October 26 1861-After reading an ad in a Newspaper for a ship design to counter the new mysterious Confederate Ironclad, a confident swedish immigrant to the United States named John Ericsson presents his plans to the U.S Navy Ironclad board. He presented his plans to Commodore Hiram Paulding, Commodore Joseph Smith, and Commander Charles Henry Davis. Paulding looks at the plans first and with a confused expression hands them off to Smith. When Smith recieves these plans he bursts out laughing. He calls Ericsson a novice and tells him his ship would never even float, much less sink a ship. Ericsson tries to explain although his design would work, even though its unconvetional, he goes on to say Smith was a poor choice for the board. Smith infuriated, tells Ericsson to bring him a real design or to never come back. Ericsson infuriated tells Smith he would give the Confederates the Design. Smith starts laughing again and says "they would be wasting what little iron they got". Smith Storms out of the room and Immediatly departs for Richmond. As hes exiting Washington D.C he is stopped by a Union patrol and they search him and discover the plans. They are at first convinced he is a confederate spy, but Ericsson tells him these are fake plans to throw off the confederate production of thier Ironclad. He lying to the Soldiers explains that this design would never work and only a fool would believe it. The Soldiers let him go.
November 1 1861-Ericsson arrives in Virginia and asks for a Audience with Confederate Secretary of the Navy Stephen Mallory. Believing Correctly he is a Union defector his Audience is immediatly Granted. Mallory meets with Stephen and asks why he has asked a audience. Ericsson tells him he has a Ironclad design. Stephen explains he already has a design made, but says that because Ericsson had come all this way he would look at his plans. He looks astonished and realizes the superiority of this design. He immediatly telegraphs the Norfolk Navy Yard to halt construction and scuttle what work they have done. He invites Ericsson to oversee its construction to which Ericsson happily accepts.
November 6 1861-Ericsson has arrived at the Norfolk navy yard and immediatly begins construction. He soon realizes it would take several years to build the whole thing at one site and Commisions Builders in Charleston, Richmond, New Orleans, Mobile, and Savannah to construct the different components.
Winter of 1861-Construction moves on, but much slower than Ericsson hoped. The Confederate Government begins to eye the project with suspicion as it is run by a recent turncoast and is Costing them alot of money. Mallory manages to convince the government to still back the project, but this loses him alot of support.
March of 1862-After 5 Months of Construction most of the components have been made, including the all important revolving turrent. All the components by the end of the Month had been shipped to the Naval Yard.
April 25 1862-C.S.S Monitor is finished. Stephen Mallory, Ericsson, and even President Jefferson Davis attend this event. The ship is pushed off into the water and begans swaying back and forth. If the ship were to sink now, the confederate Naval effort would forever be ended. The ship rightens itself. Franclin Buchanan would command this new vessel. The Ironclad steams off to Hampton roads to break the blockade, stopping just out of sight for the night. The Union Ironclad Galena was heading south at the same time, the two seemed destined to clash in battle. Hundreds of Miles away New Orleans is under assault from the United States Navy.
April 26 1862-C.S.S monitor steams into Hampton Roads and opens fire on U.S.S Cumberland damaging its masts. The Cumberland unleashes a Boardside on the Mystery ship, most rounds dont come close, but the few that strike bounce off. The Captain of the Cumberland is shocked and tries to sail away, but the prevailing winds are blowing into the Chesepeake bay, The Cumberland is a sitting target. The Monitor makes circles around the Cumberland and after a hour of firing on it sinks the Cumberland. The U.S.S Congress and U.S.S St. Lawrence both attack the Monitor but are quicky repullsed back. The moving turrent is able allow the monitor to strike both ships. Two hours into the battle. The Congress is sinking and the St. Lawrence is smoking badly and ran aground in the shallow waters nearby. The Steamships Roanoke and Minnesota steam away from the Scene. The First battle of Hampton roads was a resounding Confederate Sucess. It steams back to Norfolk to reload its ammo and repair its slightly damaged turrent.
April 27 1862-The Roanoke and Minnesota retreating towards Washington D.C encounter the U.S.S Galena, a ironclad invented by a colleague of Ericsson and the design the Ironclad board selected. Now that a Union Ironclad had came, the Roanoke and Minnesota turn back around with the Galena to avenge their earlier defeat. The Monitor had reloaded and got its quick repairs it steamed back to hampton roads.
April 28 1862-The Second battle of Hampton Roads begins as the Galena opens fire on a docked Monitor. The Monitor steams towards it. Both after exchaning fire a few times suffer little damage. The Monitor steams behind the Galena and fires on its rear begining to damage it. The Galena attempts to turn to fire on the Monitor, but the monitor turns with it so it cant fire on it. The Monitor with its turrent is still able to fire and eventually breaks all the Armor in its rear. Water rushes in on the Galena and the sailors abandon ship. The monitor shoots on the Minnesota slowing it down, eventually sinking it as well. The Roanoke is the only ship which escapes. The Confederates win the day again. Stephens orders all Confederate Shipmakers to constrcut copies of the Monitor. For the First time in the War, Confederate Merchant ships are able to go to Europe and sell thier cotton for weapons. The Confederate Economy now has a chance.
May 5 1862-New Orleans falls, a major blow to the Confederate War effort. In addition the Union Navy is about to take Island No. 10, it is almost certian the Anaconda plan will succed and strangle the Conederacy to death. The Monitor, its Tenders from North Carolina, Raliegh and Beafort. Head to destroy the Union Navy in the Mississippi River, although thier chances of success our doubtful. The World looks in awe as a Rebelling Nation now has the worlds most powerful navy.