, 1862-05-22

nature that could be obtained, was spread
oEer the decks, and in the most available
places, n order that no possibility could
exist Of the vessel escaping complete destruc-
ton.
At about 8 o'clock in the morning, alter
night fraught with hard work and great excite
ment, the veaeel was fired, all hands having
previously 1ett The sh9rs Ti9h The exception
and two Of the crew, who were to fire the
combustib1es spread SO profusely around. It
was Just at this time, when the first 1ndica-
tions Of fire ernanatea from the vessel that
about fs1ty OF the crew, who we're all North
the reba service, deserted. fhey ieft in
double quick time, pressing horse that had
been left at house near by, and Intended for
the use Of Commodore Tatnall, he being un-
able to walk. During the time elapsing from
the determination Of the Commodore to burn
the utmost confusion existed IN all quarters
on board. One-haIf Of the officers were
drunk and seemed to have but setni-con-
sciousness of what was going on. Captain
Mears Of the marines had his sword taken
from him BY one OF the ssamen, Eho deserted;
the weapon vas brought to Baltimore by
the capturer of it, aud remains with him
relic.
At about i've minutes to five O'clock, after
the vessel had been burning for about an hour
AuQ u 4ak!s llE EtAQluSlUR t0Oh tlaGE, AQ0 Is
represented By our informant IS being an oc-
curence that battles description Tie huge
vessel was literally torn in pieces. The air
was thick with large and small pieces Of tim
Der. Huge sections Of red hot iron plate were
torn off and whirled through the air like so
around were covered with pieces Of the wreck
in every conceivable shape and size. The
noise made By the explosion WIS perfectly
terrific. shaking everything, even the very
ground, apparently, to its centre. The sight
Of the explosion Is said to have been thrilling
III the extreme, making an impression on the
mind that is indelioly stamped there. The
fitted vessel sunk immediately after the explo-
sion, not Fcstige Of her remaining above
wafer one minute after the explosion took
place.
luton, with the Others mentioned, to effect
the escape at the time, landed on the shore
with the rest, just previous to the firing; he
vas ordered by the captain to take charge Of
the picket guard, to reconnoftre, with the be-
he vent out and stationed all the men but two,
| and proceeded Immediately to the woods,
t with The other tWo men who were deserting
with him, the remaining pickets fired upon
| them, on the 6upposltion that they were de-
| serting, and gave the alarm. They fed in the
woods. throwing away their arms immediate
II. After travelling an hour or SO, they con
! cluded to remain in the woods all night, fear.
| ing that the rebels were in pursuit of them.
| About 8 o'clock in the morning they proceed
| ed on towards Portsmouth, very cautiously,
! for fear that that was not yet in possession Of
the Union troops.
On tleir way they met several secessionlsts,
who inquired what they intended to do witt
themselves, telling them they were goine
right into the jaws Of the Union troops. Tnel1
reply was, that was their intention. 1mmedi
/ ately afterwards they entered Portsmouth ani
reported themselves to Captain M4son of ths
10th Massachusetts, regiment, then stationed
at the Ferry at Portsmouth. They arrived q
the Ferry about nine o'clock on Sunday even
ing, and were Kept there until the next NOR
Viele, Military Governor at Norfolk, who i'm
mediately made them take the oath OF allegi
ancc, and set them at liberty, telling then
that he would send them to their respectiy
homes in few days. In the meantime the
assisted the Provost Marshal Of Portsmouth
field rifles, which were thrown away by th
dcser1crs on the night Of the firing Of th
Merrimac.
Gen. Yie1c then sent them on to Fortrez
Monroe. They then applied to Gen. Woo
who gave them free pass to Baltimore. The
!; then applied to the Provost Marshal ther.
!: and were sent By him to Nj. VIM Robins il
: who treated them with the greatest kindneE
and consideration, procuring them & passae
: to Philadelphia, where they arrived ye5terda
) morning. Our informant states that duriu
the time he was in the Confederate service,
+ | period Of nearly nine months, every cent
r money he received was twenty dollars in Il
Confederate scrip, which is utterly WORTHLESS
!, | of course, at present. He was dressed in
] coarse, grey suit, being Corporal Of marine
E He expresses the greatest joy at being deli
cred from the thTaldom Of the rebel servic
t and will proceed in day or tlFo to his hol
t 10 the old Bay State.
