<P> John Ericsson ( born Johan ) ( July 31 , 1803 -- March 8 , 1889 ) was a Swedish - American inventor , active in England and the United States , and regarded as one of the most influential mechanical engineers ever . Ericsson collaborated on the design of the steam locomotive Novelty , which competed in the Rainhill Trials on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway , won by George Stephenson 's Rocket . In America he designed the US Navy 's first screw - propelled steam - frigate USS Princeton , in partnership with Captain Robert Stockton , who unjustly blamed him for a fatal accident . A new partnership with Cornelius H. DeLamater of the DeLamater Iron Works in New York resulted in the first armoured ship with a rotating turret , the USS Monitor , which dramatically saved the US naval blockading squadron from destruction by an ironclad Confederate vessel , CSS Virginia , at Hampton Roads in March 1862 . </P>
<P> John Ericsson ( born Johan ) ( July 31 , 1803 -- March 8 , 1889 ) was a Swedish - American inventor , active in England and the United States , and regarded as one of the most influential mechanical engineers ever . Ericsson collaborated on the design of the steam locomotive Novelty , which competed in the Rainhill Trials on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway , won by George Stephenson 's Rocket . In America he designed the US Navy 's first screw - propelled steam - frigate USS Princeton , in partnership with Captain Robert Stockton , who unjustly blamed him for a fatal accident . A new partnership with Cornelius H. DeLamater of the DeLamater Iron Works in New York resulted in the first armoured ship with a rotating turret , the USS Monitor , which dramatically saved the US naval blockading squadron from destruction by an ironclad Confederate vessel , CSS Virginia , at Hampton Roads in March 1862 . </P>
the monitor was designed by swedish born engineer
the monitor was designed by swedish born engineer
John Ericsson ( born Johan )
John Ericsson ( born Johan )