The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1862-05-30

Grog was set out for the men, anC
license given for them to do AZ they
pleased, and get as drunk as they
} liked. The next morning the deat
and wounded, including the Com
: modore-were taken ashore. Th,
. Commodore sent word to the men tc
b,have that day as they had the day
before.
}, About ten o'clock the signal wa.
given to all the gunboats to weigh
anchor, aud the deck was cleared fol
action. The Merrimsc, followed BY
all the other vessels, proceeded tc
tho scene of the previous days fight
Abont the fret thing she observed
the Monitor was approaching her.
No one on board had any knowledge
OF the character OF the Monitor, bu,
after lew shots being fired some ol
tho gunners remarked that the turre,
on the opposing vessel wa, iron. -
The order then came not to fire a,
the Monitor when they conld got a
sho! at the Minnesota. While try.
ing to take position near tho Min
esota. tho Merrimac got aground
the Monitor then came up and sailed
around the Merrimac, both vessels
firing al each other; the Merrimac
endeavored to get ahoat and the off.
cers becoming greatly detected.
Alter she got off she ran out to
the Monitor and commenced leak
ing, her bows becoming shivered. -
Shots from the Monitor nearly went
through her. The engineer told the
Lieut.. in command that the last two
shots she received had injured her,
and il she had ceived one more in
the same place it would come iuto
the engine room. Lieutenant Jones
then concluded to return. She was
b diy dented, and although not
placed hors dW combat, sustained
enough jury to take long time to
repair.
After this fight clio was taken to
tho navy yard, and next morning
went into dock for repairs, remain.
ing there about one month.
Her bows were protected with
wrought iron casinge; and the guns
injured were replaced. Great pre-.
parations were made to board the
Monitor, in case OF another engage.
ment with her. Scaling ladders.
iron and wooden wedges, to wedge
the turret OF the Monitor, so that her
guns conld not be brought to bear,
chopping AXIS, to destroy gntta per.
cha pipe that supplies the Monitor
with air, balls saturated with tur
pentine and oil, to throw INTO the
turret, bottles with the same ingre
dients, chloroiorm in bottles were
placed on hoard to throw down the
turret Of the Monitor, and three 9th.
er boats were furnished with like in
gradients.
The tug White was furnished
with chains to run around the turret
of the Monitor to iasten her to the
Merrimac, and wet blankets and
boiler iron plate to cover eratings
supposed to be on the Monitor, in
or Ter TO prevent the men from firing
up at them, and also To smother the
men on board the MJni,or The
boarding party was to be led by
Lieut. Davidson.
Ga the evening Of the bombrd.
ment ol Sewall's Point, tho NJ ri
mac lay thcro watching the course
of events. Shs rom lined III re nll
right and all the mex. day. Abont
Z o'clock in the evening Of the day
following tho bombar'lment, Com.
modore Tatnall held council OF
war. A Il hands, incln ling both Of.
ficers and men. we're called on the
spar deck, and told BY Commodore
Tatnell that, after due deliberation
and consultation, he had arrived at
tho conclusion that the only chance
of saving the vessel was to tighten
her and get her up James river.
The Commodore knew at this
time the Union troops were in pos
session Of Norfolk, and know also,
that our gunboats were at the head
OF james river. All hands then
went to work, and for four hours
were employed in tightening the
vessel, throwing overheard nearly
all the c,al and ballast. There was
a great quantity of ballast on board,
and the labor OF tightening the ves
sci WAS of very laborious charac.
ter. About II o'clock that night
the Commodore held q consultation
with the pilots, and was informed by
them that il was an utter imposs,
biIity to get tho veps Il into James
river at ali. Commodore ratnall
then concluded to run the vessel
ashore AMI beach her.
The vessel was then headed to.
ward, tho shore, about half mile
ahead of Craney Island, her bow
heading toward the beach in conso
qusnco Of her guns being shottod.
Her guns were run in, and her
port holes closed, and preparations
made to desert the vessel prior to
her total destruction. Full three
hours wore consumed in landing
the men; small boats being used.-
While the process Of landing was
going on every preparation was be-.