The Twelve Days of the Monitor--on the 11th day of the Monitor my true love gave to me... 11 Feet a’Drawing—Certain circumstances dictated John Ericssons design of the USS Monitor. One consideration was the shallow coastal waters that the Monitor was expected to encounter in the Southern states. Shallow waters called for a very light draft; therefore, the Monitor only drew 11 feet. The ship had to be “absolutely shot-proof” and the crew had to be protected against cannon fire while handling the anchor. And since the ironclad confined the crew to a life below the waterline, Ericsson designed the first shipboard toilets that could be flushed underwater! To learn more about life onboard the Monitor, visit the legacy website at monitor.noaa.gov/150th
Posted on: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 14:00:05 +0000