[Non-Sequitur]

Yeah, sinking an unseaworthy vessel in a storm with the crew aboard looks brilliant compared to running it aground.

Ships sink in storms, it was a fact of life during the period. It was impossible to forcast them so the Union Navy has nothing to apologize for. And the crew abandoned the Monitor before sinking and were taken onboard the escorting ship.

[Hacksaw]

Ships sink in storms, it was a fact of life during the period. It was impossible to forcast them so the Union Navy has nothing to apologize for.

That is a good one. Read up on Farragut's opinions on the monitor class. FYI, it wasn't "ships sink all the time, what the hell".