The first built and launched ironclad was in 1855 and it was named the Merrimac. Europe just starting building ironclads and sent her to Norfolk. The Merrimac was still there when Virginia seceded from the Union in April of 1861. The Union then sank the Merrimac and set her afire but the hull of the shop and the engines settled in the bottom of the river. The Confederates found it and raised the parts out. It took 1,500 men to work on the Merrimac. It was a very slow process because there was not many supplies or tools. The Merrimac needed needed on thousand tons of iron. It was difficult to get some because there was very few iron manufacturers anywhere in the South and there was just one able to supply enough. The Merrimac got a small share of iron and then went to work. It took over a year to get this ship finished. The captain was Franklin Buchnan and he had 300 men for a crew.

Most of the men were soldiers recently assigned

The Merrimac fired every chance but when it hit the Monitor it did no damage. After 3 hrs, the Monitor went into the shallow water to reload for ammuniationThen when she returned to battle the Monter shot at the Merrimac and cracked the outer iron. The men at the forward gun went spinning across the deck out of shock. But no one was seriously hurt. Then the Monitor ran the Merrimac into the mud out of the narrow channel. Her bow was lodged firmly in the mud. While confederates tried to fee. The union blasted at her but no effect. The flaming propeller to pull her loose.

out of artillery regiments. And there were very few sailors in the South, so most were clueless on where to go or what to do. When everything was done and she began to move it looked like the Merrimac was capable of doing what she was meant to do.

The Northerners were warned about this ironclad "monster" and were waiting for this moment a long time. When the Merrimac came into view she fought the Cumberland and ended up destroying it. The shell burst into the rail and knocked down nine men of the Cumberland. In the end the Merrimac destroyed the Cumberland. But no ship in the navy ever fought as hard or as brave as the Cumberland did.

On April 11, 1862 the Merrimac went back down the river to see how the situation was. The Monitor was there but was told not to attack unless the South went after the Union's wooden ships. But the Merrimac was no more. The ship was only partly armored and several

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)