USS Monitor: The Ironclad That Changed Naval History

A historic image of USS Monitor’s crew taken by James F. Gibson on its deck on July 9, 1862. Credit: NOAA

When it comes to shipwrecks that transformed history, few are as significant as the USS Monitor. Tane Casserley, a maritime archaeologist with NOAA’s Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, has been working with the Monitor since the early 2000s, and in a recent Fascinated by Shipwrecks episode, he shared the extraordinary story and why it still matters today.

A Prototype That Redefined Naval Warfare

The Monitor was born out of urgent wartime innovation. In 1862, during the U.S. Civil War, the Confederate Navy retrofitted the former USS Merrimack into an ironclad vessel known as the CSS Virginia. In response, the Union launched the Monitor, a radically new ship design by Swedish-American engineer John Ericsson.

Unlike the tall-masted, wooden warships of the day, the Monitor was flat, low to the water, and fitted with a rotating gun turret, a revolutionary idea at the time. “It looked like a cheese box on a raft,” said Casserley. “But it was the great-grandfather of all modern naval ships and gunnery.”

The most iconic moment came at the Battle of Hampton Roads in March 1862, when Monitor faced off against the Virginia. The duel marked the first time two ironclads ever fought. Though the battle ended in a stalemate, it signaled the end of the wooden warship era and the dawn of armored naval combat.

A Heroic End

Tragically, Monitor’s design, suited for coastal defense, made it ill-equipped for open-ocean travel. On December 30, 1862, while being towed south by the USS Rhode Island, Monitor encountered a brutal storm off Cape Hatteras off the east coast of North Carolina. Waves battered the vessel, water poured in through multiple weak points, and steam pressure dropped, rendering the pumps useless.

As the situation worsened, the crew raised a red lantern; an SOS signal. Despite valiant rescue efforts, 16 men were lost when the Monitor slipped beneath the waves on New Year’s Eve.

Rediscovery and Reverence

The wreck lay undisturbed until 1973, when a Duke University-led expedition discovered Monitor 230 feet beneath the ocean, about 16 miles off the North Carolina coast. But the find was confusing at first. Images showed only one pointed end and a strange protrusion on the side. After much head-scratching, researchers realized the wreck was upside down.

The rediscovery came just in time. In 1972, the National Marine Sanctuaries Act had been passed, allowing special areas of the ocean to be protected for their ecological, historical, or archaeological significance. Thanks to a petition from the Governor of North Carolina, the Monitor became the first U.S. National Marine Sanctuary dedicated to preserving a cultural resource.


A copy of the blueprints from USS Monitor in 1862. Credit: NOAA

Preserving a Legacy: From Wreck to Museum

In the decades that followed, NOAA teams, in partnership with the U.S. Navy, recovered more than 200 tons of material from the site, roughly a quarter of the ship. Among the items brought to the surface were the iconic turret, the drive train, and parts of the engine room.

One of the most poignant discoveries occurred in 2002 during turret recovery operations. Human remains of two crew members were found inside. Casserley, part of the excavation team, recalled the reverent care with which their remains were handled. The two sailors are now buried with honor at Arlington National Cemetery.

Conservation of these artifacts is a monumental, ongoing effort housed at the Mariners' Museum and Park in Newport News, Virginia. “I’d call it a generational process,” said Casserley. “It takes decades to remove the salts and stabilize materials that have been underwater that long.” But progress is being made: Monitor’s guns, gun carriages, and  the turret are nearing full conservation.


Casserley narrates a live telepresence broadcast from the ROV control room aboard the NOAA ship. Credit: Nancy Foster

A Living Shipwreck and Modern Education

The Monitor site itself remains a thriving artificial reef, home to soft and hard corals, fish, and other marine species. “We call it a living shipwreck,” Casserley noted. But while the engineering story is fascinating, what draws him most is the human side: “The crew’s living quarters are still there. That’s where their stories remain.”

To make these stories accessible, NOAA and its partners have embraced immersive technologies. In 2022, they conducted a live telepresence expedition using remotely operated vehicles and a 360-degree camera. 

At the USS Monitor Center within The Mariners’ Museum and Park in Newport News, Virginia, visitors can explore a massive 54,000-square-foot immersive exhibit dedicated to Monitor’s story. Visitors can walk the decks of a full-scale Monitor replica, stand alongside a recreated CSS Virginia, and peer into conservation tanks. The exhibit also features interactive experiences that bring the Battle of Hampton Roads to life and help visitors connect with the crew’s daily life, the ship’s unique engineering, and the broader history of Civil War naval innovation. Using light scanning and 3D printing, replicated artifacts have been replicated for a hands-on experience. “Kids can actually hold these replicas in their hands,” said Casserley. “They can feel the same wear marks that the Monitor’s sailors once made.”

Looking Ahead: Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future

In 2025, the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary celebrates its 50th anniversary with a series of events kicking off March 8 at the Mariners’ Museum. Alongside exhibitions of newly conserved artifacts, a hyper-detailed virtual model of the Monitor will be unveiled.

Beyond the anniversary, Casserley is focused on education and outreach. “I want to inspire the next generation of marine scientists and archaeologists,” he said. Whether it’s using 3D prints, digital reconstructions, or VR storytelling, the goal is to make the Monitor’s story not just something we study but something we feel.

In the end, what makes Monitor enduring is not just the story of her innovation and service. “It tells a wonderful story paired with all this amazing technology,” Casserley said. “But at its heart, it’s really about the heroes who lived and died aboard her.”

Want more fascinating stories from the deep?
Catch the full interview with Tane Casserley on the Fascinated by Shipwrecks podcast. Listen or watch anytime. You'll see more photos in the video version!

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