I'm trying to confirm a small Iowa mystery. One Iowa resident, Julius F. Breitenstein, seemingly told many people that he served on the Merrimack during the battle against the Monitor. However, I can't locate any documentation online, and I don't know where to start looking. Would anyone be able to give me some suggestions?

Pertinent info.: Breitenstein was born in Missouri on Sept. 10, 1844 and died July 12, 1920. He lived in Van Buren County, Iowa, in the mid-1850s through the 1860 Census. Sometime after the war, he returned to Iowa and lived there for decades.

Thanks for thinking about my request.