ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE MONITOR AND MERRIMAC.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 101, 30 April 1898, Page 1 (Supplement)

ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE MONITOR AND MERRIMAC.

ARMOURED SHIPS OP^ 36 YEARS

AGO,

At the present time it is interesting to recall the naval engagement, just 36 years ago last month, in which the Monitor, checked the hitherto successful progress of the Merrimac, the pride of tlie 'Southern States. The story, of the great sea fight is read and re-.read with deepest, interest. .It has: the. true dramatic element in it; and it reads-as though it had been all 'thought out,' from beginning to climax, by a skilled dramatist. It is like the last * act in a great naval drama.. ..■'..

The destructive battle, of the day before had wrought up tlie feelings of the .people to the highest-pitch of excitement. A monster, clothed in iron and breathing -forth deiith and de-struction,.-had: glided, about noon,.- on the Bth day of March, 1802, into the Hampton .> Roads, and ■ attacked the Union fleet. They United; States sloop of; war, the- Cumberland, had been sent to'the bottom, her colours flying1, and her brave men saluting the enemy with a discharge of Ae&d and iron, even as the waves laved. the hot1 lips of their camion. The cdhimailder of the Congress had been forced to abandon his burning ship "and had witnessed its total destruction. The Minnesota was aground and at the mercy of this terrible leviathan of "the deep. Gannon balls rebounded from her iron ribs as though they were made of India rubber. The shock of the bursting shells shook ; the earth, but• harmed not this (impregnable floating fortress. The United States fleet was at her mercy. The shells; of her great guns threatened-'every seaboard .town of-the nation. -Never in naval history had there been so terrible a. battleship as the one which rode, triumphant, invulnerable, in the waters of Hampton .Roads. Then, night pulled , down the curtain on the first act to the great drama.; Great was the stisperise of the nation. The telegraph -had flashed the news north and sduth. Tn tlie south it was like the Day of Jubilee. A.great.victory had been won. Greater triumphs were promised. ,The North, was terror-stricken. Whht might not this frightful monster dd?' At Washington, all was consternation. Seward, Chase, Stanton; and AVells hastened to White House to confer with the President. 'The Merrimac will,change the whole character of the war,' Stanton declared. 'She, will destroy, seriatini every naval vessel; she will lay all the cities on the'seaboard under contribution. I have no doubt but what, at this moment the monster is on her why to Washington.'. Rising and looking out of the window, which offered a view of the Potoniac for many miles, he continued.his excitement increasing: 'Not unlikely we ishail have from one of her guns ■ a shell' or cannon ball in the White Housebefore we leave the room.'

, The most skilled dramatist could A' not have made the situation more intense. ■:, ■' ■: ;■> ;. ■ ■. ,:-• .'.■ ■

_ With the morning the curtain lifted, blowly; confident of easy victory here and ot greater glories to come, the massive -Merrimac steamed toward her .apparently helpless -vicfilS, the" gr'Qiiri-— " 'led Minnesota. At this criticat tnti•ment;therev darted..QutTromi-vbehmcl,.. the Minnesotn, whose immense bulk ,h_ad effectually concealed her until the instant a craft of so strange amT novel an appearance ns to cause an onlooker to exclaim, 'A tin can on a \ shingle! This was Ericsson's Monitor < btraight toward the -formidable tortress of iron steamer! the brave little.boat:-arid the world's first battle between: ironclads The great guns thundered. Shells - and cannon balls pounded th» iron armour of the two vessels, doing little (lamage. Like gladiators in. an arena they manoeuvred: advanced, retreated turned, doubled," rushed attach other, yet,neither gaining any absqlute, advantage over the other. An ? officer on board the Merrimac discor > ,vered a division standing 'at ease* Why are .not these nieu ; firine-?' lie demanded. r, . ~, .

, Our powder is .very preei eras,' was the reply.; 'ami after two hours' incessant firing- I find I can do her about -■as much damage by snipping my thumb at-hejT. every two and a half minutes.' Sometimes: the , two' ships AVere.; so close that their cannons spit spitefully into each other's mouths and the shock of the great balls crash- • ing ag-amst the iron sides threw men off. their feet, yet failed to penetrate the ; armour. For" four hours, from 8 o'clock in the morning/ until noon1, the two ships- hurled heavy shot and shell- at one another, with hardly. 'a casualty. Then, a shell from 'the muzzle of ~a:gun; not ten"yards distant, struck the. pilot-house of the Monitor, directly in the sig-ht-hole', •and exploded. Captain Worden, .who commanded the ship, was standing right -behind this spot; and receive"! in the fape the force of the blow. H<j s.taggered' baclc, partly stunned' arirt with eyes blinded with powder. The Tjursting shell had blown an opening in the pilot-house; and the flood of light rushing in caused Wordc-n|"b'lu{i ded as, he was, to believe the pilothouse seriously damaged; and lid gave"tlie order to' 'sheer oft".' Tlie brave officer thought himself mortallywoundedr yet? his'fortitude never for'ii moment forsook him. He inquired rrepeajetUy of thd.progress of affairs; and when told the Minnesota was saved,he said .-.'Then I can die happy? • However, his wounds, though serious wer e rint; mortal. .. . »

The battle was. .over. The Memniac retrqated toward Norfolk. ' Tho Monitor made no effort to follow. It was not a decisive victory. Both sid^s claimed the advantage, but-the results SS^^r 1 in % your of the Union. The little Monitor had halted the miehtv Merrimac. •/!;:. ," Jt

In, the following May, when Norfolk was evacautedy the Confederates were forced to destroy the Merrimac:' and, m,December of the same rear" the Monitor foundered off Cape 'Hat-' teras. Their careers were brief, but. their memories,, are glorious.' ', :•