, 1862-03-17
THE GREAT NAVAL FIGHT. !.
sUFFoCATIoM OF THE CREW.

OF THE CREW.
Arrival of the yankee Cheese Boz"
Fight between The Monitor and
AaeTrfEz:ac-
from One who was on Board the Ionitorl
MONITOR, Wednesday, March 5, 1861.
The Mopisor aftck several vexatious delays
S heayiDg her anchor inboard, and our senior
.nginecr, Mr.. Newton, has received an order
Tor steam ut IL a. m The trial trip of Tues
day proved in every way satisfactory, and all
he Haral service at the Brooklyn station are
satisfied that Capt. Ericssous latest effort
will prove splendid success. J.
TXn5sdcy, March 6, II a, n--Our conveys,
Ehe cunboafs Sachem and Curritucls, have left
their anchorage, and arc stcaming down the
ba1bor, and tile powerful toWhoat Seth Low /
has given us her strongest hawser, and now,
ut the signal from Capt. Wordcn, our wlart
lines are cast of, the engines arc IN motion,
elated spirits for tho scene Of our future tsi- |
umpfs |
o. nz.-The pilot has safely conducted us |
through the gate Of the ocean at Sandy Hook, |
and is now, with carpctbag in hand, watching
The approach Of the boat which is to Take him
hoyers III the near distance, and the conyoJs
arc stcaming slowly ahead on our starboard
quarter and abeam. The engines work Salts
factorily; the rudder, which has been source
Of anxiety and fear from its apparent failure
movements, and Capt Worden appears well
satisfied with his command.
Friday, March Z, 8 o. Hl.-We are stc2EnlnT
SLOWLY down the coast, making about FIVE
knots an hour, with the wind blowing freshly
iron, tic north west. The sea is rising quite
rapid]y, aud at 10 a, N. makes clean sweep
over our main deck. On account Of improper
csulking 1f the cnginc-room and forward
hatcles, the water penctratcs to the berih-
deck and into the ire room, rendering the
positions Of engineers anything hut agreeable
IL m.-Ihe tionitor is making, according to
sailor dialect, bad weather. The blower
matches, from defective arrangement Of pipes,
allowed a good. deal OF water to pane
t1ate to the eDgine-room, where coming IN
contact with the straps which rcTolTc the
blowers on either side of the engine, snapped
draft. In consequence Of this, the engine
room soon became filled with cpa1-gas from
the t1l1naces, which in short time pfostrated
Mr.. Newton, the Senior Engineer. He was
brought mp and placed On the deck Of ne
turref, where he remained in an UNCONSCIOUS
condition Tor fifteen minutes. Mr. Slim
crs, Chief Engineer, Who superintendcd the
construction Of the Monitor for the Govern
me1t, and who was passenger IN her to For
tress 5fonroe, repaired to the engine room ut
this iuncture, where he found ed Assistant
Engineer Campbell and Sd Assistant Hands,
with four tiremep, in state Of total uncon-
seriousness on the floor Of the fire~room. They
! we're Immediately removed to the tarret deck
where rebtufasircs were applied successfully.
About 2 p. H., we passed Cape Charles Light
house, making about i've knots, with steady
| breeze from the northwest. The sea has mod
Grated slightly, and the vessel has as little mo-
| ton as when running down New York harbor.
| At this time Cape Henry Light comes In view.
| The atmosphere is remarkably clear, and every
eye is directed with curious interest to the 10 n
line of sandy coast that forms the southern
border of Chesapeake Bay. We are approach
| ing OUT destination rapidly, and, if We have 9
| continuance Of our present weather, three
| hours from this time. will find us anchored
| safely in Hampton Roads.
| CANNoSADIN3 HEARD.
