About the Author

John D. Broadwater recently retired from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, where he had served as chief archaeologist. He has contributed chapters in several books and for more than a dozen years was manager of the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, where he directed seven major expeditions to the remains of the Civil War ironclad warship.

Reviews

An important account of the Monitor's excavation and recovery by the archaeologist who led the efforts."

"A memoir of discovery and recovery, and the creation of a sanctuary. Broadwater's account is authoritative."

"An invaluable account of the Monitor's recent history."

"There have been many expeditions to the Monitor site, with many differing technologies and objectives. Broadwater puts them into sequence and perspective as no one else can."

USS Monitor is possibly the most widely recognized warship in naval history. Impact of Monitor's engagement with CSS Virginia at Hampton Roads, Virginia in March 1862 was felt around the world. The history of Ericsson''s celebrated "Cheese Box on a Raft" ended on 31 December 1862 when the ship was lost off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. New chapters in the ironclad's history began to unfold in 1973 when wreckage of the historic vessel was discovered off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Each new chapter attracted international attention as archaeological investigation of the wreck progressed to include recovery of significant technological elements of design and construction that made Monitor unique. Today at the Mariner''s Museum, not far from Hampton Roads where the Monitor made history, the ship''s machinery, turret, ordnance and an extraordinary collection of artifacts are accessible to the public.

While Monitor's story is not yet complete, Dr. John Broadwater has brought it up to date. No one could be more qualified to make that contribution. He has been intimately involved in research at the site since the first archaeological investigation of the wreck in 1974 and has directed each of the recovery projects undertaken by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. His first hand knowledge and experience brings each new chapter in Monitor's modern history to life. It will be an exciting read for anyone interested in underwater archaeology, submerged cultural resource management, the technology applied to recovery operations and the ship that dramatically changed naval history.