 Nyorai kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Pana March 89, 1862, paHondo yeHampton Roads, chikepe cheConfederate chakaedza kupwanya chipingamupinyi chaichengetwa nezvikepe zviviri zvematanda zveUnion, USS Cumberland uye USS Congress. Ngarava dzeMubatanidzwa dzaiperekedzwa nedzimwe ngarava dzehondo uye dzaitsigirwa nemabhatiri emumahombekombe. Buchanan akazonyora kuti: Murayiro mukuru waishandiswa neuto revafambisi vengarava dzaipfura zvombo zvaida kuti, kana pasina zviratidzo zvose, mukuru mukuru mumwe nomumwe aifanira kushandisa ungwaru hwake pakuita zvose zvaaigona kukuvadza muvengi uye kunyura asati azviisa pasi. Kuti atsigire CSS Virginia muchiito ichi, Captain John Randolph Tucker, achitungamirira vamwe vose veJames River Squadron, akamhanya achipfuura mabhatiri emhenderekedzo kuti apinde muhondo, neCSS Teaser ichiputika nesimba rose remhepo pfupi. Ivo vakasvika sezvo CSS Virginia yakanga yakwanisa kunyudza USS Cumberland. 