On March 8, 1862, the U.S. Navy suffered its worst defeat until December 7, 1941. On this day in Hampton Roads, Virginia, a Confederate ironclad attacked and sank both a U.S. Navy 50-gun wooden sailing frigate and a 52-gun wooden sailing frigate. In this single day, the Confederacy took a crucial step in achieving permanent stature among the nations of the world. It was Abraham Lincoln's worst fear. The responsibility of saving the Union would fall to John Ericsson, a Swedish immigrant turned U.S. citizen, and his revolutionary Monitor to doom the South's hope of winning the war and achieving independence.

Course Pre-requisites
(required) OLLI Annual Membership