*COPY* of MC's LOST/STOLEN Civil War Geocoin #03: Ironclads

Of course, this geocoin should go to Hampton Roads, Virginia and the museum at Newport News, Virginia and have its picture taken at those locations. Any other Civil War related site or cache would be good too. Just keep it moving, please!

Don't keep this coin - it is not a trade item!

This is a copy of my Battle of the Ironclads geocoin that was sent out to travel, but was lost. It has been missing for over a year, so I made this copy coin to travel in its place.

This geocoin wants to go anywhere related to the Civil War - but especially to Hampton Roads and Newport News, Virginia. Take it to Civil War battlefields, historic markers, Civil War graveyards, forts, etc. Please try to keep it moving.

Post pictures of the geocoin at Civil War sites if you can.
Thanks!

Some interesting information about the Battle of the Ironclads:
- The Civil War was by far the largest naval war of the era. Action occurred in the English Channel, in the Indian Ocean, and the Bering Sea, as well as along the Southern and Northern coasts and up the rivers.

- An "ironclad" was a steam propelled warship fitted with iron plates for armor.

- The South typically built "casemate ram" ironclads. A casemate was an armored box, sometimes with slanting sides, built to protect the guns and crew from enemy shot. Most Southern ironclads had strong, sharp armored bows to ram and sink enemy vessels.

- The North typically built "monitor" ironclads. The decks of monitors were very close to the water, with a small number of heavy guns in a turret that stood out of the water above the deck. Monitors presented a very small target.

- The battle between the CSS Virginia and the USS Monitor on 9 March 1862 in Hampton Roads, Virginia, was the first time two ironclads fought one another.

- The previous day the CSS Virginia ironclad had easily defeated two Federal warships in the harbor (the Cumberland and the Congress) and was preparing to finish off a third (the Minnesota) when it grew dark and the Virginia steamed away.

- At dawn on 9 March 1862, the Virginia arrived to resume its attack on the grounded steam frigate Minnesota and other ships in the harbor. This was intended to bring an end to Union seapower in the lower Chesapeake Bay.

- The untested Monitor had arrived the previous night after a perilous all-night trip from New York. It steamed out from behind the stranded Minnesota and placed itself between the Virginia and its prize.

- Both ships hammered away at each other with heavy cannon, but their iron-armored sides prevented vital damage. Virginia's smokestack was shot away, further reducing her already modest mobility, and Monitor's technological troubles hindered the effectiveness of her two eleven-inch guns, the Navy's most powerful weapons. Ammunition supply problems required the Monitor to temporarily pull away into shallower water, where the deep-drafted Virginia could not follow, but she always covered the Minnesota.

- Soon after noon, Virginia gunners hit Monitor's pilothouse, blinding Lieutenant John L. Worden, the Union ship's Commanding Officer, and forcing another withdrawal. By the time she was ready to return to the fight, Virginia had turned away toward Norfolk.

- The Monitor had a single turret protected by 11 inches of armor plating. The pilothouse had 9 inches of armor. The sides carried 5 inches of armor and the deck armor was just 1 inch thick. It carried two 11 inch Dahlgren smoothbore cannons in its rotating turret. Length: 172', width: 41', draft: 10'5", displacement: 987 tons, speed: 8 knots, crew: 59.

- The Virginia was a casemate ram with 4 inches of armor in the casemate and on the pilothouse. It was built on the hull of the destroyed steam frigate, the USS Merrimack. It carried six 9" Dahlgren smoothbores, two 7" and two 6.4" Brooke rifles. The iron ram on its bow weighed 1,500 pounds. Length: 262'9", width: 51'4", draft: 22', displacement: 3,200 tons, speed: 5-6 knots, crew: 320.

- During the point-blank battle, the Monitor took 22 or 23 hits from the Virginia and the Virginia was hit approximatley 20 times. Neither ship sustained critical damage.

- The Virginia needed to turn its side to the Monitor to bring most of its guns to bear. Virginia carried many more guns than Monitor, but because of its turret, the Monitor could fire in any direction without having to reposition the ship. The ships were very evenly matched.

Blue skies and happy caching!
Model Citizen - Zero Discipline