By the way, the plating half model of Monitor is to be found on the wall of the New York Historical Society. The model is on the 4th floor. I was visiting one day and happened to look up. Above my head was a marked up half model of Monitor. When I looked it up in their computer, they identified the donor, who was one of the construction crew bosses and, therefore, had need for the model until the vessel was completed and until it was clear that just the one vessel was being built to this model.

I advised them that this was more than just a model of Monitor and explained the context.

Monitor was basically a critical vessel in the history of warship architecture. Although both North and South had Virginia style setups, the point is that Monitor was the first fully armored vessel to be screw powered and have a rotating turret. Rotating turrets were not new. Neither was armor. Screw power was being experimented with. Its relative lack of vulnerability compared to sidewheels made it desireable as a driving modality. Making the hull out of the armor, rather than being a wooden vessel "clad" with iron was a major change. As mentioned above, there were at least two others which incorporated elements of the design. Monitor, however, was revolutionary.

I believe that Cumberland was an ironclad. Virginia was, however, a ram, as well as floating battery. Although the ram failed in operation, damaging the hull, it was sufficient to inspire Jules Verne's account of Nautilus's attack in the book "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea."