USS Passaic (1862)

The USS Passaic (1862) was an ironclad monitor warship built for the United States Navy during the American Civil War. She was the lead ship of her class of ten monitors, known as the Passaic-class monitors. Designed by John Ericsson, the Passaic-class were improved versions of the original USS Monitor, incorporating lessons learned from its performance at the Battle of Hampton Roads.

Launched on January 30, 1862, and commissioned on November 25, 1862, Passaic saw action in several key naval engagements of the Civil War. Her primary armament consisted of two 11-inch Dahlgren smoothbore guns housed in a single revolving turret.

Passaic participated in the attack on Fort McAllister in March 1863, during which she sustained significant damage. She also took part in the bombardment of Fort Sumter in April 1863, playing a role in the Union's attempts to reduce the Confederate defenses of Charleston, South Carolina.

After the Civil War, Passaic remained in service with the U.S. Navy for a time before being decommissioned and eventually sold for scrap in 1899. Although she did not achieve any decisive victories, Passaic and her sister ships represented a significant advancement in naval technology and contributed to the Union's naval blockade of the Confederacy. Her design influenced the development of subsequent generations of monitor warships.