The Battle of Hampton Roads: New Perspectives on the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia / Edition 1

by Harold Holzer, Tim Mulligan

Overview

On March 8 and 9, 1862, a sea battle off the Virginia coast changed naval warfare forever. It began when the Confederate States Navy's CSS Virginia led a task force to break the Union blockade of Hampton Roads. The Virginia sank the USS Cumberland and forced the frigate Congress to surrender. Damaged by shore batteries, the Virginia retreated, returning the next day to find her way blocked by the newly arrived USS Monitor. The clash of ironclads was underway. After fighting for nine hours, both ships withdrew, neither seriously damaged, with both sides claiming victory. Although the battle may have been a draw and the Monitor sank in a storm later that year, this first encounter between powered, ironclad warships spelled the end of wooden warships-and the dawn of a new navy. This book takes a new look at this historic battle. The ten original essays, written by leading historians, explore every aspect of the battle-from the building of the warships and life aboard these iron coffinsto tactics,strategy, and the debates about who really won the battle of Hampton Roads. Co-published with The Mariners' Museum, home to the USS Monitor Center, this authoritative guide to the military, political, technological, and cultural dimensions of this historic battle also features a portfolio of classic lithographs, drawings, and paintings. Harold Holzer is one of the country's leading experts on the Civil War. His books include Lincoln and Cooper Union: The Speech That Made Abraham Lincoln President and, for Fordham, Lincoln on Democracy (co-edited with Mario M. Cuomo) and The Lincoln-Douglas Debates: The Complete, Unexpurgated Text. Tim Mulligan's books include Virginia: A History and Guide.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780823224814
Publisher:	Fordham University Press
Publication date:	01/31/2006
Series:	Marine's Museum Ser.
Edition description:	2
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Harold Holzer, Senior Vice President for External Affairs at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, is one of the nation's leading authorities on Lincoln and the political culture of the Civil War era. He served as co-chairman of the U.S. Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission and has written, co-written, or edited 35 books.

TIM MULLIGAN's books include Virginia: A History and Guide.

Editorial Reviews

...a fascinating photo portfolio of the recovery efforts, and a brief description of the Mariners' Museum's collections.

Blue & Gray Magazine

. . . A fascinating photo portfolio of the recovery efforts, and a brief description of the Mariners' Museum's collections.

Blue & Grey Magazine

...excellent and thought-provoking edition.

Civil War Times Illustrated

...a refreshing look at the most significant naval battle of the Civil War...highly recommended.

The Free Lance-Star

The Battle of Hampton Roads will be of greata interest to Civil War naval buffs, but its interesting, well-written essays will also find admirers among the general ranks of Civil War enthusiasts. It is highly recommended.

Civil War News

...a splendid collection of lively essays by recognized authorities.

The Journal of Military History

. . .A very readable collection of essays on an important subject and should appeal to students of military history and of the history of technology.

Virginia Magazine

...a critical and detailed analysis of the climatctic battle between the first two ironclads of the conflict.

The North Carolina Historical Review

This book brings out a tremendous amount of scholarship on the battle that is missed in the normal cursory treatments given in history books.

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