1862 March 12: Battle of Hampton Roads From the March 12, 1862,
issue of The Hudson North Star comes this report on the famous
battle between the two ironclad ships, the USS Monitor1 and the
CSS Virginia, usually still called the Merrimack.2 The larger
naval engagement that their fight was part of is known as the
Battle of Hampton Roads for the area where it took place on
March 8 and 9, 1862. At this time, the Confederacy held Norfolk
and its navy yard in Portsmouth, thus controlling the southern
side of Hampton Roads. To prevent Union warships from attacking
the yard, the Confederates had set up batteries at Sewell’s
Point and Craney Island, at the juncture of the Elizabeth River
with the James. The Union had kept control of Fort Monroe
(usually called Fortress Monroe at this time) on the Virginia
Peninsula. The Union also held a small man-made island known as
the Rip Raps, on the far side of the channel opposite Fort
Monroe. Fort Wool was on this island. With Fort Monroe the Union
was able to control the lo