Editing CSS Virginia (section)

===Reconstruction as an ironclad===
[[File:Mariners Museum 2007 015a.jpg|thumb|left|175px|Display showing {{convert|4|in|0}} of iron armor backed by {{convert|24|in|0}} of wood]]
The hull's burned timbers were cut down past the vessel's original waterline, leaving just enough clearance to accommodate her large, twin-bladed [[screw propeller]]. A new [[Poop deck|fantail]] and armored casemate were built atop a new main deck, and a v-shaped {{nautical term|breakwater}} (bulwark) was added to her bow, which attached to the armored casemate. This forward and aft main deck and fantail were designed to stay submerged and were covered in {{convert|4|in|cm|adj=mid|-thick|0}} iron plate, built up in two layers. The casemate was built of {{convert|24|in|cm|0}} of oak and pine in several layers, topped with two {{convert|2|in|0|adj=on}} layers of iron plating oriented perpendicular to each other, and angled at 36 degrees from horizontal to deflect fired enemy shells.

From reports in Northern newspapers, ''Virginia''{{'}}s designers were aware of the Union plans to build an ironclad and assumed their similar ordnance would be unable to do much serious damage to such a ship. It was decided to equip their ironclad with a [[naval ram|ram]], an anachronism on a 19th-century warship.<ref>deKay, p. 131</ref> ''Merrimack'''s steam engines, now part of ''Virginia'', were in poor working order; they had been slated for replacement when the decision was made to abandon the Norfolk naval yard. The salty [[Elizabeth River (Virginia)|Elizabeth River]] water and the addition of tons of iron armor and [[pig iron]] ballast, added to the hull's unused spaces for needed stability after her initial refloat, and to submerge her unarmored lower levels, only added to her engines' propulsion issues. As completed, ''Virginia'' had a turning radius of about {{convert|1|mi}} and required 45 minutes to complete a full circle, which would later prove to be a major handicap in battle with the far more nimble ''Monitor''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rpi.edu/~fiscap/history_files/monitor.htm |title=The Battle between the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia |access-date=October 19, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100812044959/http://www.rpi.edu/~fiscap/history_files/monitor.htm |archive-date=August 12, 2010 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all}}</ref>

[[File:Remodeling the Merrimac.jpg|thumb|right|''Merrimack'' is rebuilt into ''Virginia'']]
The ironclad's casemate had 14 [[gun port]]s, three each in the bow and stern, one firing directly along the ship's centerline, the two others angled at 45° from the center line; these six bow and stern gun ports had exterior iron shutters installed to protect their cannon. There were four gun ports on each [[Broadside (naval)|broadside]]; their protective iron shutters remained uninstalled during both days of the [[Battle of Hampton Roads]]. ''Virginia''{{'}}s battery consisted of four [[Muzzleloader|muzzle-loading]] single-banded [[Brooke rifle]]s and six [[smoothbore]] {{convert|9|in|mm|adj=on|0}} [[Dahlgren gun]]s salvaged from the old ''Merrimack''. Two of the rifles, the bow and stern [[pivot gun]]s, were {{convert|7|in|0|adj=on}} [[caliber (artillery)|caliber]] and weighed {{convert|14500|lb}} each. They fired a {{convert|104|lb|adj=on}} [[shell (projectile)|shell]]. The other two were {{convert|6.4|in|adj=on|0}} cannon of about {{convert|9100|lb}},<ref>Olmsted, et al., pp. 125–27</ref> one on each broadside. The 9-inch Dahlgrens were mounted three to a side; each weighed approximately {{convert|9200|lb}} and could fire a {{convert|72.5|lb|1|adj=on}} shell up to a range of {{convert|3357|yd}} (or 1.9 miles) at an elevation of 15°.<ref>Olmsted, et al., p. 87</ref> Both amidship Dahlgrens nearest the boiler furnaces were fitted-out to fire [[heated shot]]. On her upper casemate deck were positioned two anti-boarding/personnel [[12-pounder]] [[Howitzer]]s.

''Virginia''{{'}}s commanding officer, [[Flag Officer]] [[Franklin Buchanan]], arrived to take command only a few days before her first sortie; the ironclad was placed in commission and equipped by her [[executive officer]], [[Lieutenant]] [[Catesby ap Roger Jones]].