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Monitor Has Tales Yet to
Tell
Photos Courtesy of U.S. Navy
Culminating
a multi-year effort to lift major components of the USS Monitor
from 240 feet below the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina,
NOAA and its partners have begun recovering the famed revolving gun
turret and canons.
Rather than just being seen in paintings and books the way it has for
been for generations, the turret will, in time, be on view for Civil
War buffs and other lovers of history. Once recovered, it will be transported
by barge to The Mariner's Museum in Newport News, Virginia.
Dr. John Broadwater (right), manager of the Monitor National Marine
Sanctuary, and Jeff Johnston, program specialist, document a tiller
sheave, used to turn the rudder and steer, excavated from the Monitor's
hull.
The Monitor's battle on March 9, 1862, with the confederate ship,
the CSS Virginia (formerly the USS Merrimac) revolutionized
war at sea. The battle marked the end of an era of wooden-hulled, sailing
warships and the dawn of an era of ironclad, turreted, and steam-powered
naval vessels. The Monitor sank later that year in a gale off North
Carolina's coast. It remained undiscovered until found in 1973 by Duke
University scientists using sidescan sonar.
The wreck of the ironclad lies in the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary,
designated in 1975 as the nation's first marine sanctuary. The aim is
to recover components before the sea corrodes the vessel beyond recognition.
John Broadwater, sanctuary manager, said it will be "our summer's work
to recover this unique part of our nation's maritime heritage so that
it may be preserved for future generations." Working around-the-clock
on recovery, John indicates that program specialist Jeff Johnston and
sanctuary staff are critical to the operation along with scientists, divers,
engineers, historians and conservators. Over 150 Navy divers have been
specially trained in deep ocean diving and recovery.
Recovering the turret is the most difficult of the Monitor recovery
expeditions. With two large Dahlgreb cannons inside, the turret weighs
about 150 tons. To gain access, a large portion of the ship's hull structure
must be removed. The deck area above the turret is covered with tons
of debris. There is exciting likelihood of uncovering significant artifacts
in that debris.
For more information:
http://monitor.noaa.gov/
http://www.mariner.org
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