Sixteen men. They came from England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales & Denmark. And from Connecticut, Maine, New York, Maryland & Virginia. Some were black, others were white. They were officers and enlisted. Some were well-to-do and some had escaped slavery. The youngest was 18, the oldest, 32. But no matter their ages, origins or skin color [...]

From Harper’s Weekly, January 24, 1863   THE MONITOR.   Oh loyal souls, sunk in a noble ship As e’er the waters crossed! What direful tidings ring from every lip— “The Monitor is lost!” Sunk in an instant underneath the wave, With half the crew lost in a watery grave.   And yet not lost. Within [...]

Key: John Bankhead, Captain, USS Monitor Samuel Dana Greene, Executive Officer, USS Monitor William Keeler, Acting Assistant Paymaster, USS Monitor Grenville Weeks, Acting Assistant Surgeon, USS Monitor Joseph Watters, Second Asst. Engineer, USS Monitor George Geer, Fireman, USS Monitor David Ellis, Paymaster’s Steward, USS Monitor Francis Butts, Landsman, USS Monitor Stephen D. Trenchard, Commander, USS [...]

On Christmas Eve 1862, orders came in for the USS Monitor to proceed to Beaufort, North Carolina, then presumably to Charleston, though it was not stated in the orders.[1] On Christmas Day, both officers and crew observed the holiday with both work and festive food and drink. Some of the crew had leave to go [...]

On December 28, 1862, Surgeon Samuel Gilbert Webber of the USS Rhode Island wrote his accustomed letter to his future wife Nancy “Nannie” Sturtevant. The sidewheel steamer Rhode Island was in Hampton Roads, preparing to tow the ironclad USS Monitor to her next assignment – Beaufort, NC. The original letter can be found at The Mariners’ Museum Library [...]

Three men on board the USS Monitor wrote home about their Christmas on the ironclad. First we’ll hear from an officer:   Paymaster William Keeler December 24 1862 – writing home to his wife, Anna:   Following the call of the Master at Arms at my room with his “six bells” &c last evening came Mr. [...]

From the December 20, 1862 Harper’s Weekly   WINTER. When winter rains begin, And trees are yellow and thin, And every garden bed Is a couch for the dying or dead; When woods are mouldy and dank; When the sodden river bank Is gusty, and misty, and chill, And birds are dull and still; Then may you [...]

We found this little editorial gem in the March 22, 1862 edition of Vanity Fair (page 148, to be precise).   Steel Fixings For Ever! The charm is broke of “Heart of Oak”                 Our ancient naval friend. And Iron we sing, of metals king,                 That shot nor shell can rend. Ensheathed in steel, from [...]

Forgive my radio silence, gentle blog-readers, but it has been a busy fall! However, today, as I was preparing for teaching a class for the College of William & Mary’s Christopher Wren Association tomorrow, I stumbled upon this little piece of Victorian poesy and simply had to share.  Get your hankies ready!   From Harper’s Weekly, July [...]