Noted Chesapeake Bay artist John M. Barber has skillfully recreated the scene that ushered in the Civil War as well as the advent of a more modern navy. The painting was done in support of and in conjunction with the American Civil War Museum (ACWM), which is located in the former original Tredegar Iron Works in Richmond, Virginia. Tredegar Iron Works forged the iron used to transform the frigate USS Merrimack into the powerful ironclad vessel CSS Virginia.

In the painting, we see the CSS Virginia (formally the USS Merrimack) and the USS Monitor
battling one another in Hampton Roads near the entrance of Chesapeake Bay on March 9, 1862. The iron upper armor of the Virginia was forged at Tredegar Ironworks.

The 24” x 48” oil painting and preparatory studies will be sold by the Guyette & Deeter auction
house of St. Michaels, Maryland, in late February. Auction details available at Guyette &
Deeter. Archival fine art reproductions will be available through the American Civil War
Museum.

For historic accuracy, Barber collaborated with John Quarstein, Director Emeritus of the
USS MONITOR Center at The Mariners’ Museum and Park in Newport News, Virginia.

More than 25,000 civilians, soldiers, and sailors gathered along the shores of Hampton Roads,
Virginia, on the morning of March 9, 1862, to witness this very scene, depicted by John Morton
Barber, the first fight between ironclad ships. The epic tale of the Battle of Hampton Roads shows how steam-powered iron warships not only influenced the Civil War but, more
importantly, marked the dawn of a more modern navy.

Noted marine artist John M. Barber’s skillful recreation of this iconic scene on canvas makes the
viewers believe they, too, are there, watching history unfold. In the background at the left lie the
sunken remains of USS Cumberland. The sloop had been rammed by CSS Virginia (formally
the frigate USS Merrimack) with its flag still flying and masts remaining above the depths of
the James River. In the background at right lie the grounded USS Minnesota and its support
vessels, the armed tug USS Dragon and merchant vessel SS Lorenz. The massive frigate was
Virginia’s intended victim on the next day; yet, USS Monitor survived heavy storms and arrived
from New York to defend the Union wooden fleet in Hampton Roads.

In the center, the fight between Virginia and Monitor is powerfully detailed with shot and shell
bouncing off each ironclad. While Monitor was proclaimed ‘the little ship that saved the nation,’
the fight actually ended in a draw. These two ships were destined never to fight again. Yet, their legacy proved the power of iron over wood.

John M. Barber, fellow emeritus of the American Society of Marine Artists, resides in Richmond
and has focused his art for nearly 50 years on the threatened and vanishing aspects of the
Chesapeake Bay. Through donations of his artwork and copyrights, over a half-million
dollars has been raised to support the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, The Nature Conservancy
and other non-profit conservation groups. His work has been exhibited and collected nationally
and internationally and he was commissioned by the National Geographic Society to create
artwork for President Ronald Reagan and President Clinton. His most memorable project was
sailing up the Atlantic Coast with Walter Cronkite to Martha’s Vineyard where he painted Walter’s beloved sailing yacht Wyntje. During his career Barber published and distributed 135 limited-edition collector prints, most of which were of his beloved Chesapeake Bay.

“John M. Barber’s Chesapeake”, a 96-page retrospective fine art hardbound book and visual
treasury of the artist’s career, published by the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum.

The American Civil War Museum (ACWM) explores the causes, course, and consequences of
the American Civil War through dynamic exhibitions, programs and lectures by the nation’s top
scholars, and a world-class collection of artifacts. With over 15,000 objects and 150,000 documents, the American Civil War Museum is committed to artifact preservation efforts enabling us to safeguard these important pieces of history. As our exhibitions reflect, the history presented utilizes objects to demonstrate the experiences of individuals – on and off the battlefield – who lived and died during the American Civil War. Visit acwm.org for more information about donating or to become a member.