Immaculate Heart of Mary

THE GREENPOINT MONITOR MUSEUM
"ROAD SHOW"
May 16, 2002

Presented At:

IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY SCHOOL

Page - 2

Are George and the class playing with a toy fire engine?
Not really. Yes the little engine is fun, but guess what?
It is run by steam. The water boiling in its little boiler creates
the steam that makes the engine run. What does this have to
do with the Civil War?
John Ericsson, a Swedish immigrant, invented a steam fire pump
in 1829 and in 1861 he designed the steam powered Union
ironclad the USS Monitor.

John Ericsson's design for a new warship to defeat the
Confederates was approved by President Abraham Lincoln.
Its revolving turret with 2 cannons was one of its most important
components. The turret enabled the USS Monitor to aim in all
directions as the turret revolved.

The Union frigate Merrimac was captured by the Confederates.
They had removed the Merrimac's sails and covered the ship
with iron and renamed her the CSS Virginia. The
The USS Monitor proved her worth when she confronted the
ex USS Merrimac on March 9, 1862. This battle was the first battle
between two ironclads.
The deep draft of the once sailed Merrimac prevented her from
entering shallow water. In addition to the advantage of her revolving
turret, the shallow draft of the USS Monitor allowed her to enter
shallow water.

The USS Monitor stopped the ex USS Merrimac
from destroying the Union naval fleet thus saving the Union's
harbors and cities.

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THE GREENPOINT MONITOR MUSEUM
P.O. Box 220378
Brooklyn, New York 11222-0378
718-383-2637