Near the end of April, 1861, at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, the USS Merrimack was burned to prevent capture by the Confederates. Months later, the hulk, which had burned to the waterline, was raised and moved to drydock, where it was reconstructed with armored sloping sides and a four foot iron ram on the bow. Renamed the Virginia by the Confederates, she steamed into Hampton Roads and attacked the blockading Union fleet. Her first victim was the USS Cumberland which was sunk by gunfire and ramming. The Virginia's ram stuck in the side of the Cumberland but broke off, otherwise the Virginia would have gone to the bottom with her victim. She then turned on the USS Congress and left her a burning wreck. The day was drawing to a close by this time, so the Virginia steamed back towards the Virginia shore and anchored for the night in order to effect repairs and offload her wounded. One of the wounded was Admiral Buchanan, who had been wounded in the leg by rifle fire from shore. Catesby Ap Jones took over command of the Virginia, and steamed out the next morning to sink the rest of the blockaders, but instead had to face the USS Monitor, which had arrived during the night. The two Ironclads fought to a draw, and spent the next year guarding each other without any more combat. In May of 1862, Norfolk was near capture by Gen. McClelland's Army, and the Virginia, unable to escape up river to Richmond, was burned to prevent capture.