Battle of Hampton Roads

The Battle of Hampton Roads, fought in 1862 during the American Civil War, was notable as the first engagement between ironclad warships. The Union's USS Monitor and the Confederate CSS Virginia (formerly the Union's USS Merrimack) faced off in Hampton Roads, Virginia. The battle showed that traditional wooden ships were vulnerable to armored, iron-clad vessels, marking a turning point in naval warfare. Although there was no decisive victory, the encounter demonstrated the potential of ironclad ships and revolutionized naval design and combat strategies.