r.M.-Mr stodder, LIST Muster, from The
tower, reports heavy firing in the distauce
At first, Capt. Worden attributes the report:
to artillery practice at Fort Monroe, but al
hour later, the flash Of bursting shell is plh.n
II visible. He are now certain that an en-
gagement is in prog1ess, and our interest be
MeIrimac may be raiulng her iron hail on th
comparatively dcfrnselcs6 vessels ut anchor i,
the roads. But one desire animates our crew
officers and men, and is plainly visible in thei
compressed lips and anxious faces, and that i
to play their part in the fray. 6r. M.--The Re
port Of heavy artillery is becoming more an'
more distinct, and in range Of tue burstln
shells, in the direction Of Fortress Monfo
the vivid light OF a burning vessel is plainl
seen. At this time the Congress was set o
| fire l,y bursting shell, and continued to bur
until 10 p. NJ, Then her magazine explode
| With tremendous report, and the doome
| frigate, one sheet Of flame from water line t
: uaiu truck, was apparently. lifted entirely OF
! of tile water. For some minutes after, the ss
: was all aglow with burning fragments OF ta
! tered cordage and other light rigging. a
hour later, and but few Pickering spires
( fame werc visible, where, in the nlornin!
: lay one Of thc finest frigates Of the nav.
: Flushed with her sudden success, Il
!. Merrimac paid her attention in the next pla'
Il to the frigntc Minnesota, which had unto
2 Howcycr, whether from the latcncss Of Il
= hour, or from fear Of getting aground, the Ne
rimac, after few shots, retired for the nigh
: under the cover OF the batteries Off Sewau
Z Point, confident, no doubt, Of an easy veto
d in the morning: In this, however, she Y
Il Il now return to the Monitor. Amer casti'
~ anchor Capt. Worden reported to the fla
.. ship Roanoke for orders. He returned in
y short time, being ordered to lay along 81
N the Minnesota to defend her against the III
/. rimac, who, it WIS feared, would renew t
&ELaHA LIE u1t.Ht+ LII \ EAoTL LILLE
+ were snugly anchored alongside; but no bo:
,s swain piped ssall hands to hammocks'' II
le night. Exciting thoughts of the long wishe
of for fight with her proper enemy drove slu
d Der from the eyelids Of each hardy Monitor
oe oe But the night passed, and the Mer71mac
8, Sunday, March e.-The sun rose in Gle
n. nucloudEd SKY, and reVealed to the ankle
It. | watchers on the tower three vessels appare
he " at anchor off Sewalls Point; but the
l H. AS1t-- l.
% outlines. No doubt, however, is felt hut Il
u one of them Is the Merriuac, and from so
70 movements little later observed, Capt. n
cd den believes she is preparing for an enga
Mt ment.
lc- The Monitor is to be Immediately put
to fighting trim The iron hatches are clos
,.r the coTere are placed over the headlights, :
n in fifteen minutes from the time the orders
n given the main deck presents clear sWe
II nnbsokcn except By the turret and pi
Te. house. $40 a. m.--The CREW arc sent to
n tious on the berth deck fum magazine to
he Lieut.. Green, and several Of the other off1s
m. are standing on the tmret deck looking q
Re- iously at the Mystc.ious movements Of
sve vessels in the distance. At this moment,
the larger Of the three, which presents the sin
en, lar appearance Of d floating house submer
an rectly for Us. The officers are ordered in
*. diateiy to their stations; sLieut. Green
command the gunner; ChieEEngineer
lso mers to control the movements Of the tn
ally during the action, and to witness the beha
Of the Monitor, which Is to form part Of
report to The Government. just as
ia arc approaching the sur7et-hatch to
; Is tire below, tho Me7imac opened the ac
with shot that struck the water between
led Minneeota and Monitor, ,aud glanced far asst
city Caut. Wordeo Immediately took his posi-
49,, in sbe pilot house, where. ably seconded
ana Mr Howard, from one Of the q. 9. steam
tbe who volunteered as pilot, assisted By Qua
'0' naster Williams, he directed the mcvem
and 0: the Monitor aud gave h:s orders during
entire action. ALI hands. officers aud {
re- arc pov at stations visiting in bEeet'
e1i. auspense for further orders. Capt.
rlfetd the Monitor In position,
tha varied the bearing Of Merrimsc 10 L
Green Il the turret, and gave the
4yA- to fire. The port apron swings aside,
fpuptrs, 100, spring - the guu-rope
-, ereaIing Of pajlies fora moment aa1 III
md thu.seriug rrport broke tbs deata. like
arm nees that reigned a:ong the dusty rAa1
= ! y1a.asTa k11n mApAHiHc deck