Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1862-03-19

demand of you great, heroic exertions; rapid
and long marches desperate combats (; pri-
vations, perhaps. We will share all these
together; and, when this sad war is over, we
will all return to our homes and feel that we
can ask no higher honor than the proud con-
sciousness that we belonged to the Army of
the Potomac.
GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN,
Major General Commanding.
The Fight Between the Monitor and
the Merrimac.
Before daylight on Sunday morning the
Mentor moved up and took position along
side the Minnesota, lying between the latter
ship and the fortress, where she could not be
seen by the Rebels, but was ready, with steam
up, to slip cut
Up to 8 o'clock on Sunday the Rebels gave
no indication of what were their further de.
signs. The Merrimac laid up toward Craney
Island, in view but motonless. At that hour
she was observed in motion, and came out
followed by the Yorktown and jamestown,
both crowded with troops. The object of the
leniency toward the Minnesota on the pre-
vious evening thus became evident. 1t was
the hope of the Rebels to bring the three
ships aboard the Minnesota, overcome her
crew by the force of numbers and capture
both vessel ard men. The design was a bold
and sagacious one, and apparently ofeasy ac
complishmcnt.
As the Rebel hotilla came out from SowelPs
Point the Monitor stood out boldly towards
them. 1t is doubtful if the Rebels knew what
to make of the strange looking battery, or if
they despised it. Even the Yorktown kept
on approaching until a 13 inch shell from the
the Monitor sent her right about. The Mer-
rimac and the Monitor kept on approaching
each other, the latter waiting until she would
choose her distance. and the former apparent
ly not knowing what to make her funny look
ing antagonist. The first shot from the Mon
itor was fired when about one hundred yards
distance from the Merrimac. This distance
was subsequently reduced to fifty yards, and
at no time during the two hours of furious
cannonading that ensued were the vessels
more than two hundred yards apart
1t is impossible to produce the animated
descriptions given of this grand contest be,
tween two vessels Of such formidable offen
sive and defensive powers. The scene was
in plain view from Fortress Monroe, and in
the main facts all the spectators agree. At
first the fight was very furious, and the guns
OF the Monitor were fired rapidly. As she
carries bus two guns, whilst the Merrimac
has eight, of course she received two or three
shots for each one she gave. Finding that
her antagonist was much more formidable
than she locked, the Merrimac attempted to
run her down, The superior speed and quick
er turning abilities of the Monitor enabled
her to avoid these shocks, and to give the
Merrimac as she passed a shot. Once the
Merrimac struck her near amidships, but only
to prove that the battery could not be run
down nor shot down. She spun around like
a top, and as she got her bearing again sent
one Of her formidable missiles into her huge
opponent.
The officers of the Monitor at this time had
gained such confidence in the imprcgnabiity
of their battery that they no longer fired at
random or hastily The fight then assumed
its most interesting aspects. The Monitor
ran round the alerrimac repeatedly, probing
her sides, seeking for weak points, and rcser
wing her fire with a coolpess that must have
been intensely aggravating to the officers of
her big enemy, until she had the right spot
and the exact range, and made her expert
ments accordingly. In this way the Merri
mae received three shots which must have
seriously damaged her. The first went in
abait Of the smoke stack and ranged forward
The next shot was put in low down on her
side, near the edge of the iron roofing, which
ovcrhangs her sides somewhat like 4 pcnt
house. The next shot was placed nearly in
the same position. Neither of these shots
rebounded at all, but appeared to cut their
way clear through iron and wood into the
ship. Soon after receiving the third shot the
Merrimac turned towards Sowel's Point, and
made off at full speed.
The Monitor followed the Merrimac until
she got well inside Sowelrs Point and then
returned to the Minnesota. 1t is probable
the pursuit would have been continued still
further, but Lieut.. Worden, her commander,
had previously had his eyes injured, and it
was also felt that so much depended on the
Monitor that it was imprudent to expose her
unnecessarily. Lieut.. Wordsn at the time he
was injured was looking out of the eye holes
of the pilot house, which are simply horizon,
tai Sits about half an inch wide. A round
shot from the Merrimac struck squarely
against these Sits as Lieut.. w. was looking
through, causing some scaings from the iron
force against his eyes The injury was me-
cessarily very painful, and it was at once
feared that he would lose one of his eyes
Before, however, he left Old Point, it was
thought this danger had been renewed. Lieut..
Green now has command of the Monitor.
EVACUATION OF NEW MADRID.
The Rebels leaUe all their Cans and Camp
Equipage- TtOenty: :tfre pieces Of Aeapy ar,
tIlery Taken Thirty t0O Batteries Of Field
ArtiIery, se0eraJ thousand Small Araas
and great quantity Of Stores taken-No
Rebel Flag remaining in Missouri.
ST. LOUIS, March IA.
The following is a copy of the official de-
spatch sent to the Secretary of War:
"After several days skirmshing and a
number of attempts of the enemy's gunboats
to dislodge General Pope's batteries at Point
Pleasant, the enemy has evacuated his fort
and intrenchments at New Madrid, leaving
all his artillery, field batteries, tents, wagons,
mules, &C., and an immense quantity of mil
itary stores.
ssRrinadier General Hamilton now ncnnnies