Mariner's Museum.
FREDERICKSON, George, Act. Ensign
See his biography at Mariner's Museum.
GAGER, Edwin V., Acting Master
Not on board on March 9, 1862. According to Keeler, he had commanded a steamer in southern waters and was to be used as a pilot.. He apparently was in command of the Monticello on August 28, 1861, and rescued an Indiana regiment. See his biography at Mariner's Museum.
GARRETY, John, 1st Cl. Fireman
GEER, George S., 1st Cl. Fireman
GREENE, Samuel Dana, Lieutenant
Executive Officer. Took over command during the battle with the Virginia. Greene was born in Cumberland, MD, in 1840. He graduated from Annapolis in 1859 and promoted to Lieutenant just two years later in August 1861. Later, he was Executive Officer of the Florida during 1863-1864. He was promoted to Lieutenant Commander in 1865 and Commander in 1872. Leter he served at the Naval Academy. Apparently forever haunted by questions about March 9, he commited suicide in 1884 in New Hampshire just after writing his final article on the Monitor. See his letter, report, and articles. See the biography at Mariner's Museum. See a bit on his father and family.
HALMAN, William, S., Surgeon's Stwd.
HANDS, Robinson, W., 2rd Asst. Eng.
See his biography at Mariner's Museum.
HANNAN, Patrick, 1st Cl. Fireman
HARDY, John, Seaman
HARRISON, Henry, Seaman
HOWARD, Robert H., Officer's Cook
HOWARD, Samuel P., Acting Master
HUBBELL, Robert Knox, Acting Ensign
JEFFERS, William Nicholson, Lt. Cdr.
Lt. Jeffers joined the Monitor on March 13 and commanded her from then on. Born 1824, appointed midshipman in 1840, graduated from Annapolis in 1846, appointed a Lieutenant in 1855. Commanded the Water Witch 1853-1856. He specialized in ordnance and gunnery and was Chief of the Ordnance Bureau 1873-1881. Died in 1883. See his reports. See the biography at Mariner's Museum. In 1858, he received a sword from the Queen of Spain for his help to a Spanish vessel off Panama in 1855.
JEFFREY, William H., Officer's Stwd.
JOICE, Thomas, 1st Cl. Fireman
JONES, Jesse M., Surgeon's Steward
KEELER, Wm. Frederick, Act. Asst. Pay Mtr.
As Paymaster, he had enough spare time to write letters describing the events on the Monitor and wrote a letter to Scientific American. On March 8, he was relaying orders from the pilot house to the turret. Born in Utica, NY, on June 9, 1821. Married to Anna Elizabeth Dutton October 5, 1846. He was appointed Acting Assistant Paymaster on December 17, 1861. After the Monitor sunk, Keeler was assigned to the Florida where he finished the war and was released in 1866. He died on February 27, 1886. See his biography at Mariner's Museum. More information on his later life can be found in a book on his son, James E. Keeler, who became a pioneer astrophysicist.
LEONARD, Mathew, 1st Cl. Fireman
LEWIS, Samuel Augee, 3rd Asst. Eng.
LITTLEFIELD, George, Coal Heaver
LOGUE, Daniel C., Act. Asst.Surgeon
See his report. See his biography at Mariner's Museum.
LOUGHRAN, Thomas, Seaman
MALONE, James, Landsman
MARION, William, Quarter Master
MASON, John, Coal Heaver
MECKLY, Thomas W., Act. Asst. Surgeon
MONAGHAN, John, Landsman
MOONEY, Michael, 2nd Cl. Fireman
MOORE, Daniel, Landsman
MOORE, Edward, Wardroom Clerk
MORRISON, William, Coal Heaver
MURRAY, Lawrence, Wardroom Steward
McPHERSON, Norman, Seaman
NEWTON, Isaac, Jr., 1st Asst. Eng.
Served as caterer in the officer's wardroom. See his biography at Mariner's Museum.
NICHOLS, William H., Officer's Stwd.
NICKLIS Jacob, Seaman
PARK, William Dunlap, 3rd Asst. Eng.
PETERSON, Charles/Philip, Qtr. Mstr.
PRICE, Christy, 2nd CI. Fireman
PRINCE, John
QUINN, Robert, 2nd CI. Fireman
REMINGTON, William H., Coal Heaver
RICHARDSON, William, 1st Cl. Fireman
RIDDEY, Francis A., Seaman
ROONEY, John, Master at Arms
SCOTT, Isaac, Seaman
SCOTT, William, 1st Cl. Boy
SEERY, James, Coal Heaver
SELFRIDGE, Thomas Oliver Jr., Lieut.
Selfridge was on the Cumberland on March 8. He joined the Monitor on March 10 to take command from Greene until Jeffers could join the Monitor on March 13. Born in 1836, Selfridge graduated first from Annapolis in 1854. After his time on the Monitor, he served in the Mississippi squadron. Promoted to Commander in 1869 and Rear Admiral in 1896. See his articles and book. See the biography at Mariner's Museum.
SINCLAIR, Henry, Ship's Cook
SLOVER, James T., Pilot
SMITH, Charles, Coal Heaver
SMITH, James, Coal Heaver
STEARNS, Moses M., Quarter Master
STEVENS, Thomas Holdup, Commander
May 27, 1819-May 15, 1896.He eventually became a Rear Admiral. He commanded the Monitor during the summer of 1862. For more information, see the page on him at Arlington Cemetery and the page at the Mariner's Museum.
STIMERS, Alban C., Chief Engineer
Stimers was an assistant to Ericsson and was on board to observe the performance of the Monitor. See his letter and reports.
STOCKING, John, Boatswain's Male
STODDER, Louis Napolean, 3rd Asst. Eng.
He was a First Master (volunteer) at the time of the battle where he received a concussion. See his biography at Mariner's Museum and his burial information at FindAGrave.
SUNSTROM, Mark T., 3rd Asst. Eng.
See his biography at Mariner's Museum.
SYLVESTER, Charles F., Seaman
TESTER, Abraham, 1st Cl. Fireman
TOFFEY, Daniel, Captain's Clerk. Apparently he was Worden's nephew.from Jersey City, NJ.
TRUSCOTT, Peter, Quarter Master
Received a concussion. Listed as "Peter Trescott", seaman, in Logue's report of injuries.
VIALL, Thomas Brown, Seaman
WATTERS, Joseph, 3rd Asst. Eng.
WEBBER, John Joshua N., Act. Master
WEEKS, Grenville M., Act. Asst. Srgn.
See his article.
WELCH, Daniel, Seaman
WHITE, George H. 2nd Asst. Eng.
WILLIAMS, Peter, Act. master's Mate
On 3 April 1863, the Medal of Honor (an award of the United States for both combat and non-combat heroism) was given to Peter Williams, a seaman on the USS Monitor, for the battle on 9 March 1862. He was the quartermaster, steering the vessel, in the pilot-house with Captain Worden was injured. He was born in Norway and apparently was from Pennsylvania. Promoted to Master's Mate on March 27, 1862, then Ensign on July 16. Born 1831 in Norway.
WILLIAMS, Robert, 1st Cl. Fireman
WORDEN, John. Lorimer, Captain
Born in New York in 1818, he became a Midshipman in 1834, a Passed Midshipman in 1840. He was a prisoner of the Confederate States for seven months in 1861 before being exchanged in a prisoner swap. After his injury on the Monitor he regained sight in one eye, but his face was permanently blackened. Promoted to Captain in 1863, Commodor in 1868, and Rear Admiral in 1872. He was Superintendent of the US Naval Academy for 5 years. He died in 1897. See the images at the Naval Historical Center. Also a stereo image from the NY Historical Society at the Library of Congress site. See his reports and articles. See the chapter on Worden in Farragut and our Naval Commanders by Hon. J. T. Headley. See the biography page at Mariner's Museum.

