Theodore Ruggles Timby (5 April 1819 – 9 November 1909) is credited as the inventor of the revolving

gun turret A gun turret (or simply turret) is a mounting platform from which weapons can be fired that affords protection, visibility and ability to turn and aim. A modern gun turret is generally a rotatable weapon mount that houses the crew or mechanis ...

that was used on the USS ''Monitor'', the

ironclad An ironclad was a steam engine, steam-propelled warship protected by iron armour, steel or iron armor constructed from 1859 to the early 1890s. The ironclad was developed as a result of the vulnerability of wooden warships to explosive or ince ...

warship that fought in the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. He was born in Dutchess County, New York on April 5, 1819. Early in life, living in Cato Four Corners (later Meridian, in Cayuga County, New York), at the age of 16, he invented a method for raising ships out of the water for repairs by sinking a water-filled box beneath it, then forcing the water out through pumps in order to raise the ship. Throughout the 1840s, Timby perfected a revolving gun turret for use on land or water. He constructed a model and brought it to Washington but met with little success, as war was not imminent. However, with the outbreak of the Civil War, Timby brought his model to the

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...

, and this time met with a much warmer reception. Meanwhile, a Swedish-born architect named

John Ericsson John Ericsson (born Johan Ericsson; July 31, 1803 – March 8, 1889) was a Swedish-American engineer and inventor. He was active in England and the United States. Ericsson collaborated on the design of the railroad steam locomotive Novelty (lo ...

had submitted a proposal to build an

ironclad warship An ironclad was a steam-propelled warship protected by steel or iron armor constructed from 1859 to the early 1890s. The ironclad was developed as a result of the vulnerability of wooden warships to explosive or incendiary shells. The firs ...

for the Union Navy. The was built for $195,000 and was sold to the Union Navy for $270,000. Timby received a 5 percent commission of $13,500. Timby spent much of his life in

Saratoga Springs, New York Saratoga Springs is a Administrative divisions of New York#City, city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 28,491 at the United States Census 2020, 2020 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the ...

, having moved there in 1860. He patented a wide variety of other inventions, such as a door sash, water wheel, paper cutter, needle case, and a globe clock that was sold in such numbers that some can be seen today on auction sites. There was an effort in the early 1900s to give credit to Timby for his turret invention. The ''Washington Post'' stated in 1909 shortly after his death that "John Ericsson has for years monopolized all of the credit for inventing and building the ''

Monitor Monitor or monitor may refer to: Places * Monitor, Alberta * Monitor, Indiana, town in the United States * Monitor, Kentucky * Monitor, Oregon, unincorporated community in the United States * Monitor, Washington * Monitor, Logan County, Wes ...

'', but as a matter of fact he was joint inventor with Theodore Timby."''The Washington Post'', articles in 1902 and 1909

References

External links

Theodore Timby and the Revolving Turret - New York Times

Saratoga County Industries, Railroads, and Inventions
19th-century American inventors People of the American Civil War 1819 births 1909 deaths Burials at Oak Hill Cemetery (Washington, D.C.) People from Dover Plains, New York {{AmericanCivilWar-bio-stub