The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1862-03-14
Tho Rebel Steamer Merrimac ma
king Misohief-She captures and de-
stroys U. s. Vessels Cumber-
land and Congress.
THE MERRIMAC DRIVEN BACK BY THE
MONITo RI

While VIC were deceiving ourselves with
the idea that the rebel steamer Merimac was
q failure, she has come out OF her lair, run
down our sloop-of.war Cumberland, captured
and dc troycd the sailing irigate Congress,
and driven the steam frigate Monnesota
aground. This was on Saturday.
Sunday, however, the tables were turned.
The Ericsson irun clad battery "Monitor"
arrived at Hampton Roads son Saturday night,
aud Sunday morning went up to the pro-
lection of the Minnesota. On the approach
of the Merrimac, supported as on Saturday
by two other steamers, she was engaged by
the Monitor in u desperate close contest,
which lasted four hours, and mt its close The
MerriS.de tras driren back 10 Norfolk.
The Monitor, our first irop.clad steamer,
is n aoating battery, carrying two columbiads
Of the largest pattern, (lSO pound balls) in
q revolving turret. She was built by Erics-
son, the we'll known engineer, and was not
to DO accepted by Government until she
had proved herself successful. She has done
10 now. Her keel was laid Oct. %. She
was under the command Of Lieut.. John H..
wUrden, who was made prisoner at Pensacola
at the beginning OF the rebellion, and was
only recently exchanged.
The Monitor is uninjured, and ready at
any moment 10 rcpsl another attack.
With the history OF the Merrimac, our
readers are familiar. Originally one Of our
first-class steam-frigatcs, of 40 guns and
300 TOYS, built at Charlestown IN 1855, she
fell into tbe haudso of the rebelsa at the abandon
ment Of the Norfolk Navy Yard, and has
been made over into the engine OF torment
which has now raised so much confusion.-
The destroyed sloop Cumberland, q guns,
l726 tons, was originally frigate, and was
built at CharlestowR in 1912. The frigate
Congress, also destroyed, so guns, 1867 tons,
was built at Portsmouth in 1871. The Min
nesota is tirst-class steam frigate OF the
same pattern as the original Merrimac, and
built about the same time. She is under the
command OF Capt. &. j. Van Brunt, a gal.
liant officer. who would have been glad to
have had the opportunity to board the Mer-
rimac. which the latter was careful not to
give. The Minnesota was got aaoat yester-
day.
The accounts Of tho fights on Saturday and
Sunday, given by newspaper correspondents,
contain some additional features Of interest.
A correspondent Of the New York Tribune
SAYS -
.:The Monitor for nearly four hours steamed
round and round the Merrimac, sometimes
at distance OF halfa mile, sometimes touch
ing her. constantly hammering her with i'm
menss shot from her two guns. The effort
was to hit her stern. which was believed to
be the heel Of this Achilles: but the Merri-
mack, aware OF this, kept turning, also try
ing TO strike the Monitor with her beak.-
Once only the Monitor got into position
behind the Merrimac, but unfortunately, the
turret didn't stop rotating at the right mo-
ment, and the shot missed their work. In
the course OF the fight the Monitor discharged
from eighty TO ninety shots, and the Merri-
mac, living, rs some officers think, u black
aar. some two hundred. At length the
Mcrrimac retired with her consort. Her
stern seemed to observers to sink lower in
the water than when she came out. She was
towed OF by tugs, and some say that her
crew or q portion Of them were seen upon her
roof. as if afraid shc would 60 down. Lieut..
Worien, commander OF The Monitor, Is sure
that he put three shots through her, and the
general opinion at Fort Monroe is that she
Mas disabled, but Assistant Secretary OF the
Navy (roI), who was on the ground, thinks
otherwise"
The Herald's correspondent says:
"rhe firing was 40 rapid that both crafts
were obscured In columns OF white smoke Tor
. moment or moro. The nmparts OF the
fort, the rigging Of the vessels in port, the
houses and the bend were all crowded with
sailors, soldiers and civilians. When the
rapid firing alluded to took place, these spec.
tators were singularly silent, a. IL doubtful