A FAMOUS SEA FIGHT.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XX, Issue XIX, 7 May 1898, Page 566

A FAMOUS SEA FIGHT.

THE MOMTOI! AND THE MERRIMAC. Our illustration presents a spirited representation of the celebrated sea fight between the Federal war vessel the Monitor and the Confederate ram the Merrimac, which took place during the American Civil war. The Monitor was one of these experiments in the way of naval architecture which have culminated in the modern war vessel. She was commanded by late Rear Admiral Worden. When she set out from New York for the Hampton Roads. Virginia, it was found that in many respects the queer craft was likely to prove a trying habitation. She did not float upon the water, but was almost entirely submerged, the waves beating over the deck under which the crew lived. Air was furnished by mechanical appliances in this floating dungeon, which might at any time become a coffin through failure of its untried machinery. Finally the water forced its way into the vessel through the hawse pipes, under the turret, and in several other places, and then, rushing over the blower pipes, dampened the blower bands so that they slipped and finally broke. The blowers being inoperative, there was no draft for the furnaces: the vessel began to fill with gas. and the engineers fell insensible to the floor of their room. They were dragged out of this death hole by other mem-

bers of the crew, and carried to the top of the Monitor, where they were revived by the bracing air and the wild, rushing water. The gas was at length confined to the engine room, ami the lives of the crew were saved, lint the vessel had no power of propulsion. and it yawed terribly in the raging sea. To continue the narrative in the Rear-Admiral's own words: — ’There were seventeen vessels in all. mounting 222 guns, still at the mercy of the Merrimac when the Monitor reached Fortress Monroe on the night of March 8. As we neared the Roads we could see the flames from the Congress. and soon a pilot came on board to tell us of the fell work done by the Merrimac and of the dismay of the Union forces: whereupon we pushed ahead with all possible speed, and reached the Minnesota, commanded

by Captain Marston,about nine o'clock in the evening. T at once reported our arrival to Captain Marston, who suggested that we should go to the assistance of the Minnesota, then aground off Newport News. Accordingly, we proceeded on our way. our path illumined by the blaze from the Congress, which blew up a few hours later, and about midnight cast anchor near the stranded Minnesota During the night we made all possible preparation for the impending conflict Daylight disclosed the Merrimac and her consorts at anchor near Sewall's Point. At about 7.30 they got under way and steered in the direction of the Minnesota. At the same time the Monitor raised anchor. and officers and crew took their stations for battle. ‘I went into the battle with a feeling of confidence. I was sure that

the Monitor could do good work in quiet waters. My chief fear was that the revolving turret would get out of order in the fight and refuse to go round. The opinion had been expressed by naval officers that the first shot which struck the turret would put it out of kilter, and that it would not revolve. But when the first shot struck her. ami others began to pour in. and she still worked like a charm. I had no more anxiety about the result. ‘When I saw the Merrimac making for us I felt confident that we were a match for her. I put “bows on” and fired straight up on the monster. Shots were exchanged pretty fast. Sometimes we were no further apart than across the street. I remember once trying to cut off her propeller by running our vessel into it. but missed it probably not over six inches.

Once she attempted to run us down with her ram. but by a quick turn we received the blow at such an angle that it did us no material injury, while every shot from our guns took effect upon the huge sides of the Merrimac. ‘Towards the close of the fight a shell from the enemy struck the pilot house just over the peep-hole, out of which I was looking. I was knocked down and completely blinded. The blow was right in my eyes, but from the flood of light which followed, and of which I was conscious, as one is conscious of light when his eyes are closed. I knew that the roof had been torn off the pilot house, and I did not know what other damage had been done. So I gave orders as I lay there to bear off. ‘As soon as Lieutenant Greene eould be brought from the turret, where he

and Engineer Stimers were stationed. I placed him in command and was taken below. Within twenty minutes be had the damages repaired and turned back to renew the fight with the Merrimac, but before we could get at close quarters she retired in the direction of Norfolk? The battle between the Monitor and the Merrimac lasted nearly four hours. It. began at- eight in the morning and continued with but about fifteen minutes’ interruption —while the Monitor was hoisting shot to her tower —until nearly noon. Lieut. Dana Greene, who was in command of the guns in the turret during the fight, and who was placed in command of the vessel when Captain Worden was wounded, in a letter to his mother, said: ‘At 11.30 the captain sent for me. T went forward, and there stood as noble a man as ever lived. T asked him what was the matter, and he said a shot had struck the pilot house directly opposite his eyes, blinding them? Continuing the story of the remaining portion of the battle, he says: "When the fight was over and we were victorious, my men and myself were perfectly black with smoke and powder. All my underclothes were perfectly black and my person was in

the same condition. When our noble captain heard that the Merrimac had retreated he said that he was perfectly happy and ready to die? But Morden did not die. Instead, he was able in time to assume active duty. Meanwhile, he was promoted to be commander, and received many tokens of popular and official appreciation of his great victory. And what of the Monitor's after career? Her life was as short as it was eventful. From the time of her first engagement with the Merrimac until the final destruction of that vessel on May 11. 1862. she lay at Hampton Roads to guard and 'defend the manifold interests there. On May 12 she led the vessels that went to Norfolk on the evacuation of that citv bv the Confederates. Later she went up the James River as one of the flotilla under the command of Commodore Rodgers. She was also in the engagements of Fort Darling, seven miles below Richmond. From this time until the retreat of the army from the peninsula she was employed in patrolling the James River, and was the last ves-

sei to eome down that stream, arriving at Newport News on August 2L She foundered off Cape Hatteras on Dec-ember 30. 1862, taking down with her half of the officers and crew. No ship fills a more imperishable place in naval annals than does the Monitor. Not only did her timely arrival assure the safety of Hampton Roads, but the ideas which she embodied compelled the re-building of the navies of the world. The turret which was her distinguishing feature is to-day the central idea of the most powerful armoured vessels.