Discovery of the USS Monitor

I was reading a story fresh off the news wires about a tale of a black cat aboard the Civil War ironclad USS Monitor that was supposedly placed inside a cannon by a superstitious but desperate sailor as the vessel was sinking. Personnel at the Monitor Center in the Mariner's Museum in Newport News, VA are in the process of excavating the cannon and examining the contents within its barrel-very vigilant for the potential remains of this black cat. So far, the cat's remains have not been found. To read the account of the sailor, select this link to CNN News.

The USS Monitor was a very revolutionary vessel that was the prototype for all military vessels today. The discovery of the Monitor was not by salvors or divers that regularly dive the Graveyard of the Atlantic but was found by a group of geological and oceanographic scientists that were conducting topographical measurements on the ocean floor. The wreck was discovered in 1973 by the lead scientists Robert Sheridan, Harold Edgerton, Gordon Watts and John Newton and several members from Duke, University of Delaware and University of Rhode Island. One of the best nautical books that you will ever read is Robert Sheridan's book on the discovery of the Monitor entitled Iron from the Deep - The Discovery and Recovery of the USS Monitor. The interactions between the the academic world, the military and the government is a a unique glimpse into the maniacal world of bureaucracy and ego. Although there is a fair amount of science, it is extremely interesting and lends credibility for the discovery and identification of the Monitor. I met Dr. Sheridan over 15 years ago when I was diving the Monitor in collaboration with NOAA and continue to speak with him on a semi-regular basis. He is currently retired as professor emeritus at Rutgers University and still very involved in the story of the Monitor. I find it quite interesting that the story of the finding and recovery of the Monitor has always downplayed the role of these fine scientists. Hopefully, with the new Monitor Center, their scientific exploits and their significant role in the discovery of Monitor will be captured for the generations of future marine scientists.