Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 4:57:42-5:01:05

Why a three-turret monitor overwhelms CSS Virginia

The comparison uses USS Roanoke to show how multiple heavy revolving turrets would transform the Hampton Roads matchup.

15-inch Dahlgren GunsAmerican Civil WarCss VirginiaIroncladsMonitorsUSS Roanoke
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Question

What if a hybrid of Monitor and South Carolina replaced Monitor at Hampton Roads?

Short answer

A Roanoke-like three-turret monitor would probably overwhelm Virginia through multiple heavy guns and much greater firepower than the original Monitor carried.

Notes

The proposed hybrid combines Monitor with South Carolina, prompting an initial concern that South Carolina's guns might not depress enough to engage Virginia. USS Roanoke becomes the closer historical comparison after an initial mistaken reference to Puritan. Its three twin turrets carried two 15-inch Dahlgrens, two 150-pounder Parrott rifles, and two 11-inch Dahlgrens. Several turrets would let it keep fighting if one mounting failed. The judgment is that this battery would overwhelm Virginia, with particular confidence in the Parrott rifles' ability to penetrate her armour.