Trivia 6-18-15 I challenge you to a duel

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During the Civil War, the Virginia (formerly the Merrimack), and the Monitor were in a duel on April 1862 that resulted in which party winning?

credit: @Seduzal
 
Ah... yes. Rather than go for the point, I'll go for clarity.

The "victory" was claimed by both the Monitor and Virginia that day-- the Virginia because the Monitor broke off the action first (when Lt. Worden was injured by the hit on the pilothouse); and the Monitor because the Virginia retired from the field without having destroyed the Minnesota. Crewmen aboard both would claim the victory for their own vessel till their dying days, and the argument has never entirely faded away.

Suffice to say that neither vessel won an undisputed victory, but both achieved a number of their respective goals. The two vessels effectively neutralized each other, and the stalemate continued until the fall of Norfolk deprived the Virginia of her base and she was destroyed by her crew rather than surrendering. One position is that the Virginia succeeded because she threw a wrench into McClellan's plans for the Peninsular Campaign; on the other hand, it can also be said that the Confederacy could less afford to have a powerful ironclad neutralized by a Union vessel, since there were many more Union vessels.

I consider this action to have been as close to a true drawn battle as it's realistically possible to get.
 
Another tricky question!!
I found that exact question on the meanwhile well known funtrivia site, where the answer was:
"The duel was considered a draw. The battle between theVirginia (formerly the Merrimack) and the Monitor was considered the first duel between 'ironclads'. The battle between the Confederate and the Union ships changed the course of history when it came to naval warfare. No one on the ship had extensive training in naval vessels and both ships lost firepower due to ineffective shooting. The Virginia returned to port where it was destroyed by its crew and the Monitor sank during a storm in 1862",
http://www.funtrivia.com/submitquiz.cfm?quiz=373993

So I think the expected answer will be: NONE, the battle was indecisive (= my final answer)

Some sources such as Wikipedia and Britannica nevertheless state a (strategic )Union victory:

"The subsequent battle between the two ironclads was generally interpreted as a victory for the Monitor, however, and produced feelings of combined relief and exultation in the North. While the battle was indecisive, it is difficult to exaggerate the profound effect on morale that was produced in both regions."
http://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-the-Monitor-and-Merrimack

Hamtpn roads II.PNG

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Hampton_Roads&oldid=666403547
 

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A trick question? Neither ship "won" the duel between them. The Virginia "won" the overall battle of Hampton Roads (March 8 & 9, 1862) by successfully destroying two major Union vessels prior to being fought to a standstill by the Monitor the following day. Both vessels, too damaged to continue the fight, retreated - the Monitor to shallow waters and the Virginia to Norfolk.

The world’s first battle between steam-powered, ironclad warships ended in a draw, but its impact on the future of naval warfare would be profound.
http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/hampton-roads.html?tab=facts
 
"The two ships fought each other to a standstill, but the Virginia retired." http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/hampton-roads.html

"In the early afternoon, the Virginia pulled back to Norfolk. Neither ship was seriously damaged, but the Monitor effectively ended the short reign of terror that the Confederate ironclad had brought to the Union navy." http://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/battle-of-hampton-roads

Each crew thought they had won the battle, but in truth it was a draw." James McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom. New York: Oxford University Press paperback, 2003, p. 377.

While the result was a draw, it could be said, technically, that the Monitor "won" because it was left in possession of the "battlefield."
 
Modern historians agree that the result of the Monitor–Merrimack encounter was victory for neither.

Who won?
The victory claims that were made by each side in the immediate aftermath of the Battle of Hampton Roads, based as both were on misinterpretations of the opponent's behavior, have been dismissed by present-day historians. They agree that the result of the Monitor–Merrimack encounter was victory for neither. As the combat between ironclads was the primary significance of the battle, the general verdict is that the overall result was a draw.[70] All would acknowledge that the Southern fleet inflicted far more damage than it received, which would ordinarily imply that they had gained a tactical victory. Compared to other Civil War battles, the loss of men and ships for the Union Navy would be considered a clear defeat. On the other hand, the blockade was not seriously threatened, so the entire battle can be regarded as an assault that ultimately failed.[71]

However, initially after the Battle of Hampton Roads, both the Confederates and the Unions used media to claim victory for their own sides. The headline a Boston newspaper the day after the battle read "The Merrimac Driven back by the Steamer!", implying a Union victory, while Confederate media focused on their original success against wooden Union ships. Despite the battle ending in a stalemate, it was seen by both sides as an opportunity to raise war-time morale, especially since the ironclad ships were an exciting naval innovation that intrigued citizens.

Evaluation of the strategic results is likewise disputed. The blockade was maintained, even strengthened, and Virginia was bottled up in Hampton Roads. Because a decisive Confederate weapon was negated, some have concluded that the Union could claim a strategic victory.[72] Confederate advocates can counter, however, by arguing that Virginia had a military significance larger than the blockade, which was only a small part of the war in Tidewater Virginia. Her mere presence was sufficient to close the James River to Federal incursions. She also imposed other constraints on the Peninsula Campaign then being mounted by the Union Army under General George B. McClellan, who worried that she could interfere with his positions on the York River. Although his fears were baseless, they continued to affect the movements of his army until Virginia was destroyed.[73]
From: Wikipedia
 
I think the answer depends greatly on who you ask. The duel, known as the Battle of Hampton Roads, Was claimed as a victory by both sides. The Union claimed a victory because the CSS Virginia was no longer able to engage in an unchecked spree of destruction. Meanwhile, the CSA claimed a victory based on the wooden ships sunk by the CSS Virginia on the first day of the battle.

Over time, historians have come to recognize this battle as a stalemate, although some maintain that, because the Union blockade remained intact, it was a strategic victory for the Union.
 
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