Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-03-19


vessel ashore.
At half past2 o'clock the Merrimac too
= a position astern of us, at a distance {
: about one hundred and fifty yards, an
4 raked us fore and aft with shells, while on
! of the smaller steamers kept up fire o
our carbohydrates. In the meantime
the Patrick Henry and the Thomas Jeffel
son, rebel steamers, approached from Il
the James River, firing with precision
and doing us great damage. Our tw
stern guns were our only means of defenct
These were soon disabled, one being di.
mounted and the other its muzzle knock
ed away. The men were knocked ava
from them with great slaughter by tn
; terrible fire of the enemy.
Lieut.. Pendergias first learned of tn
death of Lieutenant smith at half past
o'clock. The death happened ten min
utes previous.
Seeing that our men were being killed
off without a prospect of any relief from
the Minnesota, which vessel had rur
ashore in attempting to get up to US from
Hampton Roads, not being able to get &
single gun to bear upon the enemy, anC
the ship being on fire in several places, up
on consultation with commander w
Smith, we deemed it proper to haul down
our colors without any further loss of life
We were soon boarded by an officer of the
Merrimac, who said he would take charge
of the ship. He left shortly afterwards,
and small tow boat came along side,
whose Captain demanded that we should
surrender and get out of the ship, as he
intended to burn her Immediately.
A sharp fire with muskets and artillery
was maintained by our troops ashore up
on the tug. having the effect of driving
her off The Merrimac again opened up
on US, although we had flag a-peak. to
show that we were out of action. After
having fired several shells into US, she left
us and engaged the Minnesota and shore
batteries, after which, Lient. Pendegrast
states, the wounded were taken ashore in
small boats, the ship having been on fire
from the beginning of action from hot
shot fired by the Merrimac. He reports
the death of the following officers: Lieut.
Jos. B. Smith, Acting Master, and Thom-
as Moore and VIM. Rhodes.
Description of the Vessels Engaged.
THE U. S. VESSELS ENGAGED.
THE MONITOR.
The Ericsson iron-plated floating bat
terry Monitor, which has so signally put
an end to the disastrous career of the reb-
el steamer, was launched at Greenpoint
by Capt. Ericsson on January 80, having
been built in one hundred davs. She is
constructed on an entirely original plan,
invented by Capt. Ericsson with the spe-
citc view of attaining absolute invulnera-
bility. There are, in effect, two hulls to
the vessel, the upper one being the de-
fensive portion, and the lower one, which
is entirely protected by the upper, being
built light of three-eighth inch iron, with
an average thickness of three-quarters of
an inch. The upper hull is one hundred
and seventy-four feet long, forty-one feet
four inches wide, and five feet deep. the
lower hull l24 feet long, thirty-four feet
wide at the top where it connects with the !
upper hull, so that the upper hull extends |
over the lower twenty-five feet over each |
end and three feet seven inches over the |
side. The sides of the upper hull are |
and are built of a bulwark |
Of white oak, thirty inches thick, upon |
which is placed an armor of solid plate
ron, six inches thick, extending from bot
tom to top of the straight side of five feet
1epth, and all around the vessel. The
Tessel draws hardly ten feet, and her sides /
ire only eighteen inches out of water
The propeller, rudder, anchor and engines
ire all protected under the upper hull
The deck is shell proof. The inclination
If the lower hull is such that ball can
lot strike it without passing through
twenty-five feet of water, and then strik-
ng at an acute angle of about ten degrees.
Upon the deck isa cylindrical turret which
5 to contain and protect the guns and
,unners. 1t is nine feet high and twenty
eet internal diameter, having two port !
loles on the same side for the guns, and
icing built to revolve fifteen times a min
re, if necessary, by machinery connect
d with the engine. By this revolution
he guns are brought to bear at any point (
# the compass. The turret is of iron
'lates, standing lengthwise, riveted, and {
making in all thickness on every side of
ine inches of iron. On the side in which
he portfolios are bored, which will be the
most exposed to fire, will be an addition {
| shield of two. inches of iron, making I
he whole thickness eleven inches. 1t has &
perforated shell-proof top. The arma- !
1ent inside the turret consists of two IL
nch columbiads, which have been fur i
ished with 400 wrought iron shot, each /
all costing S47 andweighing 284 pounds, I
1ade on purpose for smashing in the sides I
such rebel floating batteries as the Mer- {
lmac, where cast-iron shot would break G
D pieces. The vessel has no unprotected {
art. II ball strikes the turret it meets I
resistance of nine or (if on the fighting
de) of eleven inches of iron; if it strikes j
ne sides. aresistance of six inches of iron, +
nd bulwark of thirty inches of white {
ak, and to strike the light portion, as we v
ave said, 1t must pass through twenty v
We feet of water. The stem and stern of t
le iron-clad part are pointed al al angle angle
eighty feet. The plate being straight /
n the two sides toward the end, and the
des sharp, the battery is considered by q
he inventor as one of the most powerful /
cam rams ever built, bringing the whole f
immense weight of the upper hull and /
eek, weight of about $50 tons, to oper- b
.e in one direction. h
The battery left New York on Thursday il
r Fortress Monroe, with the express pur- b
Ose, it is believed, of attacking the Mer- t
mac at Norfolk, or at least preventing il
er from coming out. Capt. Ericsson ac- t
his vessel. and has the most 1
erfect confidence ~ her success. She
as towed to Fortress Monroe, which, how fl
yer, those acquainted with her say was a
necessary, as she has all the qualities of Il
the deck being water-tight, and t
ould be capable of speed of eight knots t
/ hour, and of living in the worst sea.
THE CONGRESS. b
This frigate was considered one of the
sst in the service. She was built at '
N. H., in lS4l, and pierced 4
r fifty guns. S,
THE CUMBERLAND.
The frigate Cumberland was construct o
at Boston in lS42. and was also pierced
r fifty guns. At the time the Norfolk
IVY yard was captured (April 10, 1861
e Cumberland was partially scuttled,
i'd towed off by the Pawnee.
THE MINNESOTA. h
Is steam frigate, and was pierced for 4
rty guns. Her keel was laid at Wash a
gton in 1855, and she was rated as first n