Lieutenant Louis Napoleon Stodder Presentation Sword Collection. The Louis N. Stodder collection consists of one Tiffany presentation sword and a second presentation sword manufactured by the Ames Company.

Accompanying the swords are copies of various documents and photographs which provide information regarding Lieutenant Stodder as a person and as a naval officer serving on the Monitor before, during, and after the famous battle with the Merrimac. Additionally, information will be provided regarding the manufacture, provenance and details regarding the swords.

Louis N. Stodder was born in Boston, Massachusetts, February 12, 1837 and died in Brooklyn, New York, October 8, 1911. Stodder was Acting Master aboard U. S. S. Monitor during her famous engagement with the Confederate ironclad C. S. S. Merrimac. During this engagement Stodder was seriously injured by a shell from the Merrimac striking the Monitor´s turret while he was at the wheel: "Acting Master Stodder was stationed at the wheel for revolving the turret, and when disabled Stimers took his place." (Maclay, p. 249)

In a report to acting Rear Admiral S. P. Lee, commanding the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, Commander J. P. Bankhead mentions the conduct of his officers and men as follows:

"I would beg leave to call the attention of the admiral and of the department to the particular good conduct of Lieutenant Greene and Acting Master L. N. Stodder, who remained with me until the last, and by their example and bearing did much towards inspiring confidence and obedience on the part of others."

In another report, Rear Admiral Lee reports to Honourable Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy:

"(Bankhead) commends particularly Lieutenant Samuel D. Greene, his executive officer, and Acting Master L N. Stodder, as worthy of all praise."

Stodder served on Receiving Ship Ohio, Monitor, and Adela. He was honourably discharged as Acting Volunteer Lieutenant on January 10, 1863.

The battle between the Monitor and Merrimac is perhaps, one of the most important in modern naval history. The significance of this engagement, when the South met the North in a clash of iron at Hampton Roads, Virginia though basically a draw, lays in the fact that it signaled the end of the era of wood hulled ships of war.

The battle between the Monitor and the Merrimac occurred on March 9, 1862. One year and one month following the battle, the Tiffany Monitor sword was presented to Lieutenant Stodder. Two weeks later on February 23, 1863 Lieutenant Stodder was presented with his second Monitor sword which was manufactured by Ames. Click the links below to view the fascinating descriptions with details regarding each of these historic Civil War presentation swords: