A naval duel off Hampton Roads, Virginia, marks the first time in history that two ironclad warships do battle.

Exploring the most important 55 months in American history
A naval duel off Hampton Roads, Virginia, marks the first time in history that two ironclad warships do battle.
Federals launch their first-ever ironclad warship, thereby changing the course of naval history.
December 30, 1862 – The first Federal ironclad spent its last evening above water before foundering off the coast of North Carolina. The U.S.S. Monitor