Other possible crew

These are mentioned in other sources as being on the Monitor:

Davis, Frederick
I received a report by private email (12 July 2007), that a Frederick Davis is buried in Ithaca, NY, whose gravestone indicates he was a crewman on the Monitor. I have been unable to find any further information on him.
MILLER, Henry
1839-1907. Described as serving on the Monitor as a "petty officer" during the battle, on page 9 in Around Cambridge Springs by Sharon Elaine Crisman.and the Cambridge Springs Heritage Society. Images of America series. Arcadia Publishing, Portsmouth, NH. 2003. ISBN: 073851327X
WHITE, J.M.
1839 - after 1890. Described as being on (not necessarily "serving on") the Monitor, apparently as an Asst. Engineer, during the battle, in Chapter 12 (pages 920-922) in History of Counties of McKean, Elk and Forest, Pennsylvania. Chicago, J.H. Beers & Co., 1890. See transcription by the Cameron County Genealogy Project. It is possible that the 3rd Asst. Eng. "George H. White" in the above crew list is this person, but the names seem too different. Attended "United States Naval School"
J. M. WHITE, engineer at the Emporium Rolling Mills, was born in Maine, July 11, 1839, and is a son, of Michael and Catherine (Driscoll) White, the former of whom was born in Ireland, of English parentage, the latter being a native of Maine, and of Irish origin. The subject of these few lines, who was the eldest in a family of four children, received his early education in Maine, and later attended the United States Naval School. At the age of seventeen he went to sea, and. studied engineering. He enjoys the distinction of having been on board the Monitor during the famous fight with the Merrimac, shortly after which he was promoted to full engineer. In 1868 he was married to Isabella Ellis, a native of Iowa, and of English origin, a daughter of Levi Ellis. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. White are Nellie, wife of G.M. Ferris; C.E.; Lewis; Ray B., and J.L.W. Mr. White is a Republican and a member of the town council. He is deputy grand master of the A.O.U.W., and is district commander of and a major in the Select Knights.

Page Last Updated: Mon, Jul 16, 2007