Jeff Schwimer, age 13, of Monroe, La., for his question:

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MERRIMAC?

One of the important battles of the Civil War was between the Confederates ship named the Merrimac and a Union vessel named the Monitor.

The Merrimac was originally a wooden steam frigate. It was sunk and abandoned by Union forces in the Elizabeth River off Norfolk, Va., in the spring of 1861.

Confederate forces raised the ship a few months later and rebuilt it as an ironclad vessel. The Merrimac was renamed the Virginia, but continued to be known by most people by its original name.

The Merrimac attacked and destroyed several Union vessels on March 8, 1862. On the following day it ran into the Union ironclad Monitor at Hampton Roads. A battle raged for several hours and ended with the withdrawal of the Merrimac up Elizabeth River.

Two months later the Merrimac was destroyed by Confederate forces when they evacuated the Norfolk Navy Yard.