Hi, Mr. History,
I have seen an artifact, a heart-shaped pendant made of iron. It is dated 1862 and mentions the Merrimack and something about Virginia being the heart of something. Do you know if any commemorative items were issued at the time of the conversion of the Merrimack to the CSS Virginia? Or, were any items created to commemorate the battle of Hampton Roads in March of 1862 in regards to the Merrimack? The heart pendant was found in the ground in central Virginia. I, also, understand that hearts figured prominently with the Merrimack after it became Confederate.
Thank you for your time,
Sam Black
? ? ?
Dear Mr. Black,
According to Anna Holloway, a maritime historian for the National Park Service, heart pendants like the one you describe were fashioned postwar, mostly from salvaged iron, which would put it 1868-early 1870s at the earliest. They may have been sold late as the Jamestown Exposition in 1907.
The Mariners’ Museum has one – here’s the online record:
Accession # 1933.0193.000001
Object Name TOKEN, COMMEMORATIVE
Title SOUVENIR HEART MEDAL, C.S.S. VIRGINIA
Object Date ca 1867
Artist/Maker OLD DOMINION IRON & NAIL WORKS CO.\(MANUFACTURER)
Sincerely,
Jon Guttman
Research Director
World History Group
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