USS Monitor - From Angry Raft to National Treasure

Today we explore the story of USS Monitor with the help of the excellent Mariners Museum, Newport News.

You can visit them for the annual Hampton Roads commemoration on the 9th March 2024 here:
You can also register for a special talk on the battle here:

My coverage of the Battle of Hampton Roads here:

[forrestpenrod]

Monitor is the reason I'm here. My ancestor served aboard USS Minnesota at the Battle of Hampton Roads. He lost most of his hearing and was mustered out soon after but he got to watch the duel between the ironclads and lived to tell the tale so that's something at least.

[billtimmons]

The museum guy is a good communicator and explains iron preservation that us history buffs can understand. He makes museums a good space. The public needs a good history narrative so we dont go off the rails in the future. Bravo ...good video. Thanks.

[shingshongshamalama]

USN Secretary: "Mate, is it gonna have sails?"
Ericsson: "Shut up and pay me."

[acwoo]

John Ericson learned a very important lesson the hard way: never skip the Meeting Assigning Blame.

[davidrenton]

we don't deserve Drachinifel, producing beyond TV quality documentaries, videos and igniting interest in Naval History, someone give this man a big budget TV show on Naval history

[The_ZeroLine]

Drach is so VIP now and so obviously a massive naval nerd, he’s given inside access ‘round the globe. Man has earned it.

[jimdougherty]

I can’t recommend the Mariner’s Museum enough. If you can stop by, don’t miss it. I stopped there with the family on our way from the outer banks, lots to see, from the all the monitor stuff to a big collection of neat small craft, to a racing catamaran and a bunch of really excellent hand built models. The kids had a great time and even the wife was interested

[cnlbenmc]

I find the idea of calling USS Monitor "An Angry Raft" outrageously funny, probably one of the Angriest Rafts ever!

[IsaacCarmichael]

I work in Newport news. I live in Hampton, the neighboring city to Newport News. I have never been to the Mariners museum. I can't believe it hasn't crossed my mind to go.

[Kevin_Kennelly]

44:05 "And the day went on, with the weather getting worse and worse."

It was about here that I began hearing The Ballad of Gilligan's Island.

[nzxt]

John Ericsson remained active until his death in New York City on March 8, 1889. Touted as one of the greatest inventors and most remarkable mechanical geniuses of the 19th century, Ericsson died at 85 years of age

[yes_head]

I was in grade school when Monitor was found, and you can imagine the buzz it set off. Suddenly every school on the east coast was doing special projects around Monitor and its famous battles. Dioramas were being made, school reports written, you name it.

[vipertwenty]

I've seen that corrosion degradation of wrought iron myself whilst trying to restore a victorian hand cranked grinding wheel set. The shaft of the grinding "machine" was badly corroded and effectively junk so as an experiment I decided to see if I could forge weld it back into solid. The short answer was no. The corrosion was all the way through the delamination and blocked forge welding, so I can well imagine the nightmare the conservation of Monitor's remains must be, and I was only trying to deal with fresh water corrosion not salt water. Huge respect to the conservators.

[HollyMartins]

Most impressive, Your scripts are always so well presented, but I did not know that you could present off Script so flawless. Well done Sir.

[fearthehoneybadger]

The Monitor IS a national treasure, albeit a bit rusty.

[codyrogers]

Drac with those hot puns and not calling them out... 54min even, talking about raising the wreck with the Glomar Explorer, "an idea was floated..."

[MatthewChenault]

40:25

On a side note, the CSS _Teaser_ also had equipment for the Confederate observation balloons, making her one of the first “aircraft carriers” in history.

[tiberiusgracchus]

I love how passionate that guy is about preserving metals that have been submerged in seawater for a lengthy period. It's oddly satisfying to know that someone is on top of this.

[a_funyun]

>get home after seeing notification about USS monitor guide video
>sweet i'll watch that
>it's 2 HOURS

You spoil me drach

[lextalionis]

Its amazing to see the cheese box on a raft as she was sometimes called
thanks for posting