The Wreck of the USS Monitor

The Wreck of the USS Monitor refers to the sinking of an innovative Civil War ironclad warship in December 1862, during a storm off North Carolina. Designed to challenge wooden ships, the Monitor had a low profile and a rotating gun turret. Despite its revolutionary design, it encountered rough seas, and on December 31, 1862, it sank in heavy weather, likely due to rough seas damaging its deck and hull. The wreck now lies at the bottom of the Atlantic, serving as a historic site and providing valuable insight into Civil War naval technology.