12inch x 18inch Poster The Battle of Hampton Roads, often called the Battle of Monitor and Merrimack, was a naval battle of the American Civil War, famous for being the first fight between two ironclads, the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia (the latter rebuilt from the burned-out hull of the USS Merrimack). The principal confrontations took place on March 8 and 9, 1862, off Sewell's Point, a narrow place near the mouth of Hampton Roads, Virginia. The naval confrontations spanned two days. The first day saw Virginia wreak havoc on the wooden Union ships blockading the harbor. However, on the second day Monitor arrived and initiated the famous duel of the ironclads. The battle, though inconclusive, received worldwide publicity. After the battle, it was clear that ironclad ships were the future of naval warfare. - There is a border around the image. Image size is correct.