Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-03-12
THE FIGHT OF THE 1RoN.C1AD MONSTERS

THE FIGHT OF THE IRoN-CLAD MONSTERS.
The fortress Monroe correspondent of the n.
Y. Herald gives an interesting and detailed ac
count of the proceedings in Hampton Roads
on Saturday, which does not vary essentially
from the Geographic reports. The letter de-
scribes the sadness and dependency which
prevailed at the close of that day among the
federal officers which was heightened by the
reflection that on the morrow the hostile ma.
chine would again commence its work of de-
structon. But at eight o'clock in the eve
ming bright movable light was discovered
seward, coming from the direction of Cape
Charles light and as it was known that the
Ericsson battery had left New York a few
days before, it was suggested that the light
proceeded from her deck. By the aid of night
telescopes the Monitor was made out, and the
joyful news circulated that she was coming to
the rescue. How etitctuay she acted the
part of deliverer lie following description of
the desperate struggle on Sunday will dis
close -
"This day Sunday the day broke fair. AS
the SIN broke on the horjzoH a slight haze was
visible on the water, which prevented an ex.
tended vision. Al 65 O'Clock A. NJ. this haze
cleared away. Looking towards Sewall's
Point there appeared the Merrimac and the
rebel steamers Yorktown aud Patrick Henry.
They were statOnary-the Merrimac to the
right OF the others, blowing off steam. Their
appearance was the cause for Il second alarm.
The rebel craft seemed deliberating what to
do-whether to move on 10 attempt the de-
structOn of the Minnesota, w ich was yet
aground, or to move on TO the Union fleet an.
chored near the Rip Raps. The appearance
of the Merrimac on this second visit caused
great Precipitation in the removal of our trans
port feet 10 a safe harbOr mile or two up the
Chesapeake Bay. At seven A NJ. a plan seem
ed to have been adopted, and the Merrmac
steamed in the direction OF the Minnesota,
which was still aground. The Yorktown and
jamestown were crowded with troops, and
steamed slowly after the Merrimac. The plan
of the latter seemed 10 be to destroy the Min
nesota and then proceed TO shell out the Union
camp at Newport News and land and take pos
session OF the Union camp with their own
troops. The MerrimaC steamed along with
boldness until she was within three miles OF
the Minnesota, when the Monitor essay ed from
behind the latter and proceeded towards the
Merrmac. AT first the rebel craft seemed
ment at the queer looking machine approach
ing her The Merrimac then closed the dis
lance between her and the Monitor until they
were within a mile of each other. Both batter
les stopped. The Merrimac fred shot at the
Minnesota, 10 which no reply was made. The
rebel craft then fired at the Monitor; the latter
replied hitting the Merrmac the water
line The Merrimac then commenced firing
very rapidly, first from her stern gun at the
III 1, hrna IL,
sionally firing a shot at the Minnesota The
fight went on in this way for an hour or two,
both vessels exchanging shots pretty freely.
Sometimes the Merrimac would retire fol.
lowed by the Ericsson, and Uice UeTSd While
the fight between the batteries was going on
one hundred solid inch shot were sent up
| from fortress Monroe ON the steamer RancOcas
| to the Minnesota. AT II quarter past ten the
| Merrimac and Monitor had come into pretty
| close quarters, the former giving the latter
two brOadsides in succession. 1t was prompt
| ly replied to by the Monitor. The firing was
| so rapid that both ait were obscured in col
| umns of smoke for a moment or more. The
| ramparts of the fort, the rigging OF the YES
| sells in port the houses and the bend, were all
! crowded with sailors, soldiers, and civilians,
| When the rapid firing alluded to took place,
| these spectators wer1 singularly SILENT as If
| doubtful as to the result. Their Impotence
| was soon TeIllONeu ny inc luil Inquire Vi llle
| Monitor, with the Stars and Stripes flying at
her stern, steaming around The Mernmac,
| moving with the ease OF a duck on the water.
| The distance between the vessels was foIty
| feet. In this circuit the Monitors guns were
not idle, as she fired shot after shot into her
antagonist, two Of which, it is alleged, pene
trated the Merrimac's sides.
At eleven a IN. the Mime sofa opened fire,
and assisted the Monitor i'll engaging tie
Merrimac. She fired nine inch sold shot
with good accuracy, but with apparently Int.
tie effect. The Merrmac returned the, fire,
firing SHE'LL one OF which struck aud exploded
the boiler OF the gunboat Dragon, which was
| alongside the Minnesota endeavOring to get
her off By this unfortunate affair Joseph
Mcdonald, sailor, was seriously scalded For
| the next hour the battle ragged fiercely be-
| tween. the Merrimac on the rebel SIDE aud the
| Union vessels, the Monitor, Minnesota and
| Whitehall, but with no particular result The
| Minnesota being the best mark for the Merri
mac, the latter fired at her frequently, aItern-
ately giving the Monitor shot. The Merri-
mae made several attempts to run at full speed
| past the Monitor to attack and run down the
| Minnesota. All these attempts were parted,
| as it were, by the Monitor. In one OF these
attempts by the Merrnac she ran her pillow or
ram with full force against the Monitor but
it only had the effect Of careenng the latter
| vessel III the sIshleSt degree. The rebel
boats Yorktown and Patrick Henry kept at IA
safe distance from the Monitor The former
vessel, at the beginning of the fight, had the
temerty to come i'll respectable range OF the
Monitor. The latter fired one shot at her,
entering her pilot house, CARRYING it away,
and, no doubt, killing number of rebels.
She retired out of range.
The fight ragged hoty on both sides, the
opposing batteries moving around each other
with the skill, ease, and deXterity Of expert
pug lists. The Merrimac, though the strong
est, did not move with the deXterity CT her
antagonist; hence tine Monitor had the advan
tage of taking choice OF position. At quarter
before twelve O'clock noon, Lieut. Hepburn,
the signal officer at Fortress Monroe, reported
to General Wool that the Monitor had pierced
the sides Of the Merrmac, and in "A few min
utes the latter was in full retreat, healing for
Sewal's Point, and chased Tor few minutes
by the Monitor. The Merrimac had evident
ly suffered TO some extent and it was thought
at one time that she was sinking After SHE
got safely under the guns of the rebel battery
at Sewalls Point she stopped and Slgnaled for
help from her cOnsOrts, who were beating a
retreat Subsequently two tugbOats or gun
boats, went alongside and took her in tow,
and proceeded to Norfolk This ended the
engagement
Statements Cleaned from an Eyewitness Of
the Fight.
The Monitor for nearly four hours steamed
round and round the A. errimac, sometimes at