Acting Paymaster William F. Keeler On (And In) the USS Monitor, the U.S.A.'s First Ironclad

Many amateur Civil War buffs will be able to tell you all about the various land campaigns, significant land battles, specific charges, etc. almost, sometimes, ad nauseam. Therefore, I found it more interesting to delve into an aspect of Civil War military activity not as oft praised or glorified. In this direction, I came to develop an interest in the U.S.’s navy activity and, more specifically, its usage of ironclads. Here I found a wonderful source of direct insight in the letters of William Frederick Keeler, the acting Paymaster aboard the U.S.’s first ironclad, the Monitor.

            Keeler was (fortunately for us) an organized and meticulous man, traits that persuaded him to maintain good upkeep and storage of his letters. He was an educated and well-read man as well, but I wouldn’t be too quick as to label him a bookish, introverted sort. Throughout his letters to his wife, it can be seen that he seeks to obtain honor and glory by way of his military endeavors. As a result, he oftentimes described how the activities of the Monitor had in some way provided for Union military prosperity. Although noting that his pride in his ship’s activities is, of course, speckled with bias and must be taken with a grain of salt, I must pronounce that I agree with Keeler in regards to the significance of the Monitor’s actions and will provide some of Keeler’s examples as proof of this argument.

            To begin with, Keeler notes the significance of the Monitor in the Battle of Hampton Roads, the first battle consisting of two ironclad warships. On March 8, 1862, the C.S.A. ironclad Virginia had done battle with the U.S.A.’s conventional wooden ships, destroying two in the process. The Monitor arrived overnight, however, and defended the remaining U.S. Navy ships there. As Keeler wrote to his wife, many high officials complimented the Monitor crew and “all regarded us as their deliverers nor doubt could the rebels have succeeded in their designs it would have been a disastrous thing for the country.” (Keeler 39)

            Eventually, Keeler goes on to describe how he believed that the Monitor’s efforts played a significant role in the Peninsula Campaign. As discussed in class, the Peninsula Campaign was planned by George McClellan to slip into the Virginia Peninsula and move his way up to capture Richmond. To do this, McClellan needed transportation and support from the U.S.A. Navy along the James River. One strategic point upon the Peninsula was the city of Yorktown. McClellan planned to lay siege upon the city in early May. However, before McClellan could act, the Confederates evacuated Yorktown on May 3. Keeler proposed that “the fear of our gun boats was probably the real cause of this sudden movement.” (Keeler 103-104) Although the Monitor’s gun power most likely was not the single cause of this Confederate retreat, it definitely could have been a deciding factor. The idea of being sieged upon from both land and sea probably did not seem too attractive to Confederate military commanders.

            As McClellan’s forces slowly advanced their way up the Peninsula, Keeler expressed his longing to gain glory helping to take down the Confederate capital. In this regard, Keeler exemplified the adventurous traits of some of his land counterparts, those soldiers who had joined the army in search of personal honor. After a defeat of Union gun boats, Keeler declared, “Our turn will come soon when we can act in conjunction with McClelland [sic] who is forcing his way toward the Rebel capital.” (Keeler 130) This excerpt demonstrates how Keeler yearns for retribution for both his hurt pride and that of the Union’s.

            To conclude then, I have discussed the role William F. Keeler believed the ship he was stationed on, the Monitor, had in the Civil War. He noted the significant part it played in protecting U.S. wooden navy ships at the Battle of Hampton Roads. He also pointed out the Monitor’s role in supporting the Peninsula Campaign of George McClellan. Keeler’s search for glory in the U.S. Navy should have been, in my opinion, satisfied by being stationed upon such a significant and influential warship as the Monitor.

 

Source:

Keeler, William Frederick. William Frederick Keeler to Anna Keeler. In Aboard the USS Monitor: 1862: The Letters of Acting Paymaster William Frederick Keeler, U.S. Navy, To his Wife, Anna, edited by Robert W. Daly. Naval Letters Series, vol. 1. Annapolis, MD: U.S. Naval Institute, 1964.