= [From the n. 7. Herald, 19th.7
4 james Thompson, 4 sailor BY vocation, a G
p izen Of Massachusetts, aud formerly reside
+ Of this city, arrived here On Saturday mig
- last from Norfolk, and furnished IFS with
' very interesting statement Of affairs in reb
= dom. He was one of the crew Of the Mer
l. mac during the fight with the Monitor, la
d | Ing been impressed into the rebel navy, o.
gunboat Lady Davis during the crulsing5
, That vessel off Charleston and the coast. +
Having sunk the two vessels We steam
up james River, the rebel officers being
G. high glce, and came to an anchor about Ii
le miles from the scene Of action. Here we
" We prepared to go down again, the rebel o
G GERS thinking to complete the work of I
le etruction by sinking Ill the rcssels in t
so Roads. When daylight had revealed the {
-. uation Of affairs, the officers of the Merriu
= discovered what they at first thought wa
.. small tugboat, steau1ing toward us. We b:
es ed her, but receiving no reply, let fly at
III from one Of our bow guns; but she very
- pudcntly took no notice Of the messenger
IL had sent and kept stcaming on. Then {
ut cheesebox," and were fairly trembling
ag their shoes" for the result Of q cont
n. with her. They soon found ont 1g
nd she mas. Soon the little Moni
n sent us her compliments in the eh:
tc- OF q round shot, which struck gun on
- r1J- t1fr 1+$ ~ -
If. killed two and wounded four Of the CT;
d. The firing was then kept up for about til
H. hours, tie vessels being very often side
IL side. After an hours firing the Merrit
IN. thought to try the virtue Of her plough
her antagonist, and struck her with it an
ships. The effect produced was very nnsa
factory to the rebels, however. The Monj
II then turned On her giant compeer and STR
her rudder, producing great CONSERVATION
es. board, but not rendering the rudder IN
ssS ssS yiceable. Every time the two guns from
IS Monitor were discharged each Of the
sii spot, bursting in the timbers Of the Me
dis mac, 1oosening the bolts Of the iron pl:
Ill and timbers. and doing MS very great dam
66l generally. It was noticeable also that
o,e siIoss struck us near the water line,
eao caused our vessel to leak badly.
Cal Mr. Thompson also corroborates what
an published some time since from the Rtchm
hat Dispatch, that the iron plates on the Mcrri
of were welded together in many instances
m the heat and force Of the Monitors shot,
ing Merrimac's crew, during tie engagem
cd were made to swear that # large numbe
IND the rebels on board were killed, they VT
out not reveal the fact to any one on their an
the at Norfolk. Seeing that the tide Of b:
an, VAS against us, VIC were ordered to '''t
I've ship aud put back to Norfolk. We had
cen proceeded far when we groussded, and or
IFS, had been already given to scuttle the {
not when we made another and last effort to
ars. | off the ahoa1, and succeeded, and We u
uds our way up to Norfolk slowly, arriving t
eek at six p. n, with about six feet
hat water in the hold. The rebel steamer
ky rick Henry, which bore down to the MOI
ON during the fight, was driven back by ashot
lu having steam turned on her from the N
rose tors boiler. She had six men scalded
aud two badly wounded. After reaching MOI
De the dry dock for repairs, and for five "
pic men were working on her night and day,
list ing her thorough overhau1lng. When
nave stfoyed she was in excellent condition,
QUO her IoaB, Mr.. Thompson thinks, will prov
been calculab1a to the rebels. While these re
ians were going On grear fear was expressed
'tar- the Monitor might come up Elizabeth
40" and ehe1l the city, IF she had done 30 n
4 be eistance could Or wou1d have been ofere
aVe- the authorities and people we're fright
at the very name OF herr, and the evaeu
Of the batteries and the city was a1resd
4U, cidcd on in the event of her risit. Cor
dore Buchanan was badly wounded it
uarI thigh. and was taken, Immediately on Of
rival, to the hospital. where, at Last acco
he still remains.