The FReeper Foxhole Remembers the Trent Affair (11/8/1861) - Jan. 20th, 2005

America's Civil War Magazine | November, 1998 | Kenneth P. Czech

[SAMWolf]

Therefore, I will work, I will save, I will sacrifice, I will endure, I will fight cheerfully and do my utmost, as if the issue of the whole struggle depended on me alone." Too bad so many don't feel that way today.

[Iris7]

The English getting involved might not have worked out well for them. Below is Roanoke, built in 1855 at Norfolk Navy Yard as a sea going war ship. Roanoke predated Monitor by six years. She was not quite ready for prime time, but a better hull shape would have worked. Still could have bumped off the British fleet before breakfast. Displacement: 4,395 tons

Dimensions: 265 x 53 x 22 feet/80.77 x 16.15 x 6.7 meters

Propulsion: Penn trunk steam engines, 4 boilers, 440 hp, 1 shaft, 6 knots

Crew: 350

Armor: Iron: 3.5-4.5 inch sides, 1.5 inch deck, 11 inch turrets

Armament: Three dual turrets, as follows:> Forward Turret: 1x15 inch Dahlgren smoothbore, 1x8 inch Parrot MLR

Center Turret: 1x15 inch Dahlgren smoothbore, 1x11 inch Dahlgren smoothbore

Aft turret: 1x11 inch Dahlgren smoothbore, 1x8 inch Parrot MLR

Concept/Program: One of the largest monitors of the Civil War era, and the only one to mount three turrets. Was converted from the steam frigate Roanoke; prior to conversion the ship was sister to USS Merrimack (later CSS Virginia). Although not usually considered as a seagoing ship, she was intended as the first seagoing monitor in US service, but design flaws prevented her employment in this role. Was not a success.

Design: Was not an Ericsson design. The wooden frigate was razeed (cut down) and the remaining freeboard armored; three turrets were fitted. A fourth turret had been planned, but the weight could not be accommodated. Pilothouses were fitted on two turrets; there was a tall funnel, and possibly a hurricane deck, but no other superstructure.

The armament was oddly distributed, but in total amounted to two each 15 inch Dahlgrens, 11 inch Dahlgrens, and 8 inch Parrots.

The wooden hull was too weak for the weight of the armor and turrets, and the stern was damaged when the ship was re-launched.

She had high freeboard (for a monitor), but rolled heavily and was generally unseaworthy.

Operational: Due to her unseaworthiness, she was confined to harbor defense duties at Hampton Roads, and saw no action.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!!

[Professional Engineer]

The Day in History notes the first Nixon Innaugural in 1969. I was there; the president was protected by bulletproof glass.

Very cool. What was it like?

[PhilDragoo]

The nineteenth was the counterinnaugural. We made slides and film loops and tape recordings of Mark Rudd, the Hog Farm bus including Wavy Gravy, and the other assorted characters.

There was something awesome about the steel doors with giant knocker rings at Justice.

Every corner had a lone dude in an overcoat with a [coded] lapel pin.

The crowd from DENSA has not progressed a micron from the days of Ho Ho Ho Chi Minh, et cetera.

I enjoyed the Nixon Library in 1998. There is a section of the Berlin Wall, concrete with protruding rebar, vintage graffitti.

Cuba would be free had Daley and LBJ not stolen the 1960 election.

South Vietnam would be free had Nixon not been hounded out of office--after all, compared to Clinton donors Schwartz and Armstrong faxing the ChiComs 200 pages of our missile guidance, what is a file on John Dean's wife?

Abbie Hoffman committed suicide not long after my visit to the library.

John Kerry, take note.

Tom Lantos: "Aht least Ahbee Hawffmann hahd thee deecency too coe-mit soo-ee